20 Best YouTube Influencers in Korea in 2026
- Arthur S.
- May 12
- 15 min read
Updated: May 14
Korea has the most interesting YouTube ecosystem in Asia right now, and I don't say that lightly. Spend a week watching what trends in Seoul and you notice something the rest of the region is still catching up to. TV variety stars, K-pop idols, webtoon artists, special-forces veterans — they're all treating YouTube as the main stage now.
What pulled them here is the same thing pulling Korean audiences: format flexibility. You can run a slow 50-minute talk show with no editing tricks. You can stream live for six hours straight as a webtoon artist and pull a million viewers. You can spend 20 minutes on a single bowl of jjajangmyeon. The platform tolerates length, intimacy, and weirdness in ways traditional Korean broadcast never did, and creators are taking full advantage.
Two patterns I keep coming back to. First, the line between celebrity and YouTube influencers has effectively collapsed. Many of the biggest channels in 2026 belong to people who would have been on prime-time SBS or KBS ten years ago. Second, niche creators — blind YouTubers, slow travel vloggers, gardening musicians — are no longer a sideshow. They're pulling real audiences and building durable brands without chasing trends.
These are the 20 channels I think are worth paying attention to right now, whether you're a marketer trying to understand Korean social media or just curious about where this scene is heading.
20 Best YouTube Influencers in South Korea in 2026
1. DdeunDdeun
Subscribers: 3.15 million
Topic: Variety and talk show
Yoo Jae-suk is the most beloved variety host in Korean television history, and in 2022 he made a quiet but significant decision: he started showing up regularly on YouTube through his agency Antenna's channel, DdeunDdeun. The flagship show is Pinggyego (“Just an Excuse”) — 50 minutes of him chatting with friends and guests over coffee, walks, or meals. Minimal editing. No subtitles racing across the screen. No upload schedule. It became one of the most successful YouTube programs in the country. It won the Best Entertainment Award at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 2025.
In the embedded video, Nam Gil, Kyung Ho, and Ju Ji Hoon engage in a lively 100-minute talk show filled with humorous anecdotes and banter. They share personal stories, discuss their experiences in acting, and reflect on their friendships. The episode celebrates their camaraderie and features product placements from Nujam Mattress, culminating in a light-hearted and entertaining celebration of their 100th episode. The episode gained over 13M views with viewers calling it a "legendary" episode, comparing the three actors' chemistry to a blockbuster movie. Many praised how naturally the conversation flowed despite being a full 100 minutes.
2. MMTG with JaeJae
Subscribers: 2 million
Topic: K-pop interviews and variety
MMTG started in 2018 as an experimental SBS YouTube series, and JaeJae has slowly turned it into one of the most influential interview shows in Korea. What makes it different from a standard idol promo channel is her instinct for cultural archaeology. Her “Civilization Express Rediscovery” segments pull forgotten second-generation K-pop hits — songs everyone had quietly stopped playing — back into the conversation.
In the embedded video, MMTG partnered with Daniel Chong, director of Pixar's "Hoppers," where he shares insights in an exclusive interview, as a part of Hoppers’ press tour for South Korea. The video gained over 260K views with viewers commenting on how open and candid Daniel Chong is about Pixar's creative process
3. Hyo's Level Up (Hyoyeon)
Subscribers: 158 thousand
Topic: K-pop talk show and lifestyle
Hyoyeon has been a Girls' Generation member for nearly two decades now, and her channel is one of the more interesting examples of a senior idol using YouTube to extend rather than repeat her career.
The subscriber count is modest by K-pop standards, but the engagement is the point. She isn't trying to look hip or chase Gen Z energy. She's playing the role of the experienced senior who genuinely wants the next generation to do well.
In the embedded video, Hyoyeon partnered with Happiz, a prebiotic soda brand, in a video featuring Kwon Yuri, and Choi Sooyoung where they created a fictional K-Pop trio and held an election for the main vocalist. The video gained over 1M views in 24 hours, with viewers commenting on how hilarious the video is.
4. Zip Daesung
Subscribers: 1.45M
Topic: Comedy and Shorts
ZIP DAESUNG is hosted by Daesung of BIGBANG, and the channel name is a piece of Korean wordplay I genuinely admire — "집" (zip) means "house," and "대성" (Daesung) is his name. The show passed 100 episodes in early 2026, and the format has become one of the most consistent talk-show franchises on Korean YouTube without being a talk show in the traditional sense at all.
