Music, TV shows and movies are contents consumers are most willing to pay for. Nevertheless, when it comes to video and music streaming in general, YouTube is enjoying wide popularity in South Korea. Around 89 percent of respondents in a survey among South Koreans aged 19 to 59 years old stated that they have used YouTube before. According to Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 43 percent of South Koreans aged 55 and above used YouTube as a news source. YouTube is often cited as the main streaming platform for both music and video contents.
As for subscription video services, domestic services like POOQ and oksusu were dominant, but are currently struggling against the international streaming giant Netflix. However, video streamers do not always stick to one service: A survey among consumers, who watch one hour or more of online video content each week found that about one third of surveyed subscribed to two or more subscription video on demand (SVOD) services.
According to a survey conducted in December 2018, around 34.4 percent of respondents using music streaming services used it daily. The most popular music streaming service appeared to be Melon. Melon is an online music streaming service that was introduced in November 2004 and was developed by SK Telecom. In 2009, Melon became part of Kakao M, a South Korean entertainment company previously known as LOEN Entertainment. Kakao M is a subsidiary of Kakao Corporation, the South Korean internet company behind the popular messenger KakaoTalk.
