Actual number of medical tourists travelling to South Korea 2009-2022
In 2022, around 248.1 thousand foreigners came to South Korea as medical tourists, one of the lowest number in the past ten years. This was likely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and travel restrictions. Prior to 2020, the number of medical tourists had been steadily increasing almost yearly. Americans made up the largest share of medical tourists to South Korea that year, at around 18 percent of the total number that year. South Korea is a popular destination for medical tourism since it offers advanced medical technology and facilities at lower costs compared to other major countries.
Medical tourist arrivals over the last decade
With the slogan “Medical Korea”, South Korea has been actively attracting foreign patients over the past decade. The total number of patients who visited Korea surpassed three million in 2021. Most patients chose South Korea for its advanced medical technology and services. A decade ago, patients from the U.S. and Japan accounted for half of the total foreign patients, but now the country distribution has diversified with the increasing numbers of visitors from Southeast Asian countries.
Medical tourism and 'Hallyu'
As the overall number of tourists visiting Korea has increased alongside the popularity of 'hallyu' content such as K-pop or K-dramas, Korean medical services are also increasing in popularity. It is noteworthy that the number of medical tourists from the Asian countries in which K-pop or K-dramas are very popular has been steadily increasing. The main medical reason for flying to South Korea among these patients was to access cosmetic procedures. Most of them visited the plastic surgery department or dermatology department, whereas the patients from the U.S. or Russia visited the internal medicine department or health checkup center.
Medical tourist arrivals over the last decade
With the slogan “Medical Korea”, South Korea has been actively attracting foreign patients over the past decade. The total number of patients who visited Korea surpassed three million in 2021. Most patients chose South Korea for its advanced medical technology and services. A decade ago, patients from the U.S. and Japan accounted for half of the total foreign patients, but now the country distribution has diversified with the increasing numbers of visitors from Southeast Asian countries.
Medical tourism and 'Hallyu'
As the overall number of tourists visiting Korea has increased alongside the popularity of 'hallyu' content such as K-pop or K-dramas, Korean medical services are also increasing in popularity. It is noteworthy that the number of medical tourists from the Asian countries in which K-pop or K-dramas are very popular has been steadily increasing. The main medical reason for flying to South Korea among these patients was to access cosmetic procedures. Most of them visited the plastic surgery department or dermatology department, whereas the patients from the U.S. or Russia visited the internal medicine department or health checkup center.
