Where is the first place foreign tourists head to when they visit Korea?
It's not duty-free shops or cosmetics road shops.
It's pharmacies.
From painkillers to vitamin C and skin ointments.
With 'pharmacy item lists' circulating on social networking services (SNS),
the number of foreigners visiting pharmacies is steadily increasing.
Korean Pharmacies Become 'Beauty Hot Spots'
Among the many pharmaceuticals available, certain items are most frequently found in the baskets of foreign tourists.
These are skin ointments such as acne creams, scar treatments, and regeneration creams.
Once considered to require a hospital prescription or simply thought of as 'medicine,'
these products now top the shopping lists of tourists.
Especially because they combine both functionality and rarity,
these ointments have emerged as the most popular items in Korean pharmacies today.
Why Pharmacies, Not H&B StoreHealth & Beauty Store?
Julia, a tourist from Brazil, says,
"Pharmacies in Brazil don't sell skincare products."
"Korean pharmacies offer a wide variety of ointments at affordable prices."
In fact, foreign tourists
show greater interest in pharmaceutical-based functional cosmetics
that cannot be found at H&B (Health & Beauty) stores like Olive Young.
This is due to the trust in products made by pharmaceutical companies,
combined with the exclusivity of being available only at pharmacies.
According to pharmacy staff, the hottest keyword these days is 'regeneration ingredients.'
In particular, acne ointments are especially popular among Japanese and Chinese tourists.
SNS Has Changed the Role of Pharmacies
Videos that appear when searching the hashtag 'Koreanpharmacy'. Tourists watch these videos to find Korean pharmacies. Instagram screenshot
원본보기 아이콘On platforms like TikTok and Instagram,
'Must-buy pharmacy item lists for your trip to Korea' are widely shared.
It's now common to see foreigners walking around pharmacies with these lists saved as photos on their phones.
These lists are no longer just 'local tips.'
They have become global shopping guides for travelers.
The fact that these ointments can be applied precisely to targeted areas of the skin,
their excellent cost-effectiveness,
and the exclusivity of "only available in Korea"
are all fueling the purchasing desires of foreign visitors.
Why Should We Pay Attention to Pharmacy Shopping?
Foreign tourists are flocking to Korean pharmacies to buy everything from painkillers to skin ointments and vitamin C. Photo by Getty Images Bank
원본보기 아이콘This goes beyond a simple consumer trend.
It reflects a combination of trust in Korea's medical system and beauty industry.
In fact, the number of foreign patients visiting Korea in 2024 reached 1.17 million,
almost double the previous year.
From February to April, the number of medical purchases by foreigners set a new monthly record each month,
with more than half occurring at pharmacies and 21% at dermatology clinics.
Kim Namjo, professor at Hanyang University’s Department of Tourism, describes this phenomenon as
"the convergence of medical tourism and beauty tourism."
In other words, pharmacy shopping is not just about buying cosmetics.
It is a form of consumption that reflects trust in Korean medical products related to skincare and beauty.
A New Direction for K-Beauty, Starting from Pharmacies
For a long time, the K-beauty market focused on color and basic cosmetics,
but now, the focus is shifting to pharmaceutical-based functional products,
with pharmacies emerging as the core distribution channel.
The creams found in the baskets of foreign tourists
are no longer just ointments,
but have become a brand that represents the combined trust in Korea's medical and beauty industries.
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Reporter Lee Eunseo libro@asiae.co.kr
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Edit Hur Eunmi eungmimon@asiae.co.kr
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