The episode that defined the channel was the reunion of G-Dragon, Taeyang and Daesung in November 2024 — the first unscripted appearance of the trio together in seven years. It hit a million views faster than anything else on the channel, and the two-part arc has since cleared 25 million combined.
In the embedded video, Zip Daesung invited reality show stars from Single’s Inferno S5 and EXchange, revealing behind-the-scenes secrets, skincare concerns, and their dating preferences. This episode also includes a tied-in paid promotion with Babitalk app to get personalized skincare. The video gained over 1M views with viewers praising the cast's dynamic, calling the 2000-babies line-up adorable.
5. Dex101
Subscribers: 1.1 million
Topic: Lifestyle and entertainment
Dex came out of UDT — Korea's elite naval special forces unit — and was supposed to become a firefighter. Instead he ended up on Single's Inferno 2, which made him a household name in 2022, and never really left the entertainment industry. The channel hit a million subscribers in early 2025.
What I find interesting is that Dex doesn't treat YouTube like a content factory. He uses the channel as a personal extension — interview series, behind-the-scenes from his variety appearances, occasional firefighter training videos he actually shoots.
In the embedded video, Dex experiences a day in the life of the Republic of Korea Coast Guard, highlighting their challenges and dedication. He learns about their operations, including law enforcement against illegal fishing, and the importance of safety measures like life jackets. The experience deepens his respect for the Coast Guard's work and sacrifices. This video is also a tied-in partnership with men’s skincare brand OBgE. The video gained over 1.3M views with viewers praising both Dex's character and the respectful way the video highlighted the real sacrifices of Korea's maritime police.
6. SOMI
Subscribers: 212K
Topic: Food and cooking
IMOS is Jeon Somi's personal vlog channel. Somi grew up on Korean reality TV (Produce 101, the original I.O.I lineup) and has been performing in front of cameras since she was a teenager, which is exactly why the unfiltered, slightly chaotic vlog format suits her. The content is travel, beauty, and lifestyle.
She slips between Korean and English mid-sentence the way her bilingual fanbase does, and brand placements land softly inside longer day-in-the-life narratives rather than getting their own segment. For a soloist managed by THEBLACKLABEL, the channel is doing something her label account can't: making her feel like a person you know.
In the embedded video, SOMI shares her experience working a shift at her parents' new restaurant, promoting it while juggling her busy schedule. She showcases her marketing skills and takes promotional photos. This video is also in partnership with Casetify. The video gained over 190K views with viewers commenting on how they were excited to see her working at her parents' restaurant in person.
7. Oneshot Hansol
Subscribers: 1 million
Topic: Lifestyle
Hansol is a blind YouTuber, and that one-line description usually leads people to expect inspirational content. Watch one of his videos and you'll find sketch comedy, dog content, and vlogs. The visual impairment is part of his life, not the brand.
That's exactly why the channel works, and why it has translated into book deals and motivational speaking. He hit a million subscribers in late 2024 and notably received Korea's first braille silver play button. He's expanded the public idea of what a person with a disability does online — beyond awareness campaigns, into normal entertainment territory.
In the embedded video, Hansol partnered with Dyson in a video where he trained his dog, Tori, to communicate by pressing buttons for food and walks. After passing various tests, Tori successfully interacts, demonstrating understanding and intelligence. The video gained over 2M views with viewers praising how genius Tori is.
8. Hi Seulgi (Red Velvet)
Subscribers: 730 thousand
Topic: K-pop lifestyle and vlogs
K-pop personal channels can feel like contractual obligations, but Seulgi's doesn't. She uses hers as a low-stakes home for fashion, beauty, and casual vlogs — the kind of material her label wouldn't put on the official Red Velvet account. The contrast is what makes it watchable. Red Velvet's brand is high-gloss and concept-heavy; her channel is anything but.
For brands considering K-pop endorsements, channels like this matter. The official group channel will give you reach, but the personal channel gives you something closer to who the artist actually is. That distinction is increasingly where audience trust lives.
