Disney+ Faces Challenges in Korea: Mobile Data Analysis

Disney+, the global online streaming service, seems to be struggling to keep up in Korea. Recent data from IGA Works shows that Netflix leads the pack with 13.45 million users, followed by Coupang Play with 6.85 million, T-Bing with 6.79 million, and Wave with 4.18 million users, while Disney+ lags behind with 2.57 million users. This drop in subscribers is mainly due to Korean users cancelling their Disney+ subscriptions in response to the service’s global price increase last year.

In an effort to combat this subscriber decline, Disney+ has introduced a new pricing plan in Korea. The standard plan costs 59,400 won, which is cheaper than Netflix’s cheapest plan at 5,500 won. Despite efforts to retain users with Korean dramas like “Casino” and “Moving,” there are rumors of Disney+ potentially withdrawing from the Korean market.

Last month, Disney+ saw a significant decrease in monthly active users (MAU), dropping by 543,694. This decline is much higher compared to competitors like Netflix, Wave, and Coupang Play. A survey by KT’s Nas Media revealed that 59% of users cancelled their Disney+ subscriptions within six months, citing disappointment with the content lineup.

Coupang Play, on the other hand, has been steadily gaining ground in the streaming market, narrowing the gap with TVing. With exclusive broadcasting rights to the English Premier League, Coupang Play is positioning itself as a strong competitor in the online streaming industry.

Overall, it’s clear that Disney+ is facing challenges in Korea, and its future in the market remains uncertain. With Coupang Play on the rise and Korean users increasingly demanding high-quality content, the streaming landscape is evolving rapidly. It will be interesting to see how Disney+ and other streaming services adapt to meet the changing needs of Korean viewers in the coming months.