According to a survey conducted in South Korea in 2021, television, including streaming, was the most popular traditional form of media. While TV ownership has been slowly decreasing, the
and video on demand (VoD) services has been steadily climbing. With broadcast media as popular as ever, the medium of access has shifted in favor of digital services, which can generally be accessed through several kinds of devices rather than being confined to just a TV. The
A digital shift in consuming media
This shift from traditional means of access to more flexible, internet-based points of access can be observed in digital and traditional media alike. In particular, the world of entertainment has been quick to adapt to digital access to media. Less than four percent of
webtoons are now read in print format, while
physical music records are bought by one in three people. While most South Koreans keep up with the news, the
share of people who read printed newspapers decreases drastically by age group. Alongside the popularity of digital news and online newspapers among younger demographics, it is possible that overall readership of printed newspapers will continue to decrease in the long term.
Low frequency of radio use
The only notable exception to this digital shift is radio. Car radios are the
main method of access to radio channels, while smartphone apps are used by around 14 percent of radio listeners. Together, regular radio devices and car radios make up approximately 85 percent of radio use, while internet-based access via mobile or PC add up to less than 15 percent of use cases. However,
radio use in South Korea has been on the decline over the past decade, and the time spent listening to the radio tends to be low compared to other entertainment media.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
