Unpacking for a month: Tourists swap quick stopovers for slow travel in Korea

For many international travelers, Korea is changing from a quick stopover into a slow-travel destination. An increasing number of visitors are opting for longer stays, exploring far beyond the capital city of Seoul to immerse themselves in regional culture.

"I decided to stay for a full month to experience the country beyond the usual tourist attractions," said Kenneth Surat, a travel creator who first visited Korea for a monthlong trip shortly after the pandemic. He has returned for similar extended stays several times since.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to see every corner of Korea in a single trip, but spending a month there allowed me to gain a deeper appreciation of the country, its culture and its people."

Surat’s experience reflects a growing trend of inbound tourists ditching rushed itineraries. According to tourism platform Creatrip, transactions for travel products related to living in Korea for a month skyrocketed by 372 percent from January to May compared to the same period last year.

The platform attributed the surge to a shifting inbound market, where tourists increasingly favor experiencing the daily life and local culture of Korea through extended stays.

The shift is also getting a major push from local governments, with provincial cities and counties launching specialized projects to lure long-term international travelers.

The perks of slowing down

For Surat, spending a full month in Korea allowed him to pivot from a standard tourist to a local insider — experiencing everyday moments like recognizing the staff at his neighborhood convenience store during morning coffee runs and gaining confidence using public transportation.

"Having more time allows me to be spontaneous," Surat said, noting that he now packs running shoes and hiking gear whenever he visits Korea. "If I discover a beautiful hiking trail, a scenic park or a local running route, I can simply adjust my plans and enjoy the experience without feeling rushed."

Juliette, a travel blogger who spent a month touring across Korea in September 2024, echoed the sentiment.

"I wanted to see Korea 'well' without rushing from one landmark to another and forgetting everything because I went too fast," she said. "Booking a longer trip to me means taking the time to slow down, enjoy a softer holiday and really get a sense of the country and the places I visit."

Before arriving, Juliette assumed a month would be more than enough time to see the country, but she quickly realized how misleading that assumption was.

"The more I researched, the more I added places to my list, and in the end, one of the toughest parts was actually deciding where to go," she said. Traveling all the way from Europe also incentivized her to stay longer to make the most of the journey and explore more deeply.

Samantha Elisabeth, a 31-year-old travel blogger who also works at a marketing agency, agreed that long-distance travel and the sheer volume of attractions dictate longer stays.

“Korea has done a really good job in the last decade or so of sharing just how much there is to see,” Elisabeth said. “For many visitors, this may be the only time in their lives they visit Korea, so they want to make sure they don't leave anything out.”

Anastasia Finch, a full-time solo traveler, noted that it would be a “shame” for visitors to miss out on destinations beyond the major hubs of Seoul and Busan.

“I really enjoyed seeing Gyeongju and Jeonju, and I spent over a week exploring Jeju Island,” Finch said. “I think three weeks minimum is best, but a month is even better.”

Localities step up with subsidies

To capture this demand, regional municipalities and private platforms are rolling out targeted incentives. An example is South Gyeongsang's long-term stay subsidy program, specifically designed for international tourists and overseas Koreans.

"This year, we are hosting the program in Tongyeong, Miryang, Namhae, Hadong and Hapcheon," a provincial government official said. "We have already recruited the first round of participants for Tongyeong, and some 170 teams applied. We selected 40 teams."

First launched in 2020, the annual project has been refined for 2026. The province reduced the number of participating cities and counties from 18 to five to focus resources and promote selected areas more effectively.

To qualify for the subsidy, which covers lodging expenses of up to 70,000 won ($51) per person per day, participants must travel within the designated area for at least four days and up to one month. In return, they are required to document their experiences on social media, which means an applicant's follower count and platform reach may play a significant role in the selection process.

Similar long-term travel programs are popping up in other regional areas, including North Jeolla, as parts of the country look for ways to lure tourists away from the capital.

These efforts come at a critical time, as international travel surges and regions grapple with demographic shifts. The number of international tourists to Korea topped 10 million from January to June 20, hitting an all-time high for a first-half period, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. 

"Korea is currently facing a population decrease, especially in regional areas, and such programs may serve as a way to alleviate the worsening situation," said Kim Nam-jo, a professor of tourism at Hanyang University.

Prof. Kim added that leveraging social media through participant requirements is a necessity for local survival.

"As long as regional facilities, restaurants and attractions are well-curated, visitors will naturally follow," Prof. Kim said. “Spreads on social media much like a viral trend that draws crowds to a famous restaurant, which is why local governments have no choice but to leverage these digital platforms."

Addressing the long-term travel gaps

For many, the bottleneck occurs during the pre-trip planning phase. When Juliette was mapping out her monthlong journey, she hit a wall trying to find extended itineraries online.

"When researching itineraries for one month in Korea, I found very few results on blogs, and most of the itineraries I found were for just two weeks," Juliette said.

Surat echoed this view, noting that while visitors naturally focus on Seoul and Busan, Korea has countless charming coastal towns and rural destinations that deserve more attention but lack visibility. Prof. Kim agreed that the infrastructure to support these decentralized trips needs a strategic overhaul.

"More tour programs must be developed to provide structured itineraries in regional areas, which are currently lacking," Prof. Kim said. "There are so many excellent hidden spots across the regions that remain virtually unknown. We need a concerted effort to discover these locations, package them into cohesive travel products and systematically organize them."

Beyond content gaps, structural barriers — particularly the widespread requirement for domestic digital authentication — frequently deter long-term solo travelers.

“I think the biggest hurdle is just that some apps and websites don't work without a Korean phone number or ID,” Finch said. “I'm not sure if that's something that can be fixed, but perhaps there could be alternatives for tourists that aren't third-party websites charging inflated prices. I'd much rather use an official government website to book bus and train tickets if I could.”

Yet despite the administrative friction and the need for more diverse regional promotion, travelers agree that the physical act of slow traveling through the country is seamless.

"Throughout my trips, I found the country to be very convenient, efficient and pleasant for travelers," Surat said. "The transportation network is well connected, making it easy to explore different regions, even for those who prefer a slower and more flexible style of travel."

BY CHO JUNG-WOO   [[email protected]]