All Three Major Telecoms Offer YouTube Premium Subscription Plans
Around 10,000 KRW per Month with Daily Benefits like YouTube + Cafe
No Price Increase Planned for Now... Expecting New Subscribers Due to YouTube Incident
As the price of 'YouTube Premium,' which allows watching videos without ads, increased by 42%, more users are either using services through VPNs to access cheaper countries or canceling their subscriptions. In this context, telecom companies' subscription services are emerging as alternatives. For about 10,000 KRW per month, which is cheaper than the post-increase price (14,900 KRW per month), users can enjoy YouTube Premium service along with various daily benefits such as discounts at cafes and convenience stores. As the subscription methods and benefits have been shared mainly on internet communities, some say it is "the cheapest legal way to use YouTube Premium."
All three main plans (all, life, with YouTube Premium) of SK Telecom's subscription product 'Uju Pass' support YouTube Premium service. In the case of 'Uju Pass life,' paying 9,900 KRW per month provides basic benefits such as 30% discounts at 7-Eleven and Twosome Place. These discounts can be used daily with a monthly discount limit of up to 30,000 KRW. Additionally, there is one more selectable extra benefit, such as YouTube Premium or a 10,000 KRW discount at Ttareolae. Choosing YouTube Premium as an additional benefit means users can simultaneously enjoy convenience store, cafe, and premium services. Although the benefits differ slightly, both 'Uju Pass all' and 'Uju Pass with YouTube Premium' support YouTube services as benefits and are priced around 10,000 KRW per month. Unlike other telecom companies' subscription services that restrict eligibility to their own subscribers, anyone can use Uju Pass.
LG Uplus also offers a similar subscription service called 'Yudok.' The price is 9,900 KRW per month. Users can set either YouTube Premium or Disney Plus (Standard) as a basic benefit. Additionally, customers can choose one extra benefit from various 'life products,' such as a Snow VIP subscription, a 4,000 KRW discount coupon for Baskin Robbins, or two 2,500 KRW discount coupons for Paris Baguette. KT, which operates an 'OTT subscription product' allowing single purchases of OTT (online video services), offers YouTube Premium for 9,450 KRW per month if selected.
Telecom companies are strengthening these consumer-friendly subscription services due to the 'lock-in effect' that can retain users even if immediate profits are not generated, and the potential to create new revenue streams based on the subscription ecosystem. There is a sentiment that the recent YouTube price hike could be an opportunity to attract new users. There are currently no plans to raise the prices of subscription products linked to YouTube Premium benefits, and even if a price increase is pursued, it requires consultation with YouTube, which takes at least several months. If an increase is decided, users must be notified 30 days in advance.
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