 |
Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Travel by South Koreans to China is rising sharply, led by content creators, with foreign media identifying the trend as a notable shift driven by easing visa rules and improving bilateral ties.
According to South China Morning Post on April 26, Korean content creators are increasingly visiting major Chinese cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen, using them as backdrops for video content.
Official data underscores the trend. Approximately 3.16 million South Koreans visited China last year, marking a 36.9% increase year-on-year—the highest growth rate among major outbound destinations. The momentum has continued into this year, with around 300,000 Koreans visiting China in January alone, up 48% from a year earlier.
In an interview with SCMP, Korean content creator Park Dae-il, who has lived in China for seven years, said visits by vlog creators have surged since visa policies were relaxed, driven by growing interest in Chinese content and expectations of higher viewership.
The report also linked the trend to improving diplomatic relations, noting that high-level engagements—including a recent visit to Beijing by South Korea’s president—have contributed to expanding trade and cultural exchanges.
Policy changes have also played a role. China has gradually relaxed visa requirements to attract foreign tourists following the COVID-19 pandemic. It currently allows visa-free entry for citizens of 79 countries, including unilateral visa exemptions for 50 countries. For South Korea, a visa-free stay of up to 30 days has been extended for another year as of November last year.
As a result, visa-free entries into China reached 30.08 million last year, accounting for about 75% of all foreign arrivals and representing a year-on-year increase of more than 50%, according to China’s immigration authorities.
Meanwhile, the number of Chinese tourists visiting South Korea is also rising rapidly. Data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism showed that 4.76 million foreign visitors arrived in Korea in the first quarter, the highest on record for the period.
In March alone, about 2.06 million tourists visited Korea, setting a monthly record. Of these, Chinese visitors accounted for 1.45 million, up 29% year-on-year and the largest share.
The upward trend is expected to continue. Ahead of China’s Labor Day holiday (May 1–5), demand for travel to South Korea is accelerating. According to a 2026 holiday travel trends report released by Airbnb China, South Korea ranked first in overseas destination searches.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
