The popularity of games in the South Korean market is undeniable. With 97.4% of the South Korean population owning a smartphone and some of the fastest internet speeds of the world. A high concentration of gamers, especially mobile gamers, is to be expected.
However, South Korea’s game market has reached a saturation of 74% and climbing. Revenues totaled $15 billion USD in 2021 and are climbing steadily, expected to hit $20.98 billion USD in 2026.
And while one might stereotype the average gamer as a young male in his teens or early twenties, the South Korean market is much more diverse. Over 70% of the South Korean population games, and while young males do play games at high rates. There has been a rising amount of female players especially in the realm of mobile games. Over the last decade, the number of female gamers has doubled.
South Korean gamers also range widely in age. There is a high saturation of players ranging from their teens to their forties, and gameplay tapers off but remains prevalent into those in their fifties and sixties. Contrasting with the international market, that tend to cater largely for younger males.
The diversity of the South Korean gaming market is another reason to raise interest, which is a small country, to make up 7.6% of the international gaming market share.
Many gamers in South Korea play role-playing games (RPGs), and these are the most popular genres. Half of the top ten genres in South Korea are subsets of the RPG genre.
Like international gamers, South Korean players also enjoy getting the chance to create their own characters and immerse themselves into the worlds of the games.
It’s clear that it is extremely diverse, large, and unique. The South Korean gaming market’s needs and interests are very hyper localized and there’s a need to appeal to audiences outside of the traditional target groups for gaming marketing. Waterbe’s deep knowledge of the South Korean gaming market and specific approaches tailored to success in it makes us very suited to help your game enter into and succeed in the South Korean market.