[On the Scene] K-beauty at department stores, K-food at convenience stores ... retailers welcome foreign shoppers

[Financial News]“Korean department stores are cleaner and offer friendlier service than those in other countries, so I want to come often.”A, a 22-year-old tourist from Taiwan whom we met at Lotte Department Store Main Branch in Jung District, Seoul, on the 26th, said, “I came to shop for clothes and cosmetics with a friend.” He said he also planned to buy skincare products as gifts for his family.
That day, Lotte Department Store Main Branch was bustling with foreign tourists enjoying a shopping trip. Chinese and a variety of other languages could be heard throughout the store, and tourists browsing products or carrying shopping bags in both hands were easy to spot in the cosmetics and fashion sections.
Neelima, a 34-year-old tourist from Singapore, bought armfuls of K-beauty products. He said, “I’ve always been interested in cosmetics, so I came to Korea to buy some. I like that department stores have a wide range of products, from cosmetics to medicines, and that you can try them out in person. I’d like to come back with my family next time.”
The sharp rise in visitors to Korea has helped department stores bustle with foreign tourists. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a cumulative 17.11 million people visited Korea from January to September this year, up 21.5% from 14.08 million in the same period last year. That figure is equivalent to 90.3% of the 18.94 million visitors to Korea for all of last year, and is expected to surpass last year’s annual total this month.
Buoyed by this trend, sales to foreign customers at domestic retailers are also rising rapidly. Last month, Lotte Department Store became the first in the industry to surpass 1 trillion won in cumulative sales to foreign customers. Shinsegae Department Store and Hyundai Department Store are also expected to each exceed 1 trillion won in annual foreign customer sales this year. It would be the first time ever if all three department store chains reach that mark.
Convenience store chains are also benefiting from the increase in foreign tourists. GS25’s sales to foreign customers from January to September this year rose 72.1% from the same period a year earlier, while CU’s increased 71.2% over the same period.
At GS25 New Annyeong Insadong in Jongno District, Seoul, foreign tourists looking to try K-food for themselves were easy to spot. Ria, a 24-year-old tourist from Russia whom we met there, said, “Yesterday I had banana-flavored milk and Buldak Ramen, and today I came to buy snacks. I like that at Korean convenience stores you can prepare food and eat it right away.”

Foreign tourists looking for K-food also continued to stream into CU Myeongdong Station in Jung District, Seoul. Tourists pulling suitcases browsed a variety of products, including ramen and banana-flavored milk, as they shopped.
Samuel, a 24-year-old tourist from Brazil, said, “I saw Korean food on social media (SNS) and wanted to try it for myself. I came to the convenience store today to try ramen, gimbap and banana-flavored milk. I’m planning to eat the food I buy right here.”
Ian, a 35-year-old visitor from Scotland, also praised Korean convenience stores. He said, “Korean convenience stores have an enormous variety of products. I feel the selection is much wider than in Scotland, the prices are lower, and the products are better quality.” He added, “I’m thinking of visiting other convenience stores as well.”
[email protected] Jang Yu-ha, Kim Gyeong-tae, Kim Hyeong-min Reporter