KakaoTalk, Youtube dominate smartphone app usage in Korea

While Koreans turned to KakaoTalk most often to connect, they spent the most time watching videos on YouTube this year, reflecting a clear divide in how different apps are used throughout the day.

Logos for KakoTalk, left, and YouTube [KAKAOTALK, YOUTUBE]

While Koreans turned to KakaoTalk most often to connect, they spent the most time watching videos on YouTube this year, reflecting a clear divide in how different apps are used throughout the day.

Market researcher WiseApp Retail said Tuesday that it analyzed data from a sample of Korean users of Android and iOS smartphones from January to November this year. Only apps that are available on both platforms were included in the tally.

Ranking of smartphone apps with the largest number of Korean users in 2025, as shown in an analysis of smartphone usage patterns by market researcher Wiseapp Retail. KakaoTalk sits at No. 1, followed by YouTube, Google, Naver and more. [WISEAPP RETAIL]

According to the results, KakaoTalk had the highest average monthly user count, with 48.23 million people using the app. It was followed by YouTube with 46.78 million, Google with 45.1 million, Naver with 44.09 million and Google Chrome with 42.03 million.

Other apps with a significant number of users included Coupang, Naver Map, Instagram, Toss and Baedal Minjok, commonly referred to as Baemin, indicating that apps closely linked to daily life saw higher usage.

Ranking of smartphone apps Koreans have used for the longest time, as shown in an analysis of smartphone usage patterns by market researcher Wiseapp Retail. YouTube, KakaoTalk and Instagram ranked the highest. [WISEAPP RETAIL]

YouTube ranked first in terms of average monthly time spent on the app, with Korean users spending 114 billion minutes. This figure far exceeded that of any other app. KakaoTalk followed with 32.4 billion minutes, trailed by Instagram at 27.9 billion minutes, Naver at 19.1 billion minutes and Google Chrome at 16.6 billion minutes. Apps focused on video content, like TikTok and Netflix, also logged substantial user engagement.

In terms of the most frequently opened app, KakaoTalk came first with an average of 76.1 billion launches per month. Instagram ranked second with 15.9 billion, ahead of YouTube’s 14.9 billion, Naver’s 14.4 billion, Cashwalk’s 8.8 billion, Google Chrome’s 7.7 billion and Toss’s 6.5 billion.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KO SEUNG-PYO [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]