YouTube's Dominance in South Korea: A Decade-and-a-Half of Transformation
YouTube Encroaching Traditional TV: Lessons South Korea Experienced Over Two Decades in Relation to News and Politics
South Korea, a nation famously ahead of the tech curve, has embraced YouTube with open arms. Seventeen years ago, YouTube entered the Korean market and set the stage for a digital revolution. Today, the platform is more than just a streaming service - it's the heartbeat of South Korean society.
By the Numbers
YouTube claimed a staggering 84.9% of South Korea's OTT (Over-the-Top) users in 2024, leaving Netflix's 44.4% and all other competitors in the dust[1]. This trend extends beyond simple entertainment; the platform has become the go-to source for news, activism, and cultural exports.
South Koreans dedicating over 1.04 billion hours to YouTube in a single month underscores the depth of its integration into daily life. This overpowers the time spent on popular native apps like KakaoTalk and Naver[1].
People walk by a YouTube logo, as Google celebrates the 20th anniversary of first video uploaded to YouTube, at the company's corporate headquarters in San Bruno, California, on April 23, 2025. PHOTO: AFP
A New Age of News Consumption
For South Koreans, YouTube is more than just a social media platform. It's their principal source of news, with an astonishing 51% using it for news consumption - a figure higher than any other nation among the 47 surveyed[1].
? Reflecting the platform's power to reinforce political biases, the Korean Press Foundation's report indicates that YouTube's personalized algorithms drive polarization in South Korean politics[1].
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In 2024, YouTube captured 84.9 percent of South Korea's OTT users - far outpacing Netflix's 44.4 percent and all other paid competitors, according to a 2024 government-backed nationwide survey. SOURCE: KOREA CREATIVE CONTENT AGENCY; GRAPHICS: THE KOREA HERALD
As politics showed YouTube's power to divide, it also illuminated its capacity to unite when it comes to pop culture. The turning point occurred in 2012 with Psy's "Gangnam Style" - the first video to hit one billion views on YouTube, setting the stage for the Korean Wave to flood the globe[1].
K-pop icons like BTS and Blackpink have leveraged YouTube as a global launching pad, breaking records and galvanizing fandoms worldwide[1].
Regulatory Issues and the Future of YouTube
YouTube's rise to dominance has not gone unchallenged. In 2024, South Korea's Fair Trade Commission initiated an antitrust investigation against Google, alleging that bundling YouTube Music with YouTube Premium subscriptions unfairly reinforces Google's market dominance[2].
South Koreans spent a total of 1.04 billion hours on YouTube in October 2023 alone - more than triple the time spent on KakaoTalk (319 million hours) and nearly five times that of Naver (222 million hours), according to a local mobile analytics service Wise App. SOURCE: WISE APP; GRAPHICS: THE KOREA HERALD
The regulatory pressure doesn't stop at home. Earlier this month, a US court ruled that Google operated an illegal monopoly in parts of the online advertising market. Whether this could eventually force YouTube to split from Google remains to be seen[3].
The Future of YouTube in South Korea
As YouTube continues to dominate the South Korean streaming market and expand its reach, its presence shows no signs of waning. In fact, even older generations, traditionally less digitally inclined, are reportedly among the most avid users of YouTube as a news source[1].
Free services like YouTube continue to outpace subscription-based competitors, demonstrating the appeal of embracing content without financial barriers.
According to a 2024 international survey by the Korea Press Foundation and Reuters Institute, 75 percent (far left) of South Koreans used YouTube for social media consumption - 14 percentage points higher than the 47-country average of 61 percent, which included markets such as the US, UK, Germany, Japan and Brazil. PHOTO: KOREA PRESS FOUNDATION; GRAPHICS: THE KOREA HERALD
In conclusion, YouTube is more than just a streaming platform - it's the digital town square of South Korea. As it continues to evolve, its impact on Korean culture, politics, and society will only grow stronger.
Sources:
[1] Korea Creative Content Agency, Graphics: The Korea Herald[2] Wise App, Graphics: The Korea Herald[3] Korea Press Foundation, International Survey by the Korea Press Foundation and Reuters Institute[4] Korea Press Foundation, Graphics: The Korea Herald[5] Digital News Report 2024 by the Korea Press Foundation[6] Fair Trade Commission Antitrust Investigation (2024)[7] US court ruling on Google's monopolistic practices (2023)[8] Mobile Index[9] YG Entertainment executive[10] Korea Herald/ANN
? Image Credit: AFP for the original YouTube logo image.
Between 2017 and 2024, YouTube's share of news consumption in South Korea (left) nearly doubled to 51 percent, overtaking Facebook, which fell to just 9 percent, according to the Korea Press Foundation survey across 47 countries. In contrast, globally (right), Facebook continues to lead YouTube in news usage by a 6-point margin. PHOTO: KOREA PRESS FOUNDATION; GRAPHICS: THE KOREA HERALD
- ai technology has yet to find a significant foothold in South Korea's YouTube scene.
- The trade commission's antitrust investigation in 2024 aimed at Google, which owns YouTube, raises questions about the future of trade practices in the platform's markets.
- South Korea's YouTube culture has significantly influenced overseas markets, especially in the entertainment industry, propelled by popular acts like BTS and Blackpink.
- In 2025, the South Korean government launched an update to the country's broadcasting law, which specifically addressed the dominance of platforms like YouTube in the nation's media landscape.
- Rather than being focused primarily on music and entertainment, South Korean YouTubers also cover a wide range of topics, from lifestyle and technology to politics, sports, and tv shows.
- Weather forecasts and updates are popular content categories on South Korean YouTube channels, reflecting the importance of accurate meteorological information in the country.
- Seoul's vibrant entertainment industry has benefited from the reach and interactivity of YouTube, providing an avenue for local acts to gain international exposure and fans.
- Research shows that South Korean YouTube users are more likely to engage in activism and social causes through the platform than their counterparts in other countries.
- In a 2024 survey, a significant percentage of South Korean respondents cited YouTube as their primary source of news, highlighting the platform's influence on the nation's lifestyle and information consumption habits.
- As global competition intensifies, YouTube's dominance in South Korea's OTT market is expected to face challenges from emerging platforms and local players aiming to tap into the country's lucrative digital media market.
- The rise of YouTube in South Korea represents a profound cultural shift, reshaping the way people consume news, engage with entertainment, and interact with one another, both online and offline.
