[Edaily Reporter KYUNG GYEYOUNG ] As the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea has surged even further this year, K-convenience stores—which have established themselves as must-visit tourist destinations—have also gained momentum in their growth. Convenience stores, which have emerged as “spaces to experience K-culture,” are stepping up their efforts to enhance services for foreign visitors.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy’s “Sales Trends of Major Retailers” report released on the 2nd, total convenience store sales in May rose 5.9% compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest growth rate since January 2025, when the scope of the statistical survey was expanded from 13 to 15 convenience store chains. While the continued clear and sunny weather contributed to an increase in day-trippers, the rise in foreign tourists is also seen as a key driver of convenience stores’ revenue growth.

In fact, spending by foreign tourists at the three major convenience store chains rose significantly in the first half of this year. At CU, sales growth (year-over-year) from overseas payment methods reached 86.3%. GS Holdings also saw payment amounts via Alipay and WeChat Pay rise by 60.2% compared to the same period last year. In particular, during May—which included the Chinese Labor Day holiday—GS Holdings’ payment growth rate rose even higher, reaching 70.0% year-over-year. Seven-Eleven also reported a 50% increase in sales from foreign tourists during the same period.

In particular, at convenience stores located in major tourist areas, foreign tourists accounted for an overwhelming share of sales. At the GS25 New Annyeong Insa-dong store on Insa-dong-gil in Jongno-gu, sales from foreign customers reached 70%, while the CU Myeongdong Station store recorded an average of 52% and a peak of 68% of sales from foreign customers. This is dozens of times higher than the 2% share of sales from foreign customers at typical CU stores.

The reason foreign tourists are flocking to convenience stores is believed to be the opportunity to experience K-culture up close. As domestic convenience stores quickly introduce products aligned with food trends, foreign visitors can try trendy local items such as “Dujonku” (Dubai Chewy Cookies) or “Amangchu” (Americano with Mango) at these stores. On social media, a search for GS Holdings, CU, or 7-Eleven even brings up short-form videos of foreign tourists doing “mukbang” (eating broadcasts).

An industry insider noted, “Since convenience stores are places where visitors can easily experience K-culture food content, they’re becoming a must-visit destination for foreign tourists.”

Convenience stores are further enhancing their services for foreign tourists. GS25 and CU support currency exchange for 15 different currencies into Korean won via their currency exchange kiosks. CU offers an AI-powered translation service for 38 languages at about 70 stores and has enabled self-checkout in English, Japanese, and Chinese at all locations. Seven-Eleven began accepting payments via Taiwan’s LINE Pay last April.

The number of specialized stores is also increasing. GS25 operates the “New Annyeong Insa-dong” store in Insa-dong, designed to be foreigner-friendly, where customers can purchase K-food and souvenirs, as well as enjoy beauty kiosks and random merchandise draws. CU operates the “Myeongdong Station” store in Myeongdong, which focuses on selling K-food that foreign visitors must try. GS Holdings operates the “New Annyeong Insa-dong” store in In Seven-Eleven’s strategy is to increase the number of stores showcasing collaboration products with K-pop artists and K-beauty items to enhance the shopping experience for foreign tourists.