Why Filipino travelers remain obsessed with South Korea
From millennials crushing on Gong Yoo to Gen Zs emulating TWICE's latest dance routines on TikTok, it seems that the Korean wave remains a top reason why many Filipinas still consider South Korea a dream destination in 2025—and beyond.
With this year’s flight records closing, South Korea’s flag carrier and largest airline, Korean Air, revealed in an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe that hallyu-obsessed Filipinos still share a significant part of arrivals in Korea.
“Demand for travel to Korea from the Philippines shows a clear demographic bias, with a higher proportion of female travelers, and a particularly strong representation in the 20-to-40 age bracket,” Korean Air Philippines Country General Manager Byung Kwon Lee said.
“The influence of the Hallyu wave has been a significant driver, translating into sustained travel demand. In line with the Hallyu influence, we are observing a rapidly accelerating trend toward leisure-focused travel in this market.”
The news remains consistent with the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute’s report in 2023 that 32% of international travelers flew to South Korea primarily for Hallyu.
The tourism numbers in general seem to be more than satisfactory for SK. In 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism reported 16.4 million foreign visitors in Korea—almost the same numbers as before the pandemic. The country is set to meet its goal of 18.7 million international arrivals by the end of the year.
Korea’s charm
“We've observed robust and growing interest from the Philippine market, which now stands as one of our largest in Southeast Asia,” said Lee.
In 2024, the Korea Tourism Organization reported Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines to be among the biggest markets when it came to tourism.
As the country anticipates 2025 numbers, Korean Air attributes much of the consistent growth to South Korea’s well-thought-out policies and gimmicks catering to the Filipino crowd.
“We find travelers are drawn by Korea's unique blend of vibrant modern culture, rich historical attractions, and world-class culinary experiences. This has shifted travel to Korea from a niche interest to a mainstream, year-round destination,” said Lee.
Next to K-pop, the popularity of K-beauty products, shopping hubs, and cafes, along with the impact of Korean shows such as Netflix shows Squid Game and XO, Kitty, especially made 2025 another banner year for entertainment and lifestyle in South Korea. Just recently, chiming in on the influence of entertainment, the Philippine Tourism Promotions Board appointed Korean actors Myung Soo and Choi Bo Min as the country's newest tourism ambassadors for South Korea.
Most notably, Seoul was ranked seventh in the 2025 State of Travel Insurance Safest Destinations due to its low crime rate, top urban infrastructure, and quality medical services—making it an easy choice for Filipino travelers looking for more danger-free destinations.
Flying to Korea made faster, easier
As the growth continues, Korean Air vows to be more than ready to improve the entire journey, especially for its Filipino passengers.
For starters, there’s the layover experience at the Incheon International Airport that Korean Air hopes to further enrich.
“The airport is consistently ranked as one of the world's most efficient transit hubs. For Filipino passengers, this translates into a seamless, single-terminal experience in our dedicated Terminal 2, which features industry-leading short Minimum Connection Times. This operational excellence provides passengers from the Philippines with streamlined, efficient access to our entire global network, including 16 gateways in North America (US and Canada), our multi-city network across Japan, Europe, China, and beyond,” Lee said.
As its most major move recently, Korean Air’s expansion of its Philippine network in 2024 helped improve schedule flexibility and convenience for Filipino passengers, which has, in turn, led to an increase in passenger volume.
“Our differentiation is built on three pillars,” Lee said. “First, we offer no less than premium in-flight service. We deliver exceptional comfort, fine dining, and our signature hospitality. Second, we take pride in our unmatched global network anchored by the Incheon hub.”
“Last but not the least, we boast of our seamless SkyTeam Alliance benefits, which include SkyPriority and our SkyPass loyalty program. Our most significant competitive advantage for the Philippine market is the trans-Pacific connectivity offered through our joint venture with Delta Air Lines. This provides a seamless schedule and unparalleled access to 14 U.S. gateways and 2 in Canada.”
Korean Air also revealed its planned integration with Asiana Airlines—“which will substantially expand the KE network, promising customers even greater scheduling options and connectivity.”
Planning a trip to South Korea? Check out this Travel Guide, which lets you discover Seoul from a different lens.
Disclaimer: PhilSTAR L!fe's travel guide series was made possible by Korean Air.
