Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists
In Seoul's bustling Namdaemun Market, a group of American tourists stepped out of a pharmacy and opened their shopping bags to show their haul: a box of Bacchus energy drinks and three packages of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) skin care products. Inside, other foreign shoppers queued at the counters with acne treatments, scar gels and cosmetics in hand. Pharmacists in white coats scanned their…
In Seoul's bustling Namdaemun Market, American tourists emerged from a pharmacy with their shopping bags overflowing with Bacchus energy drinks and PDRN skincare products. Foreign shoppers queued at counters with acne treatments, scar gels, and cosmetics. Pharmacists in white coats processed these purchases at the checkout. This scene is becoming more commonplace as Korean pharmacies gain popularity among foreign tourists.
Visitors are seeking over-the-counter dermatological drugs only available at pharmacies and pharmacy-sold cosmetics promoted via social media. Park Jun-sun, who operates a pharmacy in Namdaemun Market, stated to The Korea Times, "Foreign tourists now account for 40 to 50 percent of our sales. There weren’t that many when I opened two years ago, but the number suddenly started rising about a year ago."
Even larger pharmacies catering primarily to Korean customers have seen an increase in foreign shoppers.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Pharmacies emerge as new K-beauty stops for foreign tourists koreatimes.co.kr
