K-Content to K-Tourism: How Dramas and K-Pop Are Driving Set-Jetting and Pop-Culture Pilgrimages
K-content is no longer watched and streamed but it is changing the way people travel. Hit K-dramas, K-pop music videos, and variety shows are inspiring millions of fans to book flights to South Korea, kickstarting a powerful wave of K-tourism. This trend, known as set-jetting and pop-culture pilgrimage, sees visitors tracing the filming locations of their favorite shows, cafés seen in K-dramas, and landmarks featured in K-pop content. Supported by smart marketing and tourism campaigns, K-content and K-tourism now work hand in hand, boosting Korea’s global image, visitor numbers, and local businesses connected to the Hallyu wave.
From Screen to Destination: The Rise of K-Tourism
K-content has become a major driver of K-tourism, turning Seoul, Busan, Jeju, and smaller towns into must-visit destinations. Viewers want to visit filming sites of a drama, whether it is a stroll along the river, or a well-known food booth on the street. Big series and movies can lead to a sudden increase in traffic among visitors, in particular when service providers such as Netflix promote Korean programs to the rest of the world.
Tourism boards and local governments now design themed walking tours, city guides, and festivals based on K-dramas and K-pop. This strategic link between K-content and K-tourism helps distribute visitors beyond the usual hotspots, supporting regional economies.
Set-Jetting and Pop-Culture Pilgrimages
Set-jetting—traveling specifically to visit filming locations—has become a key part of K-tourism. Fans are copying the scenes, taking pictures at drama cafés, and then sharing them on social media to help further promote the destinations. K-pop fans also visit concert venues, agencies’ headquarters, merchandise stores, and even the areas where idols are most likely to be seen, all for the sake of pop-culture pilgrimage.
This strong bond to K-content transforms travel into a broader cultural experience. Not only are the people visiting the place doing sightseeing, but they are also entering the world that they have fallen in love with through the movies.
How Korea Is Leveraging the K-Content Boom
Korean authorities and businesses are very active in taking advantage of the K-content success to increase K-tourism. The collaboration of the entertainment industry with airlines, hotels, and local shops builds up the experience like K-drama package tours and K-pop themed stays.
At the same time, campaigns are promoting Korean language, food, fashion, and beauty thus turning a short visit into a larger introduction to the Korean culture. As K-content keeps on being the leading global streaming, K-tourism is going to be one of the most vibrant areas of the Asian travel industry.
