Streaming services popular in Korea, with prices in Korean won. Some need a Korean payment method or account to sign up.
Subscription that removes YouTube ads and adds background play, offline saving and YouTube Music (a cheaper Lite plan launched in 2026)
Price checked 2026-10-12, source: youtube.com/premium. Prices and benefits may change. Check the official site before you pay.
Some information has not yet been verified against official sources. Please check the official site before you pay.
Pros
- Ad removal, background play and offline saving
- Korea's largest video platform
- Good value if you also use music, and Lite is available if you only want video
Cons
- No family or student plans in Korea
- iOS in-app billing is expensive
- Lite shows ads on Shorts, music and search screens
These are opinions compiled by Pickx from public sources.
Main content
- All YouTube videos and creator content
- YouTube Music (Premium only)
- Official broadcaster clips
Partner discounts
- KT YouTube Premium Choice Special (Lite ₩8,000/mo)
- SKT T Universe Lite ₩7,900/mo
- LG U+ Yudok Pick 2 (유독 Pick 2) with Premium included ₩13,900/mo
Good for
- People who use a separate music app and only want to remove video ads (Lite)
- People who also use YouTube Music (Premium)
At a glance
YouTube Premium is a subscription that removes YouTube ads and adds background play (playback continues with the screen off) and offline saving. Premium also includes YouTube Music Premium. Under the November 2025 Fair Trade Commission consent decision, a cheaper "Premium Lite" without music has been rolling out in Korea since late January 2026.
Plans
| Plan | Monthly price | Quality | Simultaneous streams | Ads | Offline saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premium Lite | ₩8,500 (iOS ₩10,900) | Same as regular YouTube, no 1080p Premium | No official figure | No ads on most regular videos, ads possible on Shorts, music and search screens | Yes (except some items such as official music videos) |
| Premium | ₩14,900 | Up to 4K, includes 1080p Premium | No official figure | No | Yes |
| Music Premium (for reference) | ₩11,990 | N/A | N/A | No ads on music only | Music only |
Prices are for web and Android billing. Family and student plans are not offered in Korea, and we could not confirm a yearly plan on the official page.
Changes in 2025~2026
- November 27, 2025: Fair Trade Commission consent decision finalized. The Lite price is frozen for at least 1 year after launch, and for 4 years the price ratio to Premium must stay at or below that of major countries
- January 30, 2026: Korea Premium Lite launch notice, rolled out in stages (official blog)
- The Premium price of ₩14,900 rose from ₩10,450 in late 2023, and no further increase in 2026 has been confirmed.
Main content
- All YouTube videos and creator content
- Official broadcaster clips, kids content
- YouTube Music (Premium only)
Pros and cons
- Pros: Ad removal, background play, offline saving / Korea's largest video platform / Good value if you also use music, and Lite is available if you only want video
- Cons: No family or student plans / iOS in-app billing is expensive / Lite shows ads on Shorts and music and has limited features
Who each plan suits
- Premium Lite: People who listen to music on other apps such as Melon or Spotify and only want video ads removed
- Premium: People who also use YouTube Music
- Paying on the web or Android is cheaper than paying in the iOS app.
Partnerships and discounts
- KT: YouTube Premium Choice Special plan, Lite for ₩8,000 per month with a KT subscription (Herald Business 2026-04)
- SKT T Universe: Lite for ₩7,900 per month (Herald Business 2026-05)
- LG U+ Yudok Pick 2: Premium plus 1 lifestyle benefit bundle for ₩13,900 per month, with an extra ₩4,000 discount for U+ VIP (LG U+ Magazine)
Free use
- Regular YouTube with ads is effectively the free plan.
- Some reports say Lite has a 1-month basic trial or a 2-month extended trial, but we could not confirm it on the official page.
Supported devices
Phones, PC web, tablets, smart TVs, streaming devices, game consoles
Notes
- Information checked on: 2026-10-12
- Officially confirmed: Premium Lite at ₩8,500, the launch notice, the scope of ads on Lite
- Needs verification: iOS prices, number of simultaneous streams, free trial period, the official original text on family plans not being offered
- Sources: YouTube official blog (Lite launch), Google Help Center, Kyunghyang Shinmun, The Economist Korea, Herald Business KT, Herald Business SKT
Good for
4 views (2 today)
Prices converted at 1 USD = ₩1,327.84 (2026-10-20). Original price shown in brackets. Taxes as listed by each provider.
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