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Key Insights
- South Korea’s gaming market ranks fourth globally, with exceptionally high player spend.
By 2025, gamers are projected to account for 57% of the population, with market revenues forecast to reach USD 14.6 billion – placing South Korea behind only China, the US and Japan. Over half of players (52%) pay for games, and per capita gaming spend exceeds USD 450, far above the Asia-Pacific average of USD 154.
- Mobile gaming reaches across all demographics, underpinned by a strong eSports culture and the prevalence of daily check-ins.
Most South Koreans are introduced to mobile gaming as teenagers, yet adoption remains significant even among older groups – with 28% penetration among those aged 60 and over. eSports has now become the country’s third most popular sport after football and baseball, supported by the enduring PC bang (Internet café) culture that both enriches the social side of gaming and nurtures new professional talent. Nearly 60% of players watch eSports live streams for more than two hours on weekends, with strong viewership also during the week.
- In-app purchases remain the core driver of monetisation.
In-app purchases remain the core driver of monetisation, underpinning engagement and revenue across all platforms. Mobile games attract the broadest user base but generate lower spend per player; PC games deliver steady and consistent returns; and console games tend to concentrate on high-value users. Probability-based purchases are most common in PC games, while over 60% of mobile players pay to accelerate progress or instantly acquire characters and items.
- Fast, secure payments infrastructure is critical, with card payments leading.
Credit and debit cards remain the dominant payment method for both mobile and PC gaming, followed by mobile micropayments, gift vouchers and prepaid cards. South Korean gamers expect seamless, secure online payments, making reliability and ease of use essential. For developers, ensuring smooth card transactions is a priority when integrating payment channels.
South Korea: a powerhouse of high-spending, hyper-connected gamers
The world’s fourth-largest gaming market: strong growth in both revenue and user base
South Korea boasts a substantial and rapidly expanding gaming market, ranking just behind China, the United States and Japan, making it one of the leading markets in Asia–Pacific and the fourth largest worldwide. Market revenue is projected to reach USD 14.6 billion in 2025, with a forecast compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.88% between 2025 and 2029.
South Korea has a sizeable gamer base: gamers account for 57% of the country’s total population of 51.71 million. Moreover, the widespread adoption of smartphones and high-speed internet has created a strong digital foundation, enabling more players to access games. Notably, South Korean gamers demonstrate a high willingness to pay, with paying users accounting for 52% of the total. Average per-capita gaming spend exceeds USD 450, significantly above the Asia–Pacific average of $154.
