Korea Welcomes Record-Breaking 18.5 Millionth Foreign Visitor

On the 23rd, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a welcome ceremony at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 under the theme “K-Tourism Embracing the World,” celebrating the arrival of the 18.5 millionth inbound tourist, marking a record high in foreign visitor numbers.

The 18.5 millionth visitor to Korea this year was Charmaine Lee, a Singaporean national and a fan of K-pop Demon Hunters. She said she wanted to visit the locations featured in the series first.

The figure of 18.5 million surpasses the previous pre-pandemic record of 17.5 million set in 2019 by one million visitors. Following a sharp decline to 11.03 million foreign tourists in 2023 due to the pandemic, arrivals rebounded to 16.37 million last year before setting a new record this year. With about a week remaining until the end of the year, total arrivals are expected to exceed 18.7 million.

Driven by the global popularity of K-pop Demon Hunters as a catalyst for the K-wave, Korea’s tourism landscape has undergone a noticeable transformation, with assessments suggesting the country has fully shaken off the lingering effects of the pandemic.