South Korea‘s film, TV and streaming sector made ₩24T ($17.1B) in gross domestic product in 2025, according to an Motion Picture Association (MPA) report.
The industry also supported 291,100 jobs, and the MPA noted that for every ₩1B generated through the industry, ₩2.1B was created elsewhere. Nearly four in five jobs were in the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise space, which the MPA claimed reflects “a deeply integrated production ecosystem.”
The findings, produced by Oxford Economics, were presented at at the National Assembly in Korea’s capital, Seoul, alongside policymakers and industry leaders.
South Korea‘s influence internationally continues to boom, as K-pop drives youth music tastes and shows such as Squid Game deliver outsized results for the likes of Netflix. MPA’s studio members – Netflix, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery – have all heavily invested in local production.
Lim O‑Kyeong, a member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and a key policymaker on culture, content and sports issues, noted that “Korea’s video content industry has evolved beyond the global spread of Hallyu to become a key driver of the national economy.”
The report also showed how South Korean film and TV was expanding its global footprint with exports nearly doubling since 2019 to reach ₩1.8T in 2024.
MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin added the findings highlight Korea’s role as a screen production and storytelling tastemaker.
“South Korea’s audiovisual industry has become one of the most influential in the world,” he Rivkin. “This report shows an industry that delivers substantial economic value at home while exporting creativity, culture and innovation to global audiences. MPA member studios are proud to partner with Korean creators to bring these stories to screens worldwide.”
Mila Venugopalan, President and Managing Director, Asia‑Pacific, MPA, said Korea had become a reference point for policymakers globally. “Wherever we travel, policymakers ask how Korea did it,” she said. “This report shows that Korea’s success is grounded in strong creative talent, evidence‑based policy and international collaboration. It is a model many markets now seek to emulate.”