, 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
. 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.
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