In the embedded video, SEULGI vlogged her trip to Bali in partnership with Samsonite. Highlighting her travel outfits, delicious local food, and enjoyable activities with her friend Sujin. The video gained over 900K views with viewers commenting on how they love seeing SEULGI's relaxed, unplanned vacation style
9. Lee Hyeri
Subscribers: 2.4 million
Topic: Celebrity vlogs and lifestyle
Hyeri has been one of Korea's most beloved actresses since Reply 1988, and her channel reflects who she actually seems to be off-screen — relaxed, funny, occasionally chaotic. It's a vlog and lifestyle channel, but the access feels real rather than curated. She's been at this since 2019, hit a million subscribers in just over a year, and has more than doubled that since.
From a marketing perspective, she's a study in how an actress can soft-launch products without it feeling like an ad. When she mentions a brand, it sits inside a longer day-in-the-life narrative rather than getting its own segment. That's the kind of placement Korean brands are increasingly chasing — and increasingly willing to pay for.
In the embedded video, Hyeri shared a behind-the-scenes look at "Hyell's Club" features JISOO and Seo In Guk discussing their experiences filming "Boyfriend on Demand." They share insights on emotional scenes, the challenges of acting, and the fun dynamics on set. Additionally, the video includes a paid promotion for Melamate Gummy. The video gained over 1.7M views with viewers commenting on the two actors' undeniable chemistry and the fascinating behind-the-scenes details.
10. kkujun
Subscribers: 556K
Topic: Slow travel
The channel description translates to “Finding life's pace through slow travel,” and that's exactly what you get. Long, quiet, beautifully shot travel videos that make no attempt to be exciting. He travels mostly without a return ticket booked. No jump cuts. No frantic narration. Just a person walking through a place at the speed of an actual human being.
In the video embedded, Kkujun shares his journey of sobriety after three years of dealing with excessive alcohol drinking. To mark his one-year milestone, he planned a trip to Maldives and Malaysia, a country where alcohol is prohibited. This vlog is also in partnership with Cordix Korea where he also allows viewers to participate in comment challenges. The video gained over 600K views with viewers discussing the physical consequences of daily drinking over 3 years.
11. Fairy Jaehyung (Jung Jae-hyung)
Subscribers: approximately 800K
Topic: Home talk show and cooking
Jung Jae-hyung is a composer, classical pianist, and co-founder of Antenna — the agency behind IU, Yoo Hee-yeol, and most of the artists you'd recognise from the more cerebral end of Korean music. His channel is centered on “Fairy's Table,” where he wears literal fairy wings and welcomes guests into his home for a meal he cooks himself.
The embedded video is a partnership with cookingware Vital Plant as Fairy Jaehyung cooks and interviews actress Han Ji Min about her career evolution, sharing insights on her personality changes since joining her agency and the impact of various roles. The video gained over 600K views with viewers commenting on how enjoyable the interview is.
12. No mad Shaun
Subscribers: 796 thousand
Topic: Travel
Shin So-un travels through places most Korean YouTubers won't touch. The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rural Sri Lanka. Morocco. Deep inland China where his Mandarin actually matters. His content has a documentary feel that the influencer travel space mostly abandoned years ago — long takes, awkward silences, real interactions with locals who don't speak Korean.
If you only watch one travel YouTuber from this list, watch him. He's also one of the more interesting examples of how the Korean travel-YouTube genre has split — some creators have moved toward polish and TV crossovers, while creators like Shaun have gone the opposite direction toward something more raw.
In the embedded video, Shaun vlogged his roadtrip across Europe. After two months, the journey in Slovenia begins with challenges involving the camper van. The video is also a tied-in paid promotion with K-beauty brand, Skin1004. The video gained over 1M views with viewers commenting on their safety takes while roadtripping in Slovenia.
13. Car the Garden
Subscribers: 1.1M
Topic: Music, comedy and friend-group variety
Car the Garden is a YouTube channel hosted by Indie singer Cha Jung-won. His video format is barely a format: he points a camera at his actual friend group and lets it run. Rapper Nucksal is essentially a co-host. Producer Code Kunst, Ozone, and the rest of his music-scene circle drift in and out.
Recurring series include "Avatar Blind Date" (a remake of an old MBC variety segment where the host whispers instructions through an earpiece), the Board Game Club episodes that fans are obsessive about, and a "School of Rock" thread where he drops in on high school band clubs.
