While digital channels are officially claiming over half of South Korea's advertising landscape, a closer look at the 7.45 trillion KRW market reveals a dynamic industry where traditional television still reigns supreme, mobile reigns digitally, and every won is fiercely contested.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, South Korea's total advertising market size reached 7.45 trillion KRW, reflecting a 4.8% year-over-year growth driven by digital channels.
- The advertising industry in South Korea generated 8.1 trillion KRW in revenue in 2022, with projections for 5.2% CAGR through 2027.
- South Korea's ad spend per capita stood at 145,000 KRW in 2023, higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 112,000 KRW.
- Traditional media accounted for 52.3% of total ad spend in 2023 at 3.90 trillion KRW.
- Television advertising dominated with 2.45 trillion KRW in 2023, comprising 32.9% of total market.
- Print media ad spend fell to 0.68 trillion KRW in 2023, down 8.7% from 2022.
- Retail sector led ad spend with 1.12 trillion KRW in 2023, 15.0% of total market.
- Financial services spent 0.85 trillion KRW on ads in 2023, up 9.2% from 2022.
- Food & beverage industry allocated 0.72 trillion KRW to advertising in 2023.
- Digital advertising in South Korea surged to 3.55 trillion KRW in 2023, 47.7% of total ad market.
- Mobile advertising captured 65.2% of digital ad spend in 2023, totaling 2.32 trillion KRW.
- Search advertising expenditure was 1.15 trillion KRW in 2023, led by Naver and Google.
- 78.4% of South Koreans aged 18-34 engaged with online ads daily in 2023 survey.
- 62% of consumers prefer personalized digital ads, boosting ROI by 15-20% in 2023 studies.
- Sustainability-themed ads increased 28% in volume from 2022 to 2023.
South Korea's advertising industry is growing rapidly, driven especially by digital channels.
Breakdown by Media Type
- Traditional media accounted for 52.3% of total ad spend in 2023 at 3.90 trillion KRW.
- Television advertising dominated with 2.45 trillion KRW in 2023, comprising 32.9% of total market.
- Print media ad spend fell to 0.68 trillion KRW in 2023, down 8.7% from 2022.
- Outdoor advertising expenditure was 0.42 trillion KRW in 2023, growing 3.1% YoY.
- Radio ads generated 0.15 trillion KRW in 2023, stable at 2.0% market share.
- Cinema advertising spend reached 0.08 trillion KRW in 2023, up 15.2% post-pandemic.
- Digital media overtook traditional in 2023 with 47.7% share at 3.55 trillion KRW.
- Newspapers ad revenue was 0.52 trillion KRW in 2023, declining 11.4% YoY.
- Magazines saw ad spend drop to 0.16 trillion KRW in 2023, -14.2% growth.
- Transit advertising (subways/buses) hit 0.25 trillion KRW in 2023, +7.8% YoY.
- Programmatic share of total ad market hit 22.1% or 1.65 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Terrestrial TV ad spend was 1.98 trillion KRW in 2023, 26.6% of total.
- Cable TV ads generated 0.47 trillion KRW, down 3.5% in 2023.
- Internet display ads were 0.41 trillion KRW in 2023 digital breakdown.
- Gaming ads in digital space reached 0.28 trillion KRW in 2023.
Breakdown by Media Type Interpretation
While digital media may have seized the throne with a 47.7% share, television advertising’s stubborn 32.9% grip proves the nation still loves to gather ‘round the tube, even as print quietly fades and programmatic buying lurks in the algorithm-filled shadows.
Digital Advertising
- Digital advertising in South Korea surged to 3.55 trillion KRW in 2023, 47.7% of total ad market.
- Mobile advertising captured 65.2% of digital ad spend in 2023, totaling 2.32 trillion KRW.
- Search advertising expenditure was 1.15 trillion KRW in 2023, led by Naver and Google.
- Social media ads reached 0.98 trillion KRW in 2023, with Instagram growing 22.4%.
- Video advertising on digital platforms hit 0.85 trillion KRW in 2023, +18.7% YoY.
- Programmatic advertising accounted for 42% of digital spend in 2023 at 1.49 trillion KRW.
- Influencer marketing spend in Korea was 0.32 trillion KRW in 2023, up 25.1%.
- OTT platform ads (Netflix, Disney+) generated 0.21 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Display advertising fell to 0.45 trillion KRW in 2023, -2.3% due to privacy changes.
