Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming platform, has announced the launch of its free, ad-supported option in South Korea. This expansion marks an exciting milestone for Spotify, which has been in the Korean market since 2021. Now, users in South Korea can enjoy Spotify’s vast music and podcast library through its globally successful Freemium model.
Spotify Introduces Free Option in South Korea – What Does It Offer?
With the Free option, users can stream personalized playlists, editorial recommendations, millions of podcasts, and exclusive features like Discover Weekly and Daily Mix. Listeners can access their favorite content across mobile to desktop devices without paying for a subscription. While the free option includes ads, it allows users to experience Spotify’s extensive features at no cost. For those who wish to upgrade, Spotify’s Premium version offers an ad-free, on-demand listening experience.
Globally, more than 626 million users enjoy Spotify’s offerings, including 246 million Premium subscribers. Now, South Korea joins the list of 180+ markets where users can explore Spotify’s vast content library.
Spotify Free can be accessed through www.spotify.com/free
Impact on Korean Artists and the Global Music Scene
Since its launch in South Korea, Spotify has been a powerful platform for connecting Korean artists with a global audience. The introduction of Spotify Free will further drive local and global streams of Korean music.
In just three years, the platform has helped Korean artists achieve over 5.8 billion monthly streams, a 70% increase since its debut in the market. From K-pop to Indie, Korean artists are reaching fans in countries like the U.S., Japan, and Brazil.
According to Gautam Talwar, General Manager for Spotify Asia Pacific, the Free option will “open the door to every Korean listener to start discovering and connecting with millions of songs and podcasts.” Moreover, it creates more opportunities for artists to gain exposure and revenue.
“The launch of Spotify Free in South Korea is an exciting moment, not only for consumers but for artists and the industry at large. We’re opening the door to every Korean listener to start discovering and connecting with millions of songs and podcasts with our technology and service – which means huge potential for new audiences, discoverability and ultimately, more revenue for artists.”
Gautam Talwar, General Manager, Asia Pacific, Spotify.
Opportunities for Advertisers in South Korea
Spotify’s Free option not only benefits listeners but also presents an exciting new avenue for advertisers. Brands in South Korea can now reach a young, engaged audience through Spotify’s ad platform. According to the Adelaide Attention Global Study, in April 2024, Spotify ads captured twice the attention compared to ads on social media.
Advertisers can leverage Spotify’s wide reach to deliver their messages more effectively, tapping into an audience that engages with the platform for music and podcasts on a daily basis.
Spotify’s Evolution in South Korea
Since entering the South Korean market, Spotify has worked to amplify the local music scene. The platform has enabled Korean music to be discovered by listeners worldwide, contributing to the rising popularity of diverse genres such as K-pop, hip-hop, and indie music.
As Spotify Free rolls out, more listeners can explore Korean music and artists, adding momentum to the country’s music industry. This development also opens the door for advertisers to engage with a tech-savvy, music-loving audience, boosting Spotify’s impact in the region.
“We launched Spotify in South Korea in 2021, and since then we’ve been working to connect more Korean artists to listeners locally and around the world. The average monthly streams of artists from Korea now surpass 5.8 billion streams, which is over 70% growth since Spotify’s launch in South Korea three years ago – spanning across K-Pop to Hip-hop, Indie and more – with markets such as the United States, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Thailand, India, South Korea and Taiwan among the top streamers. We are committed to growing and expanding artists’ reach worldwide and the launch of our Free offering in the market will add even more Korean listeners to that mix.”
Gautam Talwar, General Manager, Asia Pacific, Spotify.
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