"Are Tourists Coming to Korea Just for Delivery? New Tourism Trend Emerges, Top Area for K-Delivery Revealed"

Foreign Payments Surge 14-Fold
K-Food Experience Trend Spreads Through Delivery Apps

An increasing number of foreign tourists are experiencing "K-food" through domestic delivery applications (apps). Ordering delivery to accommodations and other non-restaurant venues to experience Korean food culture has emerged as a new tourism trend. The volume of foreigner payments made through delivery apps is also rising rapidly.

According to Woowa Brothers, the operator of Baemin (Baedal Minjok), as of May 13, the foreigner payment amount in the first quarter of this year increased by approximately 3.7 times compared to the same period last year. This trend became particularly noticeable since the end of last year. Starting in December, foreigner payments increased by 300% year-on-year, and last month, there was a fourteenfold surge compared to the previous year.

This is attributed to foreign tourists in Korea conveniently ordering and enjoying foods they have encountered through various K-content such as dramas, movies, and social networking services (SNS) via delivery apps. An industry official explained, “So-called K-delivery is emerging as a new channel for experiencing K-food,” adding, “This change is especially pronounced in major tourist districts such as Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Itaewon, and Jeju.”

Baemin offers support in English, Chinese, and Japanese for foreign users, and provides global payment methods such as overseas credit cards, WeChat Pay, and Alipay Plus. As of last month, these international payment methods were most frequently used in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, where there is a high concentration of foreign educational institutions and residential areas. Recently, Yeonhui-dong has emerged as a "hot place" among tourists, following Seongsu-dong. The increase in foreign visitors and consumer activity has naturally led to a rise in delivery orders in this area.

The second most popular area for orders made through international payment methods on Baemin last month was Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. The Chinese Food Culture Street in Jayang-dong attracts many tourists, and delivery orders are also actively placed by the local student population and Chinese residents from nearby universities. The third most popular area was Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a district frequented by medical tourists. Additionally, in areas such as Teheran-ro, high-income foreign businesspeople consistently drive up demand for delivery services.

The industry expects that the influx of foreigners as new users into the saturated delivery app market will provide a new foundation for growth. The number of foreign tourists visiting Korea continues to increase. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 4.76 million foreign tourists visited Korea in the first quarter of this year, the highest figure ever recorded for a first quarter. For restaurants registered on delivery apps, the increase in new customers is also expected to contribute to sales growth. An industry official commented, “Orders from foreigners can lead to the expansion of the delivery app market,” and added, “Delivery platforms are focusing on improving convenience for foreign users.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.