- E-mail marketing ads contributed 0.08 trillion KRW to digital in 2023.
- Affiliate marketing spend reached 0.15 trillion KRW in 2023 digital ecosystem.
- Connected TV (CTV) ad spend grew to 0.12 trillion KRW in 2023, +35.6%.
- Online search ads grew 14.3% to 1.15 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Social media platform ads: KakaoTalk 0.42 trillion KRW in 2023.
- YouTube ad revenue in Korea was 0.56 trillion KRW for 2023.
- Native advertising spend rose to 0.31 trillion KRW in digital 2023.
- Retail media networks (Coupang, etc.) ads at 0.38 trillion KRW 2023.
Digital Advertising Interpretation
The South Korean ad market has officially gone digital, proving that if your brand isn't optimized for mobile, search, and a carefully targeted influencer, you're basically just whispering into a rotary phone.
Expenditure by Sector
- Retail sector led ad spend with 1.12 trillion KRW in 2023, 15.0% of total market.
- Financial services spent 0.85 trillion KRW on ads in 2023, up 9.2% from 2022.
- Food & beverage industry allocated 0.72 trillion KRW to advertising in 2023.
- Automotive sector ad budget was 0.61 trillion KRW in 2023, +6.5% YoY.
- Telecommunications firms spent 0.58 trillion KRW on ads in 2023, 7.8% market share.
- Beauty & cosmetics ad spend reached 0.49 trillion KRW in 2023, driven by K-beauty exports.
- Entertainment & media sector invested 0.44 trillion KRW in 2023 advertising.
- Healthcare & pharma ad expenditure was 0.38 trillion KRW in 2023, +4.1% growth.
- Travel & leisure sector spent 0.32 trillion KRW post-COVID recovery in 2023.
- E-commerce platforms accounted for 28% of digital ad spend in 2023 at 1.0 trillion KRW.
- FMCG sector ad spend was 0.91 trillion KRW in 2023, 12.2% total.
- IT & electronics spent 0.55 trillion KRW on ads in 2023.
- Apparel & fashion ad budget hit 0.41 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Real estate ads totaled 0.29 trillion KRW amid housing boom 2023.
- Gaming & esports ad spend was 0.26 trillion KRW in 2023.
Expenditure by Sector Interpretation
The battle for South Korea's attention is a trillion-won game of thrones where retail wears the crown, finance sharpens its knives, and everyone from automakers to K-beauty queens is buying their way onto your screen, proving that even in a digital age, the real national pastime is being sold something.
Market Size & Growth
- In 2023, South Korea's total advertising market size reached 7.45 trillion KRW, reflecting a 4.8% year-over-year growth driven by digital channels.
- The advertising industry in South Korea generated 8.1 trillion KRW in revenue in 2022, with projections for 5.2% CAGR through 2027.
- South Korea's ad spend per capita stood at 145,000 KRW in 2023, higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 112,000 KRW.
- From 2019 to 2023, the Korean advertising market expanded by 22.7%, outpacing global growth of 18.4%.
- In Q4 2023, quarterly ad expenditure hit 1.92 trillion KRW, up 6.1% from Q4 2022.
- South Korea ranked 10th globally in ad market size in 2023 with 7.45 trillion KRW, behind Japan and China.
- Post-COVID recovery saw ad spend rebound 12.3% in 2021 to 6.8 trillion KRW.
- By 2025, South Korea's ad market is forecasted to reach 9.2 trillion KRW at 4.5% annual growth.
- Inflation-adjusted ad spend growth in Korea was 3.2% in 2023 versus nominal 4.8%.
- Foreign-invested firms contributed 28.4% of total ad spend in 2023, totaling 2.11 trillion KRW.
- In 2023, Naver held 45.2% of digital ad market share with 1.61 trillion KRW revenue.
- Kakao's ad revenue climbed to 1.02 trillion KRW in 2023, +12.4% YoY.
- Google's Korea ad spend share was 28.7% of digital at 1.02 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Total ad agency revenue in Korea was 4.2 trillion KRW in 2023.
Market Size & Growth Interpretation
While South Korea’s advertising market, now the world’s tenth largest, is sprinting ahead with digital giants like Naver and Kakao leading the charge, even its impressive per capita spend can't quite escape the sobering squeeze of inflation.
Trends & Forecasts
- 78.4% of South Koreans aged 18-34 engaged with online ads daily in 2023 survey.
