What Japanese and Taiwanese Travelers Always Buy at CU and GS25, and Why
What Japanese and Taiwanese travelers buy at CU and GS25 falls into four broad categories: flavors that are hard to find at home (Byotte, Shin Ramyun Tumba), collaboration cans sold only in Korea (highballs), quick meals that substitute for a proper meal while traveling (Handson Hankki), and services that save money and reduce luggage (instant tax refunds, PayPay, international courier delivery). Between 2025 and 2026, both CU and GS25 released their own sales data backing up all four categories.
Byotte for the Japanese, Shin Ramyun Tumba for both Japanese and Taiwanese
According to CU's first ever "Foreign Customer Analysis Report," published in 2026, the dairy product Chinese tourists buy most is Binggrae Banana Milk (known as "Ddungba"), while the dairy product Japanese tourists buy most is the fermented milk drink Byotte (비요뜨). Byotte comes as a yogurt cup with a crunchy chocolate snack attached, meant to be mixed together right before eating. The report explains that Japanese tourists seek it out because no product in this format exists in Japan.
Ramyun preferences differ sharply by nationality. According to a Seoul Shinmun analysis of CU's ramyun sales data from July 2026, in Seoul's Jung-gu district, home to Myeongdong, Dongdaemun, and Seoul Station, Nongshim's "Shin Ramyun Gold" and "Shin Ramyun Tumba" ranked first and second in ramyun sales. Broken down by nationality, Chinese customers bought Ottogi's "Sesame Ramyun" most, Americans bought Samyang's "Carbo Buldak" most, while Japanese and Taiwanese customers both bought Nongshim's "Shin Ramyun Tumba" most.
Shin Ramyun Tumba is also a product Nongshim itself named a "2025 Japan Hit Product." To meet this demand, in November 2024 CU opened its "K-Food Specialty Convenience Store" branch at Myeongdong Station, in front of Exit 8 of Myeongdong Station on Subway Line 4 (127 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul), featuring a display shelf and tasting counter stocked with 40 varieties of ramyun.
| Product | Main nationality of buyers | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Byotte | Japan | A fermented milk format not available in Japan (CU Foreign Customer Analysis Report) |
| Shin Ramyun Tumba | Japan, Taiwan | Officially named a 2025 Japan hit product by Nongshim |
| Banana Milk ("Ddungba") | China | Ranked No. 1 in dairy in CU's Foreign Customer Analysis Report |
Highballs: collaboration cans sold only in Korea
The same CU report found that in the alcoholic beverage category, tourists from East Asian countries including China, Japan, and Taiwan buy the "PEACEMINUSONE Highball" and "Fresh Lemon Highball" most. Both products are sold only at CU stores in Korea and are not available at overseas locations.
The PEACEMINUSONE Highball, made in collaboration with the brand of singer G-Dragon, sold out of its initial run of 880,000 cans within three days of launch, and cumulative sales reached 1 million cans within four days. It retails for 4,500 won, and a promotion selling three cans for 12,000 won ran alongside the launch.
Handson Hankki: the one product foreigners outbuy locals on at the Myeongdong Station branch
When CU analyzed tax refund (VAT refund) sales to foreign customers from January 1 to March 18, 2025, all five varieties of the protein shake series "Handson Hankki" (chocolate, matcha, grain, sweet potato, and pistachio) appeared among the top 10 best-selling products. Among them, the chocolate flavor ranked first, with sales 3.5 times higher than "Dubai Kadayif Chocolate," the top-selling item among foreign customers the previous year.
Handson Hankki launched in June 2024 and surpassed 800,000 cumulative units sold within seven months. At the Myeongdong Station branch, foreign customers account for 80% of this series' sales, making it the only product line overall where foreign sales exceed sales to Korean customers.
Two ways to lower prices: instant tax refunds and PayPay
Since December 27, 2022, CU has operated an "instant tax refund" (Tax-Refund) service where scanning a passport (physical or mobile) at the checkout POS scanner deducts the VAT directly from the payment amount. It applies to purchases between 30,000 won and under 500,000 won, is processed directly through the store's POS system with no separate terminal needed, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The service launched at around 50 stores with high tourist demand.
Starting September 24, 2025, GS25 became the first convenience store chain to introduce PayPay, the mobile payment service used by 70 million people in Japan. The move lets the more than 3 million Japanese tourists who visit Korea annually pay directly with their smartphones without needing to exchange currency.
A way to lighten your load: shipping items internationally from GS25 without a suitcase
GS25 operates an international courier service, available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, where customers can choose to ship via SF Express, EMS, or DHL directly from the store. Because the service sends text notifications at each stage from drop-off to delivery, travelers whose luggage has piled up can use it to ship leftover shopping items straight from the store counter back to their home country, rather than carrying the extra weight in their suitcase.
Sources: Nongshim's Shin Ramyun Tumba named a 2025 Japan hit product (Nongshim official press release)
Sources: Location and address guide for CU's Myeongdong Station branch (K-TRIP TIPS)
Sources: CU's "PEACEMINUSONE Highball" sells out 880,000 cans at record speed! (Case News)
Sources: Tax-Refund (instant refund) service guide (CU official)
Sources: CU launches "instant VAT refund service" for foreign tourists (BGF Retail official press release)
Sources: Japan's leading mobile payment service PayPay lands in Korea (Sukbak Magazine)
Sources: Stores/Services > Courier and Pickup (GS25 official)