Foreigners’ Hallyu Spending Reaches 1.3287 Trillion Won in April

In April 2026, foreign tourists who visited South Korea spent 1.3287 trillion won on Hallyu-related items, marking the highest figure on record. This amount represents a 21.7% increase compared to March’s 1.0917 trillion won, and it is 54.6% higher than spending during the same period in 2025.

BTS’s activities were a key factor behind this surge in spending. BTS released their fifth studio album, “Arirang,” in March 2026 and held a comeback concert in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Their return that same month encouraged fans to visit South Korea, and the subsequent world tour that began in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, in April continued to generate steady demand for related products.

Foreign tourists’ Hallyu spending is not limited to attending concerts alone. Among various spending categories, shopping accounted for the largest share at 38.4%, followed by beauty and wellness at 22.0%, fashion at 14.0%, lifestyle food at 12.2%, and Korean cuisine at 10.2%. This indicates that foreign tourists are actively engaging in a wide range of Hallyu-related activities beyond simple sightseeing.

Among experiential activities, attending concerts was the most frequently mentioned, with around 40,000 such events reported. Foreigners who visited South Korea for the purpose of fandom activities participated actively in experiences such as learning dances, visiting entertainment companies, and touring filming locations for dramas and movies. This shows that K-pop and K-content have a strong influence, driving not only media consumption but also actual tourism and economic activity.

While foreign tourists’ Hallyu spending reached a record high of 962 billion won in November 2023, the 1.3287 trillion won spent in April 2026 far exceeded that previous figure.