In the embedded video, the crew captures a lively trip to Bali, featuring humorous interactions among friends as they navigate the local culture, enjoy food, and encounter monkeys. This video includes a tied-in paid promotion for Monster Gel and a giveaway contest. The video gained over 1M views with viewers commenting on how they love to see the trio travel together.
14. Channel Fullmoon
Subscribers: 7.5M
Topic: Variety, K-pop and celebrity outings
Channel 15ya — pronounced "Sib-O-ya," meaning "night of the full moon" — is run by Na Young-seok PD's production house Egg Is Coming, in partnership with CJ ENM. Na PD is the most decorated variety producer in Korean broadcast history (New Journey to the West, Three Meals a Day, Earth Arcade), and after he left tvN for an independent setup in 2023, this channel became the place where he experiments.
The flagship series is 출장 십오야 (Business Trip 15ya), where Na PD walks into a major agency — HYBE, Starship, BIGHIT — and runs his old game-show formats with the entire roster. Outside the agency outings, the content is much smaller — Na PD on a live stream with one camera and a coffee, a chat with his Egg Is Coming staff, a low-key spin-off from one of his broadcast shows. The combination is what makes the channel work.
In the embedded video, Na PD collaborated with Lee Hyo Ri where she leads a refreshing Hatha yoga class at Egg Arts Center, emphasizing body awareness and emotional balance. This video is sponsored with Roborock vacuum as they opened the video using the product to prepare for the class. The video gained over 1M views with viewers commenting on the lighthearted, funny moments in the video.
15. Lee Young-Ji
Subscribers: 4M
Topic: Celebrity drinking talk show
Hosted by rapper Lee Young-ji — the first female and youngest winner of High School Rapper 3, then the first female winner of Show Me the Money 11 — and produced by Box Media, this is the channel that quietly rewrote the rules for celebrity interviews in Korea.
The premise is almost embarrassingly simple: she invites one guest at a time to her actual apartment, opens a bottle of soju, and they talk. No edit-room tricks, no heavy questions, no broadcast restraint. The chemistry is the entire show.
Season 4 returned in May 2026 after a year-and-a-half hiatus, Lee Young Ji hosted the first episode of Season 4, inviting NINGNING from Aespa to her grandma's house for a drinking party. They bond over cooking, share personal stories, and discuss life, fame, and happiness while enjoying drinks and snacks. The video includes a paid partnership with Aldicom. The video gained over 3.4M views with viewers commenting on how they loved the unexpected chemistry between NINGNING and Lee Young Ji.
16. ChimChakMan
Subscribers: 1.94 million
Topic: Talk show and live streaming
Lee Byung-geon is one of Korea's most recognizable webtoon artists, working under the pen name Lee Mal-nyeon. His YouTube alter-ego, ChimChakMan (roughly: “Calm Man”), runs livestream-first content that breaks every rule about what's supposed to work on the platform. He talks for hours. He plays games. He interviews random guests. He drew a webtoon on stream.
In the embedded video, Byung-geon did a mukbang and live streaming in partnership with Domino’s Pizza. Discussing moments that signal adulthood, the conversation includes personal anecdotes about feeling grown up, such as enjoying food without parental restrictions and witnessing changes in parents' health. Sharing humorous insights while tasting Domino's new pizza offerings, reflecting on the responsibilities and realizations that come with age. The video gained over 790K views with viewers commenting on their own takes of realizing adulthood.
17. KwakTube
Subscribers: 2.2 million
Topic: Travel and food
Kwak Joon-bin worked at the Korean embassy in Azerbaijan before quitting to make travel videos. His channel mixes food exploration, culture, and the kind of clumsy, self-deprecating humor that doesn't usually translate well — but somehow does for him.
What makes KwakTube particularly interesting is the cross-platform trajectory. His series “World Driver's Diner” now airs on EBS public broadcasting. The path from YouTube to TV used to go in only one direction; with creators like KwakTube, the doors are open both ways. Korean broadcasters are now licensing concepts from creators rather than handing creators concepts.
In the embedded video, KwakTube partners with Lead Bolt as travel around the islands in the Philippines. The video gained over 1.1M views with viewers expressing excitement of his vlog.
