The consumer Internet in South Korea : an American's perspective

Abstract

This thesis will explore the consumer internet industry in South Korea from the perspective of an American with Western values and sensibilities. South Korea is widely considered to be one of the most connected and internet-savvy countries on Earth, with roughly 90% of the population having high-speed broadband access and the average Korean spending 31.2 hours viewing 4,546 web pages per month compared to 25.2 hours viewing 2,519 pages for the average user globally. Moreover, South Korean portals such as Daum and Naver are two of the most trafficked destinations on the web despite the fact that their content is only available in Korean. Consequently, South Korea has become a valuable testing ground for internet technologies and an important market that can serve as a springboard to the rest of Asia. Yet the consumer internet in South Korean retains a distinct local flavor. For better or for worse, the consumer internet industry in South Korea has been deeply influenced by Confucian principles and Korean culture. The path to success for internet firms in South Korea is often quite different than it is in the West, and foreign firms looking to establish a Korean presence need to adjust their strategies accordingly.