By Minwoo Park and Joyce Lee SEOUL (Reuters) – Chinese visitors to South Korea are buying less from global luxury mainstays like Louis Vuitton and Chanel in favor of cheaper homegrown brands, as young, independent travelers make up a bigger share of tourists. Lured by the “Korean Wave” of culture exports, from soap operas and K-pop music to food and fashion, price-conscious younger Chinese visitors are seeking a more authentic and less expensive shopping experience. South Korea trails only Thailand as an overseas destination for Chinese travelers, whose heavy retail spending has helped make South Korea the world's largest duty free shopping market.
The rest is here:
Chinese shoppers in South Korea shun luxury for local brands