{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1816363,
        "msgid": "beyond-seoul-4-south-korean-regions-emerging-as-new-favourites-for-indonesian-tourists-1782114763",
        "date": "2026-06-22 13:58:13",
        "title": "Beyond Seoul: 4 South Korean Regions Emerging as New Favourites for Indonesian Tourists",
        "author": "Qommarria Rostanti",
        "source": "REPUBLIKA",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Business",
        "summary": "A new Airbnb report reveals a significant shift in Indonesian travel patterns to South Korea, with 97% citing K-Culture as their primary motivation. Rather than concentrating solely on Seoul, travellers are increasingly seeking authentic experiences in secondary cities like Busan, Jeju, Incheon\/Gyeonggi, and Daegu. The trend is driven by a desire for unique natural landscapes, local cuisine, and settings featured in popular Korean dramas.",
        "content": "<p>Seoul, with all its grandeur, has long been the main gateway for\nIndonesians to experience the atmosphere of South Korea. However, recent\ntravel trends have recorded an interesting anomaly. The K-Culture wave\nno longer merely prompts Indonesians to visit to buy K-pop albums or\ncosmetics in metropolitan malls; it is sparking a deeper curiosity about\nwhat it feels like to live daily life in corners of Korea that have so\nfar only appeared as cinematographic backdrops on screen. This shift in\ntaste is documented in Airbnb\u2019s latest report titled \u2018Korea Calling: How\nK-Culture Is Driving a New Generation of Travelers into Korea\u2019. The\nreport states that 97 per cent of Indonesian travellers openly admit\ntheir interest in the Ginseng Country is rooted in its culture. However,\ninstead of piling into the capital, the compass of their holidays is now\nbeginning to spread to secondary regions. Indonesian travellers are now\nhunting for authenticity, an organic experience that often hides behind\nthe tranquillity of small towns and coastal areas. Airbnb\u2019s Country Head\nfor Southeast Asia and India, Amanpreet Bajaj, said Korean culture\ncontinues to drive Indonesian travellers\u2019 interest in visiting South\nKorea. But what is increasingly visible now is that travellers are no\nlonger solely interested in Seoul or entertainment-focused tourism.\n\u2018This shift is evident from the growing number of travellers wanting to\nexplore South Korea more deeply through local cuisine, cultural\nheritage, and tourist areas that have not been widely visited, as they\nalso seek more authentic and profound travel experiences across various\nregions of South Korea,\u2019 he said in a written statement received by\nRepublika on Monday (22\/6\/2026). The desire to \u2018escape\u2019 the mainstream\ntourist trail in Seoul is not mere romanticisation. The report notes\nthat 98 per cent of Indonesians stated they are ready to book tickets to\nsatellite cities and remote areas of South Korea, provided they can find\nadequate and affordable accommodation outside the major cities. Their\nexploration radar is now aimed at several spots with strong visual and\ncultural character. Busan ranks top with 81 per cent interest, offering\na neat contrast between steep cliffs, bustling traditional fish markets,\nand a dramatic coastline. In the next position, Jeju Island garnered 58\nper cent of the vote as the best natural escape for lovers of\ntranquillity and volcanic landscapes. Meanwhile, buffer regions like\nIncheon and Gyeonggi captivated 47 per cent of travellers with their\ncolonial historical heritage and ancient cultural sites, followed by\nDaegu at 39 per cent as a modest valley city surrounded by beautiful\nmountains. The biggest push making these cities suddenly crowded with\nvisitors is the unique natural landscape factor, agreed upon by 66 per\ncent of respondents. Other local elements such as regional speciality\ncuisine at 56 per cent and local traditions at 41 per cent also play a\nrole. Interestingly, visual memories from Korean dramas or feature films\nhold a 40 per cent influence in determining destinations. This shows\nthat the visual aesthetics presented on screen can evoke a strong\npsychological curiosity for viewers to come and witness the reality in\nthe real world firsthand.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/beyond-seoul-4-south-korean-regions-emerging-as-new-favourites-for-indonesian-tourists-1782114763",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}