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Why young Koreans are swapping Seoul cafes for snacks in Shanghai

Published: 16 May. 2025, 11:14 Updated: 16 May. 2025, 11:44

People walk along the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street during the five-day Labor Day holiday in Shanghai, China, May 4. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

A growing number of young Koreans are spending their weekends not at cafes in Seoul, but at fruit aisles in Shanghai supermarkets.

Since the Chinese government began waiving entry visas for travelers from Korea and eight other countries in November 2024, Shanghai has rapidly emerged as a favored weekend getaway for young Koreans. The phrase “Friday after work, off to Shanghai” in Korean has particularly gained traction on online communities.

According to Chinese travel platform Tongcheng Travel, demand for flights from Busan to Shanghai surged by 115.8 percent on year this year. The number of travelers departing from Seoul also increased by 46.9 percent, with up to 40 direct flights now operating daily between Seoul and Shanghai.

The city’s accessibility and urban attractions have proven especially appealing to travelers in their 20s and 30s. These younger visitors use social media and online forums to quickly share recommendations on food and shopping, enabling them to experience the city “like locals,” even within a short itinerary.

Korean signs at a Da Run Fa supermarket in Shanghai [DA RUN FA]

One particularly popular destination is the Da Run Fa supermarket in Shanghai’s downtown area. Armed with “shopping lists” circulated on Korean online platforms, tourists flock to the store in search of fruit wines, snacks, candies and fresh fruit.

With more than 300 Korean visitors per day on average, the supermarket has responded by introducing Kakao Pay and Naver Pay, setting up Korean-language signs and staffing Korean-speaking employees. Services like fruit-cutting and free packaging are also available.

To further appeal to Korean travelers, Da Run Fa has begun offering Korean language training and Hallyu culture education for staff.

“Most of our Korean visitors are in their 20s and 30s,” said store manager Pan Chengxin. “They usually come in small groups — friends, sisters or couples.”

TV personality Jeon Hyun-moo posts about his trip to Shanghai on social media on May 19, 2024. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Restaurants and hotels in central Shanghai are also benefiting from the influx. Some locations of the hot pot chain Haidilao have seen daily visits from as many as 600 Korean customers. Korean-language menus and Korean-speaking staff have been introduced at select branches.

Behind the trend lies a shift toward digitally driven independent travel. Rather than opting for packaged tours, younger travelers now rely on real-time information from social media, where shopping and food recommendations are shared and popularized as memes.

Social media content on traveling to Shanghai have surged in recent months. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Naver’s “Chinese Travel Community,” Korea’s largest online community for Chinese travel, reported a sharp rise in membership since late last year.

“In addition to search terms like the Provisional Government Building in Shanghai, the Bund, Wukang Road and Disneyland, we’re seeing a surge in posts about local food, shopping lists and how to use Alipay,” according to the community.

According to Chinese state-run outlet Jiefang Daily, 9.21 million foreign tourists visited China in the first quarter of this year, up 40.2 percent from the previous year. Shanghai alone welcomed 1.25 million foreign visitors, a 61.9 percent increase. Local authorities said that if the visa-free policy continues, the number of Korean tourists will likely keep rising.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JIN MEIHUA [[email protected]]