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title: Korean video conventions (KR market, broadcast standards, ad disclosure) applies_to: [video, korean, kr-market, broadcast, advertising] version: 1.0.0 last_updated: 2026-05 stability: stable

Korean video conventions

Korean video has specific market conventions, regulatory requirements (broadcast standards 방송통신심의위원회, ad disclosure 표시광고법), and platform usage patterns that differ from Western markets.

This file covers what's specific to Korean video. Read video-fundamentals.md first.

Korean platforms

Platform Use Notes
YouTube / YouTube Shorts Dominant for video Korea's #1 video platform
Naver TV / Naver Now News, entertainment Korea-only
Kakao TV Entertainment, drama Kakao ecosystem
Instagram (Reels + Stories) Lifestyle, beauty, fashion Strong Korean usage
TikTok Growing; Gen Z + Millennial Strong but YouTube Shorts competing
Wavve, TVING, Coupang Play, Disney+ KR OTT subscription Premium content
Twitch / AfreecaTV / SOOP Live streaming AfreecaTV / SOOP is Korean-native; Twitch left KR market 2024
NaverCafe / Daum Cafe Community video Niche communities

For B2C marketing video: prioritize YouTube + Instagram Reels + KakaoTalk channel + Naver TV. For B2B: LinkedIn + YouTube.

Korean subtitle conventions (자막)

Korean video almost always has burned-in subtitles (open captions) for: - Sound-off viewing. - Accessibility. - Style — visual energy.

Subtitle styling

Element KR convention
Position Bottom 15-20% of frame; sometimes centered for emphasis
Font NanumSquare / Pretendard / SB 어그로체 / 검은고딕 (bold, condensed)
Color White text + thick black outline OR brand color
Highlight Key word in yellow / brand color
Animation Word-by-word reveal common in entertainment
Size 4-6% of video height
Background Often no background (just outline); sometimes semi-opaque box

Subtitle vs caption

  • 자막 = open caption (always visible, burned in).
  • 폐쇄자막 (CC) = closed caption (toggleable via player).

Korean broadcast law (방송통신심의위원회) requires 폐쇄자막 on broadcast TV for accessibility. Online video commonly uses 자막 (burned in) for visual impact.

Common Korean subtitle quirks

  • Onomatopoeia visible — "찰칵" "두근두근" overlaid as text effect (entertainment style).
  • Reaction text — narrator-style reactions "헐!" "대박!" superimposed.
  • Brand-aligned styling — fintech / luxury uses minimal subtitles; entertainment uses dramatic.

Voiceover conventions

Voice style

For Korean voiceover:

Style Use
Female, gentle, warm Toss-style fintech, beauty, wellness
Female, professional B2B, news, education
Male, low, authoritative Premium products, banking, automotive
Male, friendly Casual consumer, food
Mascot voice (cute / playful) Kid products, entertainment

Default for fintech B2C: gentle female voiceover with 해요체 (~해요).

Honorific level

Level Use
합쇼체 (~합니다) Formal; banking, B2B, news
해요체 (~해요) Friendly; consumer brands, lifestyle
해체 (~해) Casual; entertainment, peer-to-peer (rare in marketing)

Korean B2C marketing 2024+ trends toward 해요체. Toss / Kakao / Naver use 해요체. Banks (KB, 신한) typically use 합쇼체 in formal communications.

AI voiceover for Korean

Available tools (2024+): - 클로바보이스 (Naver Clova) — strong Korean voices. - ElevenLabs — multi-lingual including Korean (improving). - Typecast — Korean-native AI voice.

AI voice is increasingly common for product videos / changelogs / short-form. Always review for: - Pronunciation of brand names + product names. - Pacing of brand-critical lines. - Naturalness (should not sound robotic).

For high-stakes brand video: use human voiceover.

Korean video advertising regulations

표시광고법 (Display Advertising Law)

Korean ad disclosure rules:

  • PR 표시 (sponsored content) — paid content must be disclosed: #광고, #PR, #유료광고 clearly visible.
  • Brand ambassador / collaboration — disclosure required when influencer is paid.
  • Health / medical claims — pre-approved language only.
  • Financial product ads — risk disclosure required.

For YouTube videos with brand sponsorship: - Tag video as "Includes paid promotion" (YouTube's built-in setting). - Disclose verbally / on screen at start: "이 영상은 [브랜드]로부터 광고비를 받아 제작됐습니다".

For Instagram / TikTok sponsored posts: - #광고, #유료광고, #PR in caption (not hidden in #16th hashtag).

Failure to disclose can result in 공정거래위원회 (KFTC) fines.

