IP Transactions Account for 29.3% of Sales, OTT Usage Reaches 89.3%
2025 Marks an Era of Accelerated Change
This year, the adoption rate of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the K-content industry surpassed 20%. Beyond the emergence of box-office hits, the methods of content production and the overall industrial structure have reached a turning point.
On December 17, at the 'NEXT K 2026' event held at COEX in Seoul, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency announced the '2025 Content Industry Review,' stating, "Generative AI has moved beyond the experimental stage and is now being actively incorporated into actual production processes." The analysis indicates that, beyond the success of specific genres or works, the very operation of the industry-from planning and production to post-production-is fundamentally changing.
In fact, the utilization rate of AI nearly doubled compared to the previous year. Song Jin, Director of the Content Industry Policy Research Center at the Korea Creative Content Agency, explained, "As of the first half of this year, the adoption rate of generative AI among content industry businesses was recorded at 20.0%," adding, "In diffusion of innovation theory, a 15-20% adoption rate marks the 'tipping point' at which industrial transformation accelerates."
Distinct changes were also observed across different sectors. In the broadcasting and video sector, the AI adoption rate surged from 4% last year to 30.8% this year. In the gaming sector, 72% of workers reported having experience using generative AI. By job function, 61.7% of writers and 44.1% of planners are utilizing AI. Director Song stated, "AI is rapidly expanding beyond production assistance to the ideation and planning stages."
Perceptions at production sites have naturally shifted. Within the industry, the focus of discussion is no longer whether to use AI, but rather how much responsibility to delegate to it. As repetitive tasks are entrusted to AI, creators' judgment and planning capabilities have become even more crucial. Generative AI is no longer an option but has become a prerequisite, with the main question being how to utilize it.
Intellectual property (IP) utilization strategies have also become more systematic. The proportion of IP transactions in total content industry sales reached 29.3%, close to one-third. Director Song explained, "Short production cycles that minimize production gaps through the operation of seasonal series and spin-offs have become prominent," adding, "This structure maintains continuous fan engagement while reducing production risks."
This year, follow-up seasons of hit titles such as 'Squid Game' Season 3 were released in succession. With the release of new titles, both rewatching and binge-watching of previous seasons occurred simultaneously, making it clear that IPs are now designed for repeated consumption rather than one-off successes.
The consumption environment has also solidified around platforms. According to the 2025 content usage survey, over-the-top (OTT) service usage was highest at 89.3%, followed by music at 81.9%. Among paid OTT users, Netflix usage reached 87.8%. The overall paid OTT usage rate was 54.2%, and the use of ad-supported free OTT and ad-tier services also increased. A consumption environment has formed in which not only content selection but also access methods and pricing structures shape the user experience.
Meanwhile, the ways in which content gains attention have become dualized. Director Song analyzed, "Content selected by AI tends to generate short-term buzz in data metrics such as views and market share, while human choices accumulate over time through qualitative evaluations such as immersion, artistry, and innovation." He added, "AI will record the year 2025 through data, while humans will remember 2025 through stories."
Ultimately, this year marked a period when changes in the K-content industry became visible all at once. As production methods, IP strategies, and consumption environments shifted simultaneously, the industry entered a new phase. Since structural changes preceded performance, 2025 will remain a benchmark for gauging future trends.
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