Chinese Tourists Locked Up in a Store and Forced to Shop During a Trip to Korea

① Beginning of Chinese group tours

With the approval of Chinese group tours, the number of tourists visiting Korea has increased. Cities like Seoul and Jeju Island are starting to bustle with Chinese tourists. According to the Ministry of Justice, on August 25, 11,801 Chinese entered Korea on the first day of the approval of Chinese group tours. From that day on, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea increased.

Particularly on Jeju Island, over 800,000 Chinese tourists completed cruise reservations within a week of the approval of group tours. Especially during the holiday seasons in September and October, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Korea exploded.

The related industries also showed great expectations with the influx of Chinese group tourists. Airlines, travel agencies, department stores, duty-free shops, and cosmetic companies are prepared to welcome Chinese group tourists. Travel industry insiders also began to cater to Chinese tourists actively.

As soon as Chinese tourists arrived in Korea, they enjoyed group shopping at duty-free shops. Up to 700 Chinese group tourists lined up in September at a duty-free shop in Seoul. It was the first time in six years and five months that many tourists visited a duty-free shop in downtown Seoul.

② Forced shopping and optional tours

The biggest complaint among Chinese group tourists visiting Korea was ‘forced shopping.’ According to an analysis of the discomfort report content (from 2017 to this year) received from the Korea Tourism Organization by Kim Seung-soo, a member of the National Assembly’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee, most of the reports were complaints about the guides forcing shopping and optional tours.

According to the report, the Korean travel schedule includes visits to ginseng, liver protectants, and cosmetics stores. Tourists visiting these places were forced to shop. The guides forced purchases above a certain amount and even locked the store doors until a certain time had passed.

One Chinese tourist reported, “If we didn’t shop, we couldn’t leave the store. They locked the door and completely blocked the entrance,” and “When we didn’t buy anything, the guide threatened us in the car.”
Chinese group tourists were not only forced to shop but also forced to take optional tours. Some guides claimed that shopping was mandatory because the price of the tour product was low and the government demanded shopping.

One Chinese tourist said, “After visiting all the shopping places, the guide demanded 400 yuan per person, saying, ‘The purchase performance is poor, and it’s embarrassing, so you must participate in the optional tour.'” About 75,000 won ($56) of travel products being forced upon them. It was even reported that tourists who said they would not take optional tours were fined an amount equivalent to 280,000 won ($210).

Representative Kim Seung-soo said, “There is a concern that the image of Korean tourism may be tarnished due to problems with some travel agencies,” and “As the number of Chinese group tourists entering Korea will fully recover next year, self-regulation efforts in the industry and measures such as implementing a certification system for high-quality Korean products are needed.”

Upon hearing this news, Korean netizens reacted with comments like, “This is similar to what I experienced when I went to China through a Korean travel agency. Is this a global practice of cheap tourism? It’s sad,” “Isn’t that all Chinese travel agencies?” and “When I went on a trip to Vietnam, they also locked the shopping center doors and forced us to buy things and wouldn’t let us leave.”

③ Changes in Korean tourism patterns

The tourism patterns of Chinese tourists are changing. While shopping was the focus of Korean trips in the past, recently, there has been an increase in tourists visiting hotspots. With the increase in individual tourists, many are venturing outside Seoul to visit nearby tourist attractions.

Tours that involve visiting university campuses and taking commemorative photos are becoming popular among the younger generation. Many spend time in the commercial areas around universities. Seoul National University has started to conduct campus tours for Chinese tourists again. Although it was suspended due to COVID-19, inquiries for group tours have begun. Ewha Womans University and Hongik University also install Chinese signboards around the school and select students who can speak Chinese as ambassadors.

These tourists visit Seongsu-dong, Hannam-dong, Garosu-gil, and Hongdae rather than traditional shopping havens like Myeong-dong or Dongdaemun in Seoul. They prefer unique domestic brands over luxury products or bulk purchases. A guide for Chinese tourists said, “Many Chinese people have been longing for Korea because they have been watching Korean dramas and movies while travel to Korea has been blocked,” and “People who come often and are familiar enjoy shopping, but now many people want to visit hotspots they haven’t been to before or memorable attractions from the past.”

By. Han Mia