The number of South Korean YouTubers earning over 100 million won ($70,261) annually has surpassed 4,000, reflecting the expansion of the nation’s digital creator sector, according to data from the National Tax Service released by Rep. Cha Kyu-geun of the Rebuilding Korea Party.
As the Korean Herald reports, a total of 4,011 YouTubers in South Korea reported earnings exceeding the 100 million won threshold in 2023, comprising 2,088 men and 1,923 women. These high-earning creators have increased sharply, rising from 2,449 in 2021 to 3,359 in 2022 and 4,011 in 2023, representing a 63.8% increase in just two years.
Those in their 30s constitute the largest share of high-earning creators, totaling 1,961, followed by 772 creators under 30 and 171 in their 40s.
South Korea’s overall creator economy continues to expand, with 24,673 YouTubers reporting earnings in 2023, up 52% from 16,228 in 2021. Their combined reported income jumped 64.9% over the same period, from 1.078 trillion won (~$760M) to 1.778 trillion won (~$1.25B).
Tax Authorities Increase Enforcement Measures
Rep. Cha emphasized the need for stricter taxation as high-earning creators multiply. “Both the number of income reporters and their total earnings are increasing every year. The National Tax Service must thoroughly crack down on digital creators who fail to report their income to evade taxes,” he said.
Regional tax offices audited 67 YouTubers between 2019 and 2024, levying a combined 23.6 billion won in taxes, averaging about 350 million won per creator.
YouTube’s Position in Korean Market
Despite the growing tax scrutiny, YouTube maintains its position as the second most popular social media platform in South Korea. According to recent research from the Korea Press Foundation, YouTube claims an 84.9% usage rate among Korean adults, second only to homegrown app KakaoTalk’s 98.9% adoption rate.
The platform continues to expand its presence in the Korean market, recently launching the “Education Expert Creator Support Program” in partnership with the Teachers Creator Association to enhance educational content production capabilities among teacher creators. This initiative supports more than 500 educators with comprehensive training on YouTube channel management.
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The number of South Korean YouTubers earning over 100 million won ($70,261) annually has surpassed 4,000, reflecting the expansion of the nation’s digital creator sector, according to data from the National Tax Service released by Rep. Cha Kyu-geun of the Rebuilding Korea Party.
As the Korean Herald reports, a total of 4,011 YouTubers in South Korea reported earnings exceeding the 100 million won threshold in 2023, comprising 2,088 men and 1,923 women. These high-earning creators have increased sharply, rising from 2,449 in 2021 to 3,359 in 2022 and 4,011 in 2023, representing a 63.8% increase in just two years.
Those in their 30s constitute the largest share of high-earning creators, totaling 1,961, followed by 772 creators under 30 and 171 in their 40s.
South Korea’s overall creator economy continues to expand, with 24,673 YouTubers reporting earnings in 2023, up 52% from 16,228 in 2021. Their combined reported income jumped 64.9% over the same period, from 1.078 trillion won (~$760M) to 1.778 trillion won (~$1.25B).
Tax Authorities Increase Enforcement Measures
Rep. Cha emphasized the need for stricter taxation as high-earning creators multiply. “Both the number of income reporters and their total earnings are increasing every year. The National Tax Service must thoroughly crack down on digital creators who fail to report their income to evade taxes,” he said.
Regional tax offices audited 67 YouTubers between 2019 and 2024, levying a combined 23.6 billion won in taxes, averaging about 350 million won per creator.
YouTube’s Position in Korean Market
Despite the growing tax scrutiny, YouTube maintains its position as the second most popular social media platform in South Korea. According to recent research from the Korea Press Foundation, YouTube claims an 84.9% usage rate among Korean adults, second only to homegrown app KakaoTalk’s 98.9% adoption rate.
The platform continues to expand its presence in the Korean market, recently launching the “Education Expert Creator Support Program” in partnership with the Teachers Creator Association to enhance educational content production capabilities among teacher creators. This initiative supports more than 500 educators with comprehensive training on YouTube channel management.
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