Japan, Southeast Asia lead South Korean travel in 2025
Data from Agoda reveal that the top 10 international destinations for South Koreans comprised four Japanese and six Southeast Asian destinations.
A surge in outbound travel among South Koreans was recorded in the first 10 months of 2025, with more than 24 million people traveling abroad on approximately 300,000 flights, according to the Korea Tourism Organization and Incheon International Airport Corporation.
Data from online travel platform Agoda revealed the top 10 international destinations favored by South Korean travelers in 2025, based on accommodation search data.
Topping the list are 3 locations in Japan with Tokyo leading followed by Fukuoka and Osaka. The Japan National Tourism Organization reported 7.66 million South Koreans visited Japan between January and October 2025, a 6.4% year-on-year (YoY) increase.
Nha Trang in Vietnam followed suit, with Bali in Indonesia coming next. In sixth place was another Southeast Asian destination, Bangkok in Thailand, followed by another Japanese retreat, Sapporo. Taipei in Taiwan and Phu Quoc in Vietnam rounded out the list.
Notably, Phu Quoc recorded the highest YoY growth in travel interest (+63%).
Agoda expects this demand to continue through 2026. In its Travel Outlook Report for this year, 39% of South Korean travelers said that they plan to travel primarily overseas this year, 15 percentage points higher than the Asian regional average of 24%.
"Despite the elevated exchange rate, South Korean travelers continue to demonstrate strong demand for international exploration, and we expect this momentum to carry throughout the year. From ever-popular Japanese cities to fast-rising destinations in Vietnam, we're seeing sustained interest in both cultural immersion and relaxing escapes,” Jay Lee, Regional Director of North Asia at Agoda said.