Wrong. South Korea isn't that big and their public transportation are so developed you can get anywhere in the country within 2 hours so that's why most local artists have like 2-3 nights in Seoul the capital cuz everyone can simply go there in no time. Sales is decent and they're the 10th largest music market in the world.
Famous artists always get that kind of airport welcome treatment in East Asia.
I think local artists do better there than foreign ones
