This past November, China welcomed the first wave of visa-free tourists from South Korea, with cities like Shanghai, Qingdao, and Harbin quickly becoming overnight favorites. With a short two-hour flight and no more visa hassles, Shanghai is practically right next door for many South Korean travelers.
Often referred to as a “beginner city” for international visitors to China, Shanghai’s cosmopolitan vibes, boutique shops, and easy-to-navigate public transport make it especially appealing. A weekend getaway to Shanghai has become the go-to move for many South Korean travelers, who are loving everything from Disneyland and the Bund to soup dumplings and luxury shopping.
Interestingly, budget-friendly local stores are proving just as popular as upscale malls. One of the most popular “10-yuan stores” is MINISO. The chain retailer sells household items, cosmetics, stationery, and blind boxes galore, often in collaboration with popular franchises like Sanrio, Harry Potter, and Chiikawa, to name a few. The multi-story MINISO flagship store in Shanghai has become a tourist must-visit, with RedNote users joking that the store might as well be a Korean outpost at this point.
Another unexpected hit is RT-Mart, one of China’s largest supermarket chains. Stores have started putting up Korean welcome signs and posters highlighting the best-sellers among Korean shoppers, such as flavored baijiu liquor, hotpot base, and China-exclusive Oreo flavors.
Korean visitors are fully leaning into the local Shanghai experience, sipping Chagee bubble tea, visiting Harmay for cosmetics, Holiland for desserts, and Zzer for second-hand designer bags. Many are also enjoying photo ops dressed in Hanfu, trying traditional ear picking, and buying scratch cards at corner stores (and posting about it).
With China’s relaxed visa policies, previously declining tourist spots like Tianzifang—Shanghai’s historic neighborhood filled with cozy bars, shops, and residential buildings — have bounced back with additional tourism. According to the Shanghai Bureau of Statistics, 569,000 foreign tourists visited the city in December of last year—an 80% growth compared to 2023—with South Koreans accounting for 12.5%. Judging by the growing buzz, weekend trips to China seem like they’re here to stay.
Cover image via RedNote.
