Jang Seob Yoon
Research expert covering South Korea
Smartphone usage in South Korea - statistics and facts
The vast majority of South Koreans own a smartphone. Given the integral part that smartphones play in the everyday lives of most people, this fact is not a surprise. The country has a reputation for being open to new technologies and most consumers adapt quickly to new trends. The most prominent current example is 5G; ever since its rollout in 2019, more and more consumers are signing up to a 5G contract. The launch of 5G was an effort pushed on a government level, and South Korea's citizens have been open to adapting this new technology.
How long are South Koreans on their smartphones?
Nevertheless, the high smartphone ownership rate comes with its price. Survey results found that a significant portion of respondents in the younger generation were using their smartphones for more than four hours daily. With the many ways to use a smartphone in everyday life, an increasing number of consumers are growing overly dependent on their smartphone. A government survey shows that almost one in four people are dependent on their smartphone. This figure includes South Koreans as young as three years old.What are the most popular apps used by South Koreans?
Sampled data analysis found that YouTube was the Android application that was used the longest by South Koreans, with a total of more than 70 billion minutes. The popularity of YouTube is increasingly evident in user data and this trend seems to stand the test of time as the years go on. The second longest used application was KakaoTalk, an instant messenger app that was developed in South Korea. The company behind KakaoTalk, DaumKakao, does not only operate the most frequently used instant messenger service of the nation, but also is increasing their reach by developing company profiles, games, an online bank, and more, making it a household name in various industry sectors.