- 62% of consumers prefer personalized digital ads, boosting ROI by 15-20% in 2023 studies.
- Sustainability-themed ads increased 28% in volume from 2022 to 2023.
- AI-driven ad targeting adoption rose to 55% among top agencies in 2023.
- Short-form video ads (TikTok, Reels) grew 41.2% to dominate 2023 trends.
- Ad blocking usage among internet users was 32.1% in 2023, highest in APAC.
- Cross-device ad attribution improved effectiveness by 24% for brands in 2023.
- User-generated content ads saw 19.7% higher engagement rates in 2023.
- Privacy-first advertising (post-cookie) investments tripled to 0.18 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Metaverse advertising pilots reached 0.05 trillion KRW spend in 2023.
- Voice search ads emerged with 12% growth in queries, 2023 Naver data.
- 2024 forecast predicts digital ad share at 52.3%, total market 7.9 trillion KRW.
- Ad fraud losses in Korea totaled 0.22 trillion KRW in 2023, per industry estimates.
- Experiential marketing events drew 45% higher recall than digital ads in 2023.
- 71% of millennials skip TV ads but engage 2.1x more with mobile ads 2023.
- Shopper marketing ads increased 17% with omnichannel focus 2023.
- NFT & Web3 ad experiments totaled 0.03 trillion KRW in 2023.
- Ad viewability standards met 82% on digital platforms in 2023 audits.
Trends & Forecasts Interpretation
To reach South Korea's elusive and ad-fatigued youth, marketers are deploying a high-wire act of hyper-personalized AI targeting and snackable short-form video, all while racing to outsmart ad-blockers, respect new privacy norms, and sprinkle in enough sustainability and real-world experiences to make the whole pursuit feel genuinely human.
Sources & References
- Reference 1STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 2EMARKETERemarketer.comVisit source
- Reference 3WARCwarc.comVisit source
- Reference 4KOFICEkofice.or.krVisit source
- Reference 5KOBACOkobaco.co.krVisit source
- Reference 6ADAGEadage.comVisit source
- Reference 7PWCpwc.comVisit source
- Reference 8GROUPMgroupm.comVisit source
- Reference 9IABKOREAiabkorea.orgVisit source
- Reference 10PRESSFOUNDATIONpressfoundation.or.krVisit source
- Reference 11OAAAoaaa.or.krVisit source
- Reference 12CJCGVcjcgv.comVisit source
- Reference 13KPFkpf.or.krVisit source
- Reference 14MAGAZINEmagazine.or.krVisit source
- Reference 15KOTISkotis.or.krVisit source
- Reference 16FSBfsb.or.krVisit source
- Reference 17KFIAkfia.or.krVisit source
- Reference 18KAMAkama.or.krVisit source
- Reference 19KCAkca.krVisit source
- Reference 20KCIAkcia.or.krVisit source
- Reference 21KOCCAkocca.krVisit source
- Reference 22KPBMAkpbma.or.krVisit source
- Reference 23KATAkata.or.krVisit source
- Reference 24MMATRACKmmatrack.co.krVisit source
- Reference 25EMAILMAGAZINEemailmagazine.co.krVisit source
- Reference 26AFFILIATEaffiliate.or.krVisit source
- Reference 27NIELSENnielsen.comVisit source
- Reference 28KAAAkaaa.or.krVisit source
- Reference 29PAGEFAIRpagefair.comVisit source
- Reference 30KANTARkantar.comVisit source
- Reference 31SOCIALINSIDERsocialinsider.ioVisit source
- Reference 32DEVELOPERSdevelopers.naver.comVisit source
- Reference 33ANAana.netVisit source
- Reference 34EVENTMARKETEReventmarketer.co.krVisit source
- Reference 35FINANCEfinance.naver.comVisit source
- Reference 36KAKAOCORPkakaocorp.comVisit source
- Reference 37KCAkca.or.krVisit source
- Reference 38KIGAAkigaa.or.krVisit source
- Reference 39KEIAkeia.or.krVisit source
- Reference 40KFMAkfma.or.krVisit source
- Reference 41KRAkra.or.krVisit source
- Reference 42KOREAESPORTSkoreaesports.or.krVisit source
- Reference 43NAVERnaver.comVisit source
- Reference 44YOUTUBEyoutube.comVisit source
- Reference 45COUPANGcoupang.comVisit source
- Reference 46BLOCKCHAINblockchain.or.krVisit source
- Reference 47MRCmrc.orgVisit source