Rise of Alcohol Ads on Korean TV Sparks Warnings Over Health Impact (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 4 (Korea Bizwire) — Alcohol advertisements in South Korea’s media have nearly tripled over the past decade, with most of the surge coming from cable and general programming television channels, a government report showed Sunday.
According to data from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute, the number of alcohol ads across television, radio, newspapers, and magazines jumped from 179,270 in 2011 to 522,963 in 2024—an increase of 191.7 percent.
Cable television accounted for the overwhelming majority of the ads last year, airing 447,537 commercials, or about 86 percent of the total. That figure represents a 207 percent increase compared with 2011.
General programming channels, or “jongpyeon,” which were launched in 2012, saw the steepest rise. Alcohol ads on those networks climbed from 7,637 in their inaugural year to 30,739 in 2024, a 302 percent increase.
By contrast, alcohol advertising on traditional outlets such as radio, newspapers, and magazines has all but disappeared. Radio spots fell from 7,935 to 795 during the same period, while newspaper and magazine ads dropped by roughly 90 percent.
The government report also raised concern over online platforms, where alcohol content increasingly features celebrities and influencers. The institute’s survey found that on YouTube, videos featuring famous entertainers made up 42 percent of the top 100 alcohol-related clips in 2024, up from just 10 percent in 2021.
The economic and social toll of drinking continues to grow. The National Health Insurance Service estimated that alcohol-related losses reached 14.6 trillion won (about US$10.2 billion) in 2021, up 5.3 percent from 2017.
“There is no such thing as safe or moderate drinking,” the Korea Health Promotion Institute said in a statement. “If you care about your health and others’, the most responsible choice is not to encourage anyone to drink.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
