South Korean content is booming globally, but success at home requires cultural authenticity, smart personalization, and active engagement on local social platforms. With the SVOD market set to surpass $2 billion by 2029, global giants like Netflix and Disney+ aren’t just competing with each other but also against local favorites like TVING and Coupang Play. . Understanding what keeps South Korean viewers engaged is key to thriving in this fast-growing market.

MARKET INSIGHTS: UNDERSTANDING THE KOREAN VIEWER

LOYALTY THROUGH EXCLUSIVITY

South Korean audiences are fiercely loyal to streaming services that consistently offer high-value, exclusive content. TVING’s original dating reality series Transit Love stands as a prime example, earning widespread acclaim. The show’s fourth season recorded a 69% increase in first-time subscribers and a 302% increase in total contribution to new subscriptions compared with season two.

Likewise, Coupang Play has seen explosive growth, surpassing 15 million monthly users in South Korea. This surge can be attributed to its powerful combination of leveraging its eCommerce user base and offering exclusive content, including high-demand sports livestreams and original variety shows like SNL Korea, Culinary Class Wars, and No Tail To Tell.

For streaming platforms to succeed, they must continuously invest in exclusive, high-quality releases rather than rely solely on global blockbusters.

MOBILE-FIRST CONSUMPTION

South Korean audiences favor clean, text-heavy interfaces with smart recommendations. In 2026, the South Korea streaming market is a “digital-first” economy where 95% of people consume content via smartphones. 

Curated homepages showcasing trending dramas, personalized push notifications, and AI-driven recommendations are essential for keeping South Korean viewers engaged. 

A prime example is Watcha, which stands out for its advanced recommendation algorithm. What makes Watcha’s system unique is its integration with Watcha Pedia, a separate app that allows users to rate and review movies, dramas, and books. This data is then used to refine Watcha’s content recommendations, creating a highly personalized viewing experience. 

By leveraging user preferences and behavioral data, Watcha ensures that subscribers receive content suggestions tailored to their tastes, ultimately increasing engagement and retention.

STRATEGIC ECOSYSTEM BUNDLING

South Korea may be a global entertainment powerhouse, but its streaming consumers are highly price-sensitive. Affordable tiers and bundled ecosystems consistently outperform standalone subscriptions, with many users gravitating toward multi-service memberships that consolidate value.

Coupang Play has capitalized on this dynamic. In 2026, it’s priced at 7,890 KRW per month and bundled within Coupang Wow, which means it competes aggressively against Netflix’s 7,000–17,000 KRW tiers by embedding streaming into a broader commerce ecosystem. Meanwhile, TVING and Wavve have merged as of 2025, introducing a “3-pack” bundle with Disney+ at 21,500 KRW – further reinforcing the market’s shift toward aggregation over fragmentation.

Ad-supported viewing is accelerating rapidly. 39.2% of TVING subscribers now use ad tiers, up from 14.4% just a year earlier. Yet this growth reflects more than pricing strategy. It highlights an “ad-tier paradox”: 85.2% of Korean AVOD users report high satisfaction, but only when ads are precisely targeted and culturally aligned with the fast, interactive viewing experience audiences expect.

Strategic partnerships are also redefining scale. Netflix’s alliance with Naver, South Korea’s leading search and content platform, gives Naver Plus members access to free, ad-supported Netflix viewing. The move underscores a broader lesson: global streamers seeking growth in South Korea must integrate into local digital ecosystems, not operate alongside them.

MARKETING STRATEGY: OWNING THE CULTURAL MOMENT

South Korean viewers rely heavily on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, Naver, and YouTube to gauge trends before subscribing, emphasizing how off-service marketing efforts can drive on-service use. 

When The Glory aired, it was a social event. Hashtags trended, memes flooded social media, and fan theories exploded across Naver and KakaoTalk. This pivotal moment in media highlighted that streaming success in South Korea embeds itself as a cultural moment.

Influencer-led content reviews, reaction videos, and community-driven discussions play a crucial role in decision-making. Platforms that engage in off-service conversations, leveraging real-time trends and viral content, experience stronger on-service engagement. 

Transit Love gained a cult following due to heavy discussion on Korean online forums and Naver articles. Memorable moments became viral memes, influencing non-viewers to start watching. For SVOD platforms in South Korea, this means that success goes beyond just offering quality content – it requires actively shaping and amplifying online conversations.

THE POWER OF KAKAOTALK & NAVER

KakaoTalk dominates South Korea’s messaging landscape, boasting a market share of up to 97%. This widespread usage presents streaming services with unique marketing opportunities. By establishing official brand channels on KakaoTalk, companies can send targeted messages directly to followers, enhancing engagement, while AI-powered chats can suggest shows based on user interaction data.

Additionally, offering exclusive content previews through these channels can attract and retain subscribers. Branded KakaoTalk emoticons featuring popular K-drama characters are another way streamers filter into fans’ daily lives, fostering a deeper connection to the service. 

Naver plays a crucial role in streaming discovery. Korean users frequently search for show rankings, reviews, and news before choosing a platform. 

Standard search engine marketing strategies may not be effective on Naver – instead, focusing on creating content tailored for Naver searches, publishing blog-style articles, and using Naver TV to share promotional clips will boost organic visibility and attract new subscribers.

THE FAST REVOLUTION AND AI

While global players continue prioritizing SVOD, South Korea has emerged as Asia’s third-largest FAST market, with revenues projected to reach $48 million by 2030. Adoption of ad-supported tiers is strong with 85.2% of Korean AVOD users reporting high satisfaction yet limited hyper-localization of ads still disrupts immersion and weakens engagement.

At the policy level, the government has committed  ₩1 trillion ($689.5 million) to accelerate the K-OTT industry’s global competitiveness, with a focus on AI and FAST expansion. Globally, 80% of platforms still rely on basic recommendation algorithms, while those implementing Generative AI for hyper-personalized discovery have reduced churn by up to 20%.

Backed by both domestic innovation and international investment, South Korea’s streaming ecosystem is becoming a blueprint for how technology, localization, and monetization can converge to drive scalable growth.

FINAL THOUGHT

Scale alone is not enough to succeed in South Korea. Success depends on cultural fluency, strategic bundling, AI-driven personalization, and deep integration with the platforms that shape daily digital life. Viewers expect exclusivity, seamless mobile-first UX, hyper-relevant recommendations, and advertising that enhances rather than interrupts the experience.

The platforms that thrive will embed themselves into local behaviors, partnering with search, messaging, commerce, and social ecosystems rather than competing in isolation. They will combine premium storytelling with precision discovery, leveraging AI to reduce friction while preserving cultural nuance.

In 2026 and beyond, growth in South Korea will belong to streamers that treat the market not as an export destination, but as a collaborative innovation hub, where localization, technology, and community converge to build lasting loyalty.

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