Smartphone usage driving up digital time in South Korea, according to eMarketer

Adults in South Korea will spend a daily average of 3 hours 26 minutes with digital media in 2017, which will increase to 3 hours 39 minutes in 2019, eMarketer estimates. High smartphone adoption, coupled with heavy usage of the device, has been a strong influence on overall digital time in the country. This year, adults in South Korea will spend an average of 1 hour 53 minutes per day with a smartphone.

Traditional media—especially TV—is still a key component of overall media time in South Korea. Adults in the country will spend an average of 3 hours 7 minutes per day watching television this year. eMarketer has increased its estimates for TV time spent, largely because of an expected spike in TV time next year surrounding two global sporting events: the Winter Olympics, which South Korea will be hosting, and the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament.

eMarketer South Korea ()

Print and radio have less impact on overall media time in South Korea. This year, adults will spend a daily average of 22 minutes with radio and 10 minutes with print.

“Daily time spent with smartphones by adults in South Korea is among the highest in the world, and closing in on what we’re seeing in the US,” said eMarketer senior forecast analyst Chris Bendtsen. “With such fast mobile network speeds, South Koreans continue to consume more video, social media, games and messaging on their smartphones and phablets everywhere they go.”

More like this

eMarketer: India mobile ad spending will grow by 85 per cent

eMarketer: Time spent on mobile internet continues to grow in China

eMarketer: Instagram audience in France still growing

eMarketer publishes forecasts on time spent with media in Germany

eMarketer: social media, instant messaging pushing media time forward in India

Your first step to joining FIPP's global community of media leaders

Sign up to FIPP World x