방송통신심의위원회 (Broadcast review)

For broadcast / cable TV (less relevant for online-only video, but applicable for cross-platform):

  • Profanity, violence, sexual content reviewed.
  • Children's programming: stricter ad rules.
  • Health / cosmetic / medical claims: pre-approved language.
  • Tobacco / alcohol restrictions on TV ads (vary by time slot).

KFDA / 식품의약품안전처 for product videos

Health / beauty / supplement videos: - Claims must align with KFDA-approved language for the product type. - "치료" (treats), "효과" (efficacy) carefully regulated. - Before-after photos / videos: regulated for cosmetics + medical.

Korean video pacing

Korean entertainment / commercial video tends toward faster pacing than Western:

  • Cuts every 1.5-3 seconds (Western: 2-5 seconds).
  • More text overlays per second.
  • More reaction shots / inserts.
  • Music + sound effects more prominent.

For B2C: lean Korean-paced (faster). For B2B / formal: Western-paced is fine.

Korean color and style conventions

Genre Color grade
K-drama / cinematic Soft, warm, often slightly desaturated; signature "K-drama look"
K-pop MV High saturation, bold colors
Beauty / lifestyle Bright, soft, slightly pink/peach
Fintech / B2B Brand-color anchored; clean grade
Food / cooking Saturated; warm; food-pop

For Korean fintech video: keep close to brand palette; avoid heavy filters.

Korean live streaming

AfreecaTV / SOOP

Korean-native live streaming platform. BJ (Broadcasting Jockey) culture, donations (별풍선), gaming + chat-heavy.

For brand campaigns: collaboration with established BJs reaches engaged audiences.

Twitch — left Korea

Twitch shut down Korean operations in 2024. Korean streamers migrated to Chzzk (Naver) and SOOP.

Live streaming format

  • 16:9 OR 9:16 depending on platform.
  • 1080p 30/60fps.
  • Adaptive bitrate (HLS) for diverse viewers.
  • Chat overlay integral to Korean streaming culture.
  • Donation / Super Chat notifications visible during stream.

Korean video content trends (2024+)

  • 숏폼 (short-form) dominance — Reels + Shorts everywhere.
  • AI-generated content — AI voiceover, AI thumbnails, AI editing increasingly common.
  • Vertical-first production — even traditional creators shooting vertical primary.
  • 자막 + 음성 — both subtitle and voiceover (sound-on viewers + sound-off).
  • 하이라이트 편집 — long live streams cut into short highlight clips for VOD.
  • Branded content — direct brand integration (not just product placement).

Production budget reference (Korean, 2024-2025)

Job KRW
Phone shoot + Capcut edit (DIY) 0-300,000
Indie videographer (1 day shoot + 2 day edit) 1,500,000-3,500,000
Production agency (full B2B brand film) 10,000,000-50,000,000
TVCM-quality 30s spot 50,000,000-200,000,000+
YouTube / Reels short-form (per video, agency) 1,000,000-5,000,000
K-pop MV-quality video 100,000,000-500,000,000+

Rates vary widely; get 2-3 quotes. Korean creative production agencies cluster in 강남 / 합정 / 성수 districts.

Korean platform algorithm notes

Platform Algorithm signals
YouTube Watch time, click-through rate, session start, language preferences
YouTube Shorts View-through rate, swipe-away rate, replays
Instagram Reels Engagement velocity, completion rate, shares
TikTok View-through, share, comment quality
Naver TV Naver search integration, Naver login engagement
Kakao TV KakaoTalk share velocity

For Korean reach: YouTube Shorts + Instagram Reels combined cover most B2C audience.

Distribution strategy for Korean B2C video

  1. Master long-form — produce 60-90s brand video.
  2. Cut for platforms — 9:16 vertical for Reels/Shorts/TikTok; 1:1 for IG feed; 16:9 for YouTube.
  3. Localize — Korean primary; English subtitles for export potential.
  4. Stagger release — YouTube first (long-form), then Reels/Shorts within 3-7 days.
  5. Boost paid — IG paid promotion for branded campaigns; YouTube ads for awareness.
  6. Track + iterate — weekly review of view-through, engagement; double down on what works.

Don't

  • Don't skip ad disclosure on sponsored content. KFTC fines are real.
  • Don't use unlicensed K-pop tracks. Strikes + legal exposure.
  • Don't translate Western video voiceover word-for-word. Adapt to KR phrasing.
  • Don't use only English subtitles for KR audience. Korean subtitles primary.
  • Don't shoot landscape for 9:16 distribution. Shoot vertical or 4K with safe-zone planning.
  • Don't ignore the algorithm signals — KR YouTube / Reels reward different things than US.
  • Don't use 합쇼체 for casual brands or 해요체 for premium banks. Match register to brand.
  • Don't auto-translate Korean voiceover to English — get a native Korean speaker review.

Cross-reference