Music streaming in South Korea - statistics & facts

Music streaming has become the primary form of music consumption nowadays, with physical music increasingly being left behind. K-pop is somewhat of an exception, with companies and fans alike emphasizing the importance of physical sales. This, alongside the increase in the global popularity of K-pop, has led to large annual increases in the sale of physical Korean albums. However, actual regular consumption still usually occurs via streaming services, as it is more convenient than listening to physical mediums such as CDs or vinyl. Within the K-pop scene, there is the additional importance of achieving streaming milestones to increase an artist’s visibility or win awards at music shows.

Apps dominate the music streaming scene

According to a 2023 survey, smartphones were by far the most common device used to listen to music. While it is possible to listen to music via mobile internet browsers, most will use apps. YouTube Music, which is a paid service, had the most users among music streaming apps in South Korea, including both Android and iOS. Among music listeners who had switched from another music streaming service to YouTube Music, around 46 percent stated that it was due to cheaper fees compared to their previously used service. Price was the main factor influencing the choice of streaming service across all available services and platforms.

International giant YouTube vs domestic giant Melon

The two biggest players in South Korea’s music streaming market currently are YouTube, both in its free and its paid iterations, as well as the domestic service Melon, which is operated by the Kakao conglomerate. Alongside its streaming services, Melon runs both one of the most important music charts in the country as well as one of the most prestigious music award shows, making it an influential part of the domestic music scene. While both Melon and YouTube are commonly used by South Korean consumers, the latter is much more accessible to overseas fans of Korean music. Unlike Melon, YouTube has a large selection of free content with easy sign-up and language support. This, alongside YouTube’s huge global presence, support for video content, and international userbase, has made it an important platform for Korean entertainment companies looking to capitalize on the growing global popularity of K-pop and related Korean entertainment content.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, May 3, 2024

Key insights

Online music distribution sales
2.4tr KRW
Most popular music streaming service
YouTube (free)
Most used music streaming app
YouTube Music (paid)
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Sales revenue of the music industry in South Korea from 2014 to 2022 (in trillion South Korean won)

Music

Music industry sales revenue South Korea 2014-2022

Number of users in the music streaming segment of the digital media market South Korea from 2017 to 2027 (in million individuals)

Music

Users in the music streaming segment South Korea 2017-2027

Most frequently used music streaming or download services in South Korea as of July 2023

Music

Most frequently used music streaming or download services South Korea 2023

Further recommended statistics

Music industry overview

6

Music industry overview

Music consumption

5

Music consumption

Streaming behavior

5

Streaming behavior

Streaming preferences

5

Streaming preferences

Music streaming services

7

Music streaming services

Further reports

Get the best reports to understand your industry

Music industry in South Korea
Music industry in South Korea
K-pop and the Big 4 entertainment agencies in South Korea
K-pop and the Big 4 entertainment agencies in South Korea
K-pop artist BTS
K-pop artist BTS
K-pop and its fanbase
K-pop and its fanbase
K-pop artists
K-pop artists

Contact

Get in touch with us. We are happy to help.
Statista Locations
Contact Meredith Alda
Meredith Alda
Sales Manager– Contact (United States)
Email
support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Contact Yolanda Mega
Yolanda Mega
Operations Manager– Contact (Asia)
Email
asia.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Contact Kisara Mizuno
Kisara Mizuno
Senior Business Development Manager– Contact (Asia)
Email
asia.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Contact Lodovica Biagi
Lodovica Biagi
Director of Operations– Contact (Europe)
Email
eu.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

Contact Carolina Dulin
Carolina Dulin
Group Director - LATAM– Contact (Latin America)
Email
latam@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Menu