Tourist complaints in South Korea hit a record high in just seven months

South Korea’s tourism complaints have reached an all-time high before the year is even seven months old. Reckless taxi driving, poor accommodation and overcharging in stores rank among visitors’ leading grievances.

From January through July, tourists filed 1,753 complaints nationwide, according to the Korea Tourism Organisation, citing figures released by its Korea Tourism Data Lab. The total already exceeds the 1,744 complaints recorded throughout 2025.

The figures come from reports submitted through the Tourist Complaint Centre website and Korea Travel Hotline 1330, which foreign visitors often use when language barriers make it difficult to complain directly. Lodging complaints topped the list with 500 cases, including unilateral booking cancellations and excessive penalty fees. Shopping complaints, including rude service and price disputes, followed with 376.

Airport and airline services generated 186 complaints. Taxi-related complaints reached 182, including meter refusals and reckless driving, while hotels drew 146 complaints over cancellations, poor service and hygiene. Complaints about unfair accommodation cancellation penalties have repeatedly flared around major events, including BTS concerts.

Seoul recorded the most complaints, with 665, followed by Busan with 594, Incheon with 176 and Jeju Island with 155. Busan’s total was nearly 2.5 times its figure for the same period in 2025, coinciding with a BTS concert in June that drew about 110,000 visitors.

Complaints have climbed sharply since pandemic-era travel restrictions pushed the numbers down. They rose from 288 in 2022 to 902 in 2023, 1,543 in 2024 and 1,744 in 2025. The current increase comes as inbound arrivals exceeded 10 million in the first half of the year and South Korea’s tourism balance recorded surpluses for several months.