YouTube contributed more than 3.5 trillion won to South Korea's GDP last year, created 85,000 jobs

YouTube contributed more than 3.5 trillion won (approximately $2.3 billion) to South Korea's gross domestic product last year and helped create more than 85,000 full-time-equivalent jobs, according to a new report.

YouTube released the findings Thursday in its "YouTube Impact Report 2025," a comprehensive analysis of the platform's economic and cultural influence in South Korea. The report was produced by global economic research firm Neconomics.

The report found that creators have evolved into "a new professional category operating on the basis of trust." A survey cited in the report found that 75 percent of South Korean viewers who use YouTube for news said the platform provides high-quality current affairs content, while 74 percent said they value the diversity of content and perspectives available on the platform. The report highlighted Shukaworld, which breaks down economic and current affairs topics in accessible language, and Our Neighborhood OB-GYN, which delivers women's health information in an approachable format, as representative examples.

The report also said creators are expanding their role as "agents of social value through public education." That finding was supported by survey data showing that 85 percent of South Korean viewers use YouTube to obtain information or broaden their knowledge in areas of interest. Featured examples included Choi Jae-cheon's Amazon, which covers ecology and science, and JoCoding, a channel credited with lowering barriers to coding education.

The report further said creators are driving a new economic ecosystem as "creative organizations innovating the content business." Among surveyed South Korean creators, 79 percent said they hope to use the influence they have built through YouTube to make a positive impact on society. Success stories cited included Awesome Entertainment, a content production studio that has amassed 30 million cumulative subscribers across a knowledge and culture portfolio, and Shoot for Love, which combines sports content with social contribution.

"South Korea's creators today have grown beyond simple content makers into a driving force of innovation that adds meaningful change and new value across our society," a YouTube spokesperson said. "We will continue to support creators so they can sustain their creative work on a stable business foundation and make their mark on the global stage."