YouTube, Instagram expand presence in South Korean app market

SEOUL — US-based social media platforms YouTube and Instagram saw their usage time among South Korean users rise sharply in September from a year earlier, data showed on Sunday, while domestic platforms like KakaoTalk and Naver lost ground.

The total hours spent by South Korean users on YouTube, the top player, came to 1.8 billion hours last month, up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by industry tracker Wiseapp.

Instagram also saw its combined usage time reach 378 million hours last month, soaring 42.1 per cent on-year, making it the third-most popular application by usage time, reports Yonhap news agency.

However, the No. 2 player, KakaoTalk, saw its usage time decline 3.3 percent to 527 million hours over the period. Naver, the country’s leading search engine, also experienced a 9.7 percent on-year decrease, with total usage hours reaching 329 million last month

Industry watchers said YouTube and Instagram encouraged users to spend more time on their platforms through short-form videos, which refer to entertainment content lasting only a few seconds.

Instagram launched its Reels video service in 2021, while YouTube offers a similar feature under the Shorts brand.

Industry watchers added that South Korean platforms, including Naver and Kakao, should make efforts to strengthen their short-form video platforms.

“There are limits for domestic players like Naver and Kakao to directly compete with Instagram and YouTube in short-form video services, which are watched by global audiences,” an industry official said, adding that they should focus on enhancing compensation for creators on their platforms.