South Koreans swap ancestral rites for Japan getaways this Lunar New Year

South China Morning PostEN 1 min read 100% complete by The Korea TimesFebruary 11, 2026 at 09:36 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

For the upcoming Lunar New Year, South Korean travelers are showing a significant shift in travel preferences, with Japan emerging as the top destination. Flight search data indicates that over half of holiday travel queries from South Korea are for Japan, specifically Fukuoka, Osaka, and Tokyo. This marks a considerable change from the previous year when domestic destinations like Jeju, Busan and Seoul were the most popular. Jeju remains the only domestic location in the top ten, accounting for 11.6% of searches. The shift is attributed, in part, to the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday schedule, which offers a longer break conducive to both ancestral rites and domestic travel.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Seoul 50% Busan 50% Skyscanner 60% Jeju ×270% Osaka 70% Fukuoka 70% Tokyo 70% Lunar New Year ×380% Japan ×390% South Korea ×390%

Keywords

lunar new year 100% south koreans 90% japan getaways 90% travel trends 70% flight searches 70% domestic travel 60% ancestral rites 60% holiday gatherings 50% jeju 40%