Last Half of Last Year Paid Broadcasting Subscribers Reach 36.25 Million... Growth Rate in 0% Range

The number of paid broadcasting subscribers in the second half of last year was 36,248,397, an increase of 0.67% compared to the first half. This marks the first time the growth rate has fallen into the 0% range, reflecting a deepening stagnation in growth. LG Uplus-affiliated paid broadcasting subscribers decreased by 50,000.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the number of paid broadcasting subscribers and market share for the second half of 2022 on the 17th.

[Table provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT]

The number of paid broadcasting subscribers in the second half of 2022 was recorded at 36,248,397 subscribers (6-month average). This represents an increase of 240,000 subscribers compared to the first half, a growth of 0.67%.

This is the first time the subscriber growth rate compared to the previous half has fallen below 1%. Compared to the increase of 520,000 subscribers in the second half of 2021, it is about half. The increase in subscriber numbers has generally been declining since the subscriber count began being recorded in the second half of 2015.

Subscribers by operator (market share) were as follows: ▲KT 8,783,984 subscribers (24.23%) ▲SK Broadband (IPTV) 6,419,536 subscribers (17.71%) ▲LG Uplus 5,362,089 subscribers (14.79%) ▲LG HelloVision 3,699,046 subscribers (10.20%) ▲KT Skylife 2,953,347 subscribers (8.15%) ▲SK Broadband (SO) 2,831,064 subscribers (7.81%).

By medium, the three Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) companies had a total of 20,565,609 subscribers (56.74%), 14 System Operators (SO) had a total of 12,729,441 subscribers (35.11%), and satellite broadcasters had 2,953,347 subscribers (8.15%). IPTV subscribers increased, while SO and satellite broadcasting subscribers decreased.

Since November 2017, when IPTV subscribers surpassed SO subscribers, IPTV subscriber numbers have continued to increase, while SO numbers have declined. The gap between IPTV and SO subscribers was about 7.84 million in the second half of last year, widening compared to the first half.

By subscriber type, multiple subscribers numbered 17,094,236 (47.16%), individual subscribers 16,504,037 (45.53%), and group subscribers 2,650,124 (7.31%). Multiple subscribers refer to cases such as multiple contracts in one household or installations of multiple devices in places like hospitals, hotels, and stores. Group subscribers are those who have group contracts under the name of the resident representative council or management entity, agreed upon between the operator and the resident representative council of apartment complexes.

The total number of subscribers affiliated with the three IPTV companies and their market shares compared to the first half of last year are as follows: KT group (KT, KT Skylife, HCN) increased by 190,000 to 13.02 million subscribers, holding a market share of 35.9% (up 0.25%). SK Broadband (IPTV and SO) increased by 160,000 to 9.25 million subscribers, with a market share of 25.52% (up 0.26%). LG Uplus group (LG Uplus and LG HelloVision) decreased by 50,000 to 9.06 million subscribers, with a market share of 24.99% (down 0.32%).

As of the end of December last year, the total number of paid broadcasting subscribers was 36,927,326. This figure includes 36,356 users who receive free broadcasting services for social welfare reasons excluded from market share calculations, 157,836 satellite broadcasting users in exception areas such as islands and mountainous regions, and 1,301,710 users through contracts for maintenance of communal reception facilities.