South Korea's tourism sector faces a crisis: tourist complaints hit record highs (1,753 in Jan–July vs. 1,744 for all of 2025), driven by unilateral accommodation cancellations, inflated retail prices, and taxis refusing meter use. Despite welcoming 10+ million foreign visitors, the industry risks reputation damage from poor service infrastructure. Experts cite insufficient capacity in transport and lodging—competition and stricter standards are proposed solutions, but negative reviews on social media threaten long-term growth.