The success of the Netflix animation “K-Pop Demon Hunters” is sparking increased interest among foreign tourists in Korean bathing culture. Particularly, the Korean bathhouse experience known as “sesin,” or traditional Korean body scrubbing, is gaining significant popularity through travel platforms.
According to Klook, a global booking platform for accommodations, transportation, and activities, the release of “K-Pop Demon Hunters” has led to a surge in reservations for Korean body scrub and sauna experiences. The bathhouse scenes in the anime have become a talking point, prompting tourists visiting Korea to seek out these experiences.
Klook reports that from June 20 to August 10, after the anime’s release, there was an 11% increase in overall bookings for the sesin experience compared to two months prior. In particular, sauna reservations in Seoul’s Seodaemun-gu rose by 57%, and those in Jongno-gu increased by 15%. In response to this trend, Klook plans to introduce new products like “1-person sesin shops” for the upcoming peak season.
This trend is viewed as a growing interest in Korean culture beyond a mere bath experience. The unique Korean body scrub is seen as an exotic activity among foreigners, offering benefits in health management and skincare. The tourism industry suggests that the Hallyu wave is expanding beyond music and drama to include lifestyle culture.
Concurrent with the show’s release, there has also been an increase in reservations for K-Pop related experiences among foreign tourists. According to Klook, bookings for K-Pop idol styling experiences have surged by 200%, and K-Pop dance classes by 40%. Countries like Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have also seen increases in K-Pop related bookings by 20%, 16%, and 11% respectively. This demonstrates a cycle where cultural content leads to real-world travel experiences.
Travel industry insiders are noticing these changes firsthand. A K-Pop dance class operator mentioned that requests to learn songs from “K-Pop Demon Hunters” have increased, prompting them to design September’s program around these songs. They noted a significant rise in customers under the age of 10.
Klook plans to further leverage the intersection of content and tourism. Lee Junho, head of Klook Korea, stated, “The continued interest from foreigners in lifestyle culture, such as Korean-style body scrubbing, following the success of ‘K-Pop Demon Hunters’ is very encouraging. We will continue to expand products and services so that foreign tourists can have unique experiences in Korea.”