Influencer Marketing in South Kore
South Korea is one of the world’s most connected markets, with a dynamic digital ecosystem driven by Instagram, Naver, Kakao and Coupang.
This mini-report, part of Totem’s larger survey and analysis of influencers in Asia, highlights how South Korea’s consumers value polished content and authenticity, and why localization is critical for brands entering this competitive market.
𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 #𝟲 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘅 – ahead of Japan, but still trailing Southeast Asian markets.
𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
82% of consumers have engaged with livestream sales (close to the Asia average of 84%)
Opinions about influencers are muted, when compared with other markets in Asia
Friends, family & other users online influence purchase decisions more than influencers or celebrities
Online purchases are carefully considered (prudence > enthusiasm)
Naver & Kakao lead for brand-side influencer activity; Coupang focuses on conversion
It will be interesting to see whether the 2025 launch of TikTok Shop in South Korea will boost enthusiasm for social commerce, as it has in other Asian markets.
*Thanks to Rakuten Insight Global for their amazing work in conducting the consumer research across seven markets. Also a big thanks to Campaign Asia for their detailed reporting on the findings of this report.