18. Pani Bottle
Subscribers: 2.49 million
Topic: Travel
The most-subscribed Korean travel YouTuber. Park Jae-han's 2018 video on a chaotic Indian train ride went massively viral and reshaped his career. The channel name itself comes from a vendor in India shouting “pani bottle” — the kind of small, real detail that gives the channel its texture. What I respect is that he's stayed grounded. Still travels solo. Still keeps the production lean.
In the embedded video, Pani Bottle partners with Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance in a travel vlog where he compares different spring festivals in Korea and Japan. In the tied-in portion of the video, Pani Bottle shares the importance of travel insurance. The video gained over 1.5M views with viewers commenting on how entertaining learning about the key differences between the two festivals.
19. No Backup Tak Jae-hoon
Subscribers: 1.95 million
Topic: Adult talk show and variety
Tak Jae-hoon has been a comedian and variety host in Korea for decades. His YouTube talk show, No Backup Tak Jae-hoon (literally “Tak Jae-hoon Without Reverse Gear”), pushes harder than anything you would see on broadcast Korean TV. That's the entire point. Audiences come precisely because the show takes risks broadcasters can't.
In the embedded video, Tak Jae-hoon partners with Energis Platinum in a podcast interview with Kang Hye-yeon and So-yumi. Both non-main vocalists discuss their idol experiences, health supplements, and personal anecdotes. The video gained over 400K views with viewers discussing the artist's insights.
20. Tzuyang
Subscribers: 13 million
Topic: Mukbang and food
Korea's most famous mukbang creator, with one of the largest single-creator audiences in the country. Park Jeong-won, performing as Tzuyang, has built an audience that genuinely spans the world — her videos work even with subtitles off because the appeal is visual and visceral.
In the embedded video, Tzuyang visits the Woongjin Foods factory, famous for Green Plum drinks. The visit highlights the factory's production and celebrates its 50th anniversary with special limited editions. The video gained over 2.8M views with viewers showing excitement about the factory canteen setting, praise for the spicy pork dish, and curiosity about the Green Plum Zero drink featured.
CONCLUSION
If I had to pull a single thread through these twenty channels, it would be this: Korean YouTube has matured past the side-hustle phase. The biggest names in Korean entertainment are building primary platforms. And the creators who started on YouTube are now selling shows back to broadcast TV.
A few patterns worth taking away. Long-form is winning over heavily edited short content for the audiences with money to spend. Personal channels are starting to outperform official ones for trust and conversion. Niche creators — slow travel, blind perspective, home-talk-show musicians — are not a sideshow anymore. And the cross-pollination between YouTube and traditional Korean broadcast is now a two-way street, with concepts moving in both directions.
If you're a brand thinking about Korean YouTube marketing in 2026, the old playbook of buying a sponsored post from whoever has the biggest follower count doesn't really hold. The channels that move audiences are the ones with a genuine creative point of view, and the smart move is to find the ones whose voice fits yours and stay with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is YouTube so popular in South Korea?
YouTube is extremely popular in South Korea because it offers a wide range of content including music, entertainment, educational videos, and vlogs. About 84% of the population can be reached through YouTube ads, showing its vast user base and cultural influence.
How do Korean YouTube influencers impact marketing and advertising?
Korean YouTube influencers play a significant role in marketing by partnering with brands for sponsored content, product reviews, and authentic promotional placements. Their influence helps brands connect with younger audiences in a relatable and effective way.
How do Korean YouTube influencers affect international audiences?
Many Korean YouTubers have successfully crossed language and cultural barriers, contributing to the global Hallyu (Korean Wave) phenomenon.
How do brands collaborate with Korean YouTubers for marketing?
Brands often engage influencers for sponsored videos, product placements, unboxing reviews, and creative campaigns that feel more authentic than traditional advertisements. Influencer collaborations create higher engagement and ROI; according to Nielsen (2022), influencer marketing yields 11 times higher ROI than traditional advertising efforts.
How do fans typically interact with Korean YouTube influencers?
Fans often engage through comments, community posts, live chat during streams, and social media cross-interactions. Platforms like V Live and Instagram complement YouTube by enabling direct communication, fan Q&A, and behind-the-scenes content, fostering a strong parasocial relationship.
