2.1 Million Flocked In Within a Month… 'BTS Effect' Sets All-Time Record

In March, foreign visitors to South Korea topped 2.1 million, setting an all-time high. Analysts say BTS's large-scale comeback concert acted as a catalyst, producing an unprecedented 'BTS effect'.

Monthly Arrivals Top 2 Million for the First Time

According to an announcement on the 21st by the Korea Immigration Service, foreign entrants during the month of March totaled 2,111,658. This represents a 40.4% increase from the previous month (1,503,881) and a 26.5% rise from the same period last year. Since monthly statistics began, this is the first time inbound foreign visitors have exceeded 2 million in a single month.

BTS Comeback Ignites Gwanghwamun, Draws Tourists Worldwide

By purpose of entry, the sharp rise in short-term tourists stood out. B-2 transit/tourism visa holders surged 58.1% from the previous month to 993,584, while visa-waiver entrants (B-1) jumped an astonishing 133.4% to 252,630. This surge in short-term tourists was mainly driven by a massive influx of fans from around the world coming to see BTS's comeback concert for their fifth full-length album, 'Arirang (ARIRANG),' held at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on the 21st of last month.

Triple-Digit Surge in Visitors from Europe…Proving the Power of K-culture

By nationality, the largest numbers of visitors were from China (528,735), Japan (484,853), Taiwan (194,224), and the United States (162,258). Notably, entrants from Europe showed sharp increases. Compared to the previous month, Germany rose 204.5%, Poland 172.6%, and the United Kingdom 147.7%, with major European countries showing triple-digit growth rates.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's "Inbound Foreign Tourists for Q1 2026" statistics, cumulative inbound tourists in the first quarter reached 4,759,471, a 23% increase from the same period last year. A ministry official said that, despite geopolitical headwinds, K-culture's unique appeal and coordinated efforts by the public and private sectors to attract visitors have driven a tangible leap in the inbound tourism market.