The streaming platform Disney+ from Walt Disney Co has reduced its subscription prices by half in South Korea. This move aims to recover lost subscribers as the company faces strong competition within the nation’s streaming industry.
In contrast to major competitors like Netflix and the local service Tving, which have increased their subscription fees and added advertising-supported levels to attract more subscribers, Disney+ has opted for periodic steep discounts during periods of declining membership numbers.
In November 2021, Disney+ made its debut in South Korea, aiming to challenge Netflix strongly thanks to the extensive catalog from its parent company. Yet, almost three years after its introduction, the service hasn’t managed to attract many subscribers significantly. This situation led to the adoption of more aggressive price tactics. Even though previous promotional discounts were offered, they failed to keep up the growth in subscribers steadily; notable new content did not help much either beyond short-term boosts.
As of March 31, Disney+ is providing an annual subscription for both the Standard and Premium tiers at 59,400 won ($45) and 83,400 won ($63), reflecting a 40% reduction from their usual prices. Through this offer, customers can enjoy the Standard tier for just 4,950 won each month—half off the standard rate of 9,900 won per month. Meanwhile, the Premium option, capable of delivering content up to 4K quality with support for four concurrent streams, comes in at 6,950 won every month during the promotional period.
The subscriber numbers suggest that significant content drops haven’t resulted in long-term user expansion. As reported by the mobile data analysis firm Mobile Index, Disney+ registered 2.56 million monthly active users (MAU) in South Korea by February, considerably lagging behind Netflix with 13.45 million users and faring worse than both Coupang Play and Tving, each boasting approximately 6.8 million users. This represents a notable shift from September 2023 when Disney+ experienced a brief spike to 4.3 million MAUs after the debut of “The Hit Series.”
Moving
.
By the end of 2024, marking three years since its launch, Disney+ announced plans to counteract falling viewership by increasing investment in “blockbuster” productions. Among recent additions are several new titles.
Light Shop
, inspired by a webtoon created by Kang Do-young (Kang Full), who previously worked on
Moving
proved popular with the audience, and
Unmasked
, featuring seasoned actress Kim Hye-soo. Despite these attempts, the monthly active user count hasn’t exceeded 3 million.
Another obstacle has appeared for the much-anticipated drama.
Knock-Off
, featuring Kim Soo-hyun, was originally planned for release during the first half of 2025. However, the $45 million production, costing around 60 billion won, has been halted due to unconfirmed accusations involving lead actor Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron. Additionally, plans for a second season have been paused indefinitely.
Knock-Off
Set against the backdrop of South Korea’s late 1990s financial crisis, this series revolves around a typical office employee who evolves into a mastermind behind fake merchandise. With actor Kim Soo-hyun starring in it following his triumph from another hit, industry observers anticipated the show would be successful.
Queen of Tears
, to achieve momentum both locally and globally.
Even though it faces challenges, certain experts believe it would be premature to write off Disney+ in South Korea’s developing OTT scene. This sector is currently experiencing changes, as Netflix, Coupang Play, Tving, and Wavve strengthen their footholds; however, Disney+ continues to stand out due to its substantial resources for significant financial commitments.
“Although Disney+ might be reconsidering its approach in South Korea, it remains vital for disseminating Korean content throughout Asia,” stated Kim Jo-han, co-founder of the global content distribution company NEW ID. “Successful releases such as
Moving
and
Light Shop
Perhaps, a solitary successful show has the potential to change everything.
Disney+ is heavily investing in its future releases after debuting the medical thriller.
Hyper Knife
, featuring Park Eun-bin and Sul Kyung-gu, will be released on March 19 along with its subscription discount promotion. Additional original content is scheduled, such as the mystery thriller.
Nine Puzzles
, featuring Son Suk-ku and Kim Da-mi, took place in the initial six months, succeeded by
Low Life
, directed by Kang Yun-sung of
The Roundup
and
Big Bet
Fame, starring actors Ryu Seung-ryong, Lim Soo-jung, and Yang Se-jong in the latter part.
