So-called “K-digging” tourism—deep-dive travel enjoyed “like a local”—has now spread to karaoke rooms. Karaoke venues have joined the wave of “Hanguk-ae,” a term describing the longing to return to Korea that many foreigners feel after their first trip.
According to TJ Media, the leading karaoke company in Korea, as of the 22nd karaoke has emerged as a key stop on travel itineraries for foreign tourists who want to experience K-pop culture firsthand.
Long seen mainly as a leisure space for local users, karaoke rooms are now attracting more overseas visitors. As a result, they are evolving into “global cultural spaces” where tourists can directly immerse themselves in K-culture.
With the worldwide popularity of K-pop, more foreign tourists visiting Korea are looking beyond sightseeing spots and merchandise. Demand is growing to experience Korean popular culture in person.
Karaoke rooms are increasingly viewed as an appealing cultural venue where people can experience K-pop in the most immersive way.
A survey of potential visitors to Korea released by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in June last year found that 48.9% of foreign respondents said they wanted to visit karaoke rooms or PC rooms.
This strong interest has translated into actual spending. According to an analysis of card transaction data for the past two years (January–June 2024–2025) published by the Korea Tourism Data Lab last August, spending by inbound tourists at karaoke venues rose 54.8% year-on-year.
HiKR Ground, a flagship K-content complex, surpassed a cumulative 2 million visitors as of March last year. The karaoke experience zone inside the facility has become a must-visit course for foreign guests. In a global social data analysis on Korea travel content released by KTO on the 5th, “karaoke experiences” also emerged as a major keyword.
Mentions surged further after the release of the Netflix animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.”
Korea’s karaoke industry is also stepping up foreigner-focused services. TJ Media now preloads its karaoke machines with songs from 11 countries, including pop tracks in English as well as Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Spanish songs.
The company has also created an easy-to-use environment for global customers by offering English-language menus, English remote controls and other convenient features.
A TJ Media representative said, “Karaoke is a global cultural platform where people can communicate through K-pop regardless of nationality or language,” adding, “We will continue to innovate in content, technology and services so that users at home and abroad can enjoy K-culture even more broadly.”
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
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