The Economic Contribution of the Audiovisual Industry in South Korea

Oxford Economics’ study for the Motion Picture Association finds that South Korea’s audiovisual industry supported ₩24,080 billion in GDP and 291,100 jobs in 2025 and generated ₩7,170 billion in taxes. Direct activity alone contributed ₩7,750 billion in GDP and 85,900 jobs. The industry delivers strong multipliers: 3.1 times for GDP and 3.4 times for employment.

Our report covers the full breadth of the industry, including production and distribution of films and television, film exhibition, broadcasters as well as Video-on-Demand (VOD) services. We detail how each segment contributes to the growth of the industry and provide forecasts for future growth to 2028.

Beyond core impacts, our report shows that the industry also delivers substantial spillover benefits through adjacent channels such as tourism, exports, training programmes, and cultural soft power. Our report highlights the importance of cultural exports to tourism.

The International Visitor Survey, conducted annually by the Korean government, shows how directly screen culture is converting global interest into arrivals. In the latest results, 38.3% of tourists said they were motivated to visit Korea “after experiencing Korean wave content”, up from 32.1% a year earlier. We also illustrate the importance of film festivals and training programmes in strengthening audiovisual workforce development and South Korea’s global visibility.