Content
- Introduction
- Understanding Search Engines in Korea
- Search Engine Platform Usage & User Age
- Purpose per Platform
- Understanding Social Media Platforms in Korea
- Purpose & Intent
- Conclusion
Introduction
South Korea, a vibrant and dynamic market, has emerged as a global leader in digital innovation and technology adoption. For global brands looking to enter this unique market, understanding the digital landscape is crucial. The South Korean digital ecosystem is characterized by its rapid growth, high internet penetration, and tech-savvy population, making it a fertile ground for digital marketing strategies.
One of the defining features of South Korea’s digital landscape is the significant role played by various platforms and apps. Unlike many other countries where Western platforms dominate, South Korea has developed an ecosystem of local digital giants. Platforms like Naver, Kakao, Instagram, and YouTube are integral to daily life, shaping how South Koreans interact, consume content, and make purchasing decisions.
Understanding Search Engines in Korea
The commonly used traditional search engines in South Korea currently are Naver, and Google – Naver being the utmost popular and most frequently used. Essentially, all Koreans choose Naver as their search engine of choice, as it is often considered the “go-to” platform for information searching.
Given the consistent growth of social media, the boundary between search engines and social media platforms is becoming increasingly blurred. Because of this, Naver is followed by YouTube as the second most popular searching platform, despite it being a social media platform. YouTube is used more frequently than Google, as people will search for the information they need through the videos and content that exist on YouTube.
Search Engine Platform Usage & User Age
Platform popularity and usage differs based on the age of users. Younger age groups resort to social media platforms more often, such as YouTube, and Instagram, while older age groups use traditional search engines, like Naver.
Purpose per Platform
Although these platforms are all utilized as search engines, each one has a unique purpose. Naver is most frequently used to search for local information, product information, and product/brand reviews. Both Naver and YouTube are used when searching for information regarding hobbies and leisure life. Both Naver and Google are used for information search needed for work and study./
Understanding Social Media Platforms in Korea
The nuanced and unique digital landscape in Korea suggests a clear understanding of how social media platforms operate differently is necessary. In Korea, the top 4 social media platforms are YouTube, Instagram, Naver Blog, and Facebook. People usually go to access these apps not for socializing, but for content and information consumption.
Purpose & Intent
There exists a difference between each platform in terms of purpose and intent as to why people will choose to navigate to those platforms. The top reasons people choose to use YouTube include that there are many posts that suit their interests and many posts that are fun and entertaining. The same reasons apply to Instagram. For Naver Blog and Facebook, however, the top reasons include that there are posts suited to their interests and that they have been using the platform for a long time, suggesting that loyalty and familiarity both are at play.
It is important to note that TikTok is not included in the top, most popular platforms: while TikTok has been dominating in the social media industry in countless Western countries, its popularity does not reach over to South Korea. There are still many Korean users and creators, but the overall popularity of the app has yet to surpass YouTube, Instagram, or Naver Blog. This is insightful in understanding how the Korean market differentiates from other Western countries and how the preferred media that people consume also differs.
Want to explore more about the South Korean market? Find the insight report series below!
