Foreign card spending in Busan reached ₩742.3 billion — about $553 million — in the first seven months of 2026, up 50.8% year on year, while medical-tourism spending more than doubled. The spending map has shifted west: Busanjin and Seomyeon now out-spend Haeundae.
Through July 2026 foreign visitors spent ₩742.3 billion on cards in Busan, up 50.8% — and the centre of gravity moved from Haeundae's beach strip to Busanjin-gu, the Seomyeon retail district. Lotte Department Store's Busan flagship posted +125% foreign sales for January–May, peaking at +190% in June.
The run-rate is consistent: ₩454.4 billion in the first five months of 2026 made Busan the second-spending region in Korea after Seoul for three straight months. In 2025, spending through October hit ₩859.2 billion, up 31.5% — the fastest growth of any Korean region; the 2028 roadmap targets ₩1.5 trillion a year.
The standout line is medicine: spending tied to clinics rose 118.4%, and Busan now takes 37% of all medical-tourism spending outside Seoul — first among Korean regions. The product is dermatology and plastic surgery, concentrated around Seomyeon, sold as package weeks with recovery stays in the new serviced suites.
The spillover reshapes retail: clinics hand patients to adjacent pharmacies, cafes and duty-free counters, which is why the card data shows Busanjin overtaking Haeundae even though the beach still wins on room nights.
Our read: the money tells you where to stay. Beach holiday — pay Haeundae prices and enjoy them. Anything involving clinics, shopping or a base for day trips — stay in Seomyeon and spend like the market does. Practical note: medical packages are usually priced all-in in won; compare them against the consultation fee that appears only at the desk.
Subscribe to the digest and receive key market signals every two weeks.