South Korea’s tourism ministry estimates that more than 2.5 million Chinese visitors spent an average of $2,150 per person in 2012, more than any other nationality. That’s helping companies such as iWedding, which is the largest of the South Korean wedding planners hosting Chinese tourists, to flourish.

Chinese look up to South Korea for its sophisticated urban culture, style and beauty,” said Song Sung-uk, professor of South Korean pop culture studies at the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul. “Rather than visiting traditional palaces or shopping for antiques, they would rather go to Gangnam to experience state-of-the-art shopping malls.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

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