Korean healthcare is emerging as a global destination for beauty and health tourism. Last year, a record-breaking 1.17 million foreign patients received medical treatment in Korea. The total amount they spent on medical fees alone reached at least 1.4 trillion won. Analysts note that the trend of spending more money at hospitals than at duty-free shops or department stores has now firmly taken root.

A foreign tourist who has completed plastic surgery is walking down the street in Myeongdong, Junggu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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Last year, 1.17 million foreign patients visited Korea, setting a new record. Among them, about 920,000 paid their medical bills at hospitals using cards issued overseas. The average spending per person exceeded 1.52 million won, with total card payments amounting to 1.4 trillion won. The largest share of spending went to dermatology, followed by plastic surgery, then department stores, duty-free shops, and restaurants. Furthermore, since these figures only account for credit card payments, the actual spending is expected to be much higher when including Alipay, UnionPay, and cash payments.

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Last year, foreign patients visiting Korea came from as many as 202 countries. The largest group was from Japan (about 440,000), followed by China (260,000), the United States (100,000), Taiwan (80,000), and Thailand (38,000). Notably, the number of patients from Japan increased by 135% compared to the previous year, and from Taiwan by an astonishing 550%. This surge is interpreted as a sign that demand for medical visits, rather than mere recovery, is exploding. The choice to "visit Korea for medical tourism" has rapidly increased in both Japan and Taiwan.

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Among foreign patients who visited Korea last year, dermatology accounted for the highest proportion. More than half, 56.6% or about 700,000 people, sought dermatology services, followed by plastic surgery (11.4%) and integrated internal medicine (10%). The number of dermatology patients increased by an impressive 195% compared to 2023. This is interpreted as a sign that the number of overseas patients coming to Korea specifically for skin procedures has skyrocketed, far surpassing a simple recovery.

Another notable point is the growth of traditional Korean medicine. Integrated treatments based on traditional medicine increased by 84.6% compared to the previous year, indicating a rising demand for long-term stay treatments in addition to short-term procedures such as dermatology and plastic surgery. As medical fields diversify from beauty-focused services to health management and traditional treatments, Korean healthcare is now evolving from simple "procedure tourism" into a long-term stay healthcare platform.

A foreign tourist who has completed plastic surgery is walking on the street in Myeongdong, Junggu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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Last year, about 85% of foreign patients were concentrated in Seoul, showing a continued dominance of the capital region. However, Busan (about 30,000) and Jeju (about 20,000) saw increases of 133.6% and 221%, respectively, compared to the previous year, demonstrating their potential as "medical tourism destinations." These regions are introducing medical service models that combine specialized treatments such as dermatology, dentistry, and traditional Korean medicine with local tourism resources, attracting attention as destinations where patients can undergo short procedures and recover during their stay.

A person applying a cream mask. Photo by Getty Images Bank

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Since foreign patients pay higher medical fees than domestic patients, attracting them provides strong incentives for hospitals and is gaining attention as a new growth engine for the national medical industry. Now, the sustainability of Korean healthcare will depend on developing it into an industrial ecosystem based on trust, convenience, and quality, rather than just a simple medical service.