Music Streaming - South Korea

South Korea

Highlights

In South Korea, revenue in the Music Streaming market market is projected to reach US$1.24bn in 2024.
Revenue in this market is expected to demonstrate an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 6.04%, leading to a projected market volume of US$1.66bn by 2029.
In a global context, the majority of revenue will be generated the United States, which is projected to reach US$13.19bn in 2024.
Within the Music Streaming market market in South Korea, the number of users is expected to amount to 17.9m users by 2029.
User penetration in South Korea will be 30.3% in 2024 and is anticipated to rise to 34.8% by 2029.
In South Korea, the music streaming market is increasingly dominated by local platforms, reflecting the nation's strong cultural emphasis on homegrown talent and innovation.

Key regions:

Market definitionIn-Scope/Out-of-scopeMarket structureReportsMethodology

The Music Streaming market in South Korea has been experiencing significant growth in recent years.

Customer preferences: South Korean consumers have shown a strong preference for music streaming services over traditional methods of music consumption such as purchasing physical albums or downloading digital files. This can be attributed to the convenience and affordability of music streaming platforms, which allow users to access a vast library of songs at their fingertips. Additionally, the rise of smartphones and high-speed internet connectivity has made it easier for consumers to stream music on the go.

Trends in the market: One of the key trends in the South Korean music streaming market is the dominance of local platforms. While global players like Spotify and Apple Music are present in the market, they face strong competition from domestic platforms such as Melon, Genie, and Bugs. These local platforms have successfully catered to the unique preferences of South Korean consumers by offering a wide range of K-pop music and providing features like real-time music charts and fan communities. Another trend in the market is the increasing popularity of personalized playlists and recommendations. Music streaming platforms in South Korea have been investing in algorithms and machine learning technologies to analyze user preferences and create customized playlists. This has enhanced the user experience and helped in retaining customers by offering them a curated selection of music that aligns with their tastes.

Local special circumstances: The popularity of K-pop music has played a significant role in the growth of the music streaming market in South Korea. K-pop has gained a massive global following, and South Korean music streaming platforms have capitalized on this trend by offering a wide selection of K-pop songs and albums. This has not only attracted local consumers but has also made these platforms popular among international audiences who are interested in K-pop music.

Underlying macroeconomic factors: South Korea has a high smartphone penetration rate, with a large portion of the population owning smartphones. This has created a favorable environment for music streaming platforms, as users can easily access their favorite songs through mobile apps. Additionally, the country has a well-developed internet infrastructure, with fast and reliable internet connections available to a majority of the population. These factors have contributed to the growth of the music streaming market in South Korea. In conclusion, the Music Streaming market in South Korea has witnessed significant growth due to customer preferences for convenience and affordability, the dominance of local platforms, the popularity of personalized playlists, the special circumstances of K-pop music, and favorable macroeconomic factors such as high smartphone penetration and reliable internet connectivity.

Data coverage:

The data encompasses B2C enterprises. Figures are based on the Digital Music market. Digital music is defined as audio content distributed to the end-user over the internet. This includes paid digital downloads of professionally produced single tracks or albums/compilations as well as subscription-based on-demand streaming services. All monetary figures refer to consumer spending on digital goods or subscriptions in the respective market. This spending factors in discounts, margins, and taxes.

Modeling approach / market size:

The market size is determined through a bottom-up approach. We use annual financial reports of the market-leading companies and industry associations, third-party studies and reports, survey results from our primary research (e.g., Consumer Insights), as well as performance factors (e.g., user penetration, price per product, usage) to analyze the markets. To estimate the market size for each country individually, we use relevant key market indicators and data from country-specific industry associations, such as various macroeconomic indicators, historical developments, current trends, and reported performance indicators of key market players. In particular, we consider average prices and annual purchase frequencies.

Forecasts:

We apply a variety of forecasting techniques, depending on the behavior of the relevant market. For instance, the S-curve function and exponential trend smoothing are well suited for forecasting digital products and services due to the non-linear growth of technology adoption. The main drivers are GDP per capita, consumer spending per capita, and 4G coverage.

Additional notes:

The data is modeled using current exchange rates. The market is updated twice a year in case market dynamics change. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is considered at a country-specific level. The data is modeled using current exchange rates. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are considered at a country-specific level. The market is updated twice a year. In some cases, the data is updated on an ad hoc basis (e.g., when new, relevant data has been released or significant changes within the market have an impact on the projected development). Consumer Insights data is reweighted for representativeness.