Who owned Korean YouTube in 2025? According to YouTube’s year-end lists released on December 3, the soundtrack to the Netflix animated film K-pop Demon Hunters (aka ‘KDH’) dominated both Songs and Shorts, while creator of the year honors went to Choo Sung-hoon’s channel for its candid, down-to-earth slice-of-life and comedic sketches.
“Golden,” an OST track from K-pop Demon Hunters, ranked No. 1 on YouTube Korea’s Top Songs by views. Fellow soundtrack cuts “Soda Pop” and “Your Idol” also landed at No. 3 and No. 10, effectively sweeping the chart. “Golden” and “Soda Pop” likewise finished No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, on the Top Songs for YouTube Shorts, underscoring their dominance on the short-form platform.
Outside of the KDH OST, WOODZ’s “Drowning” placed at No. 2, with Jo Jjazz’s “Don’t You Know?” and MAKTUB’s “Child of the Beginning” at No. 4 and No. 6. These tracks enjoyed renewed buzz via YouTube, highlighting the platform’s role as a key driver of music discovery.
Choo Sung-hoon — an ex-MMA fighter turned TV personality — was named the year’s top creator. His channel’s frank, approachable vibe and playful setups have built a broad fan base. Comedian Lee Su-ji’s channel, praised for sharp, real-world satire, took No. 2. Michelin-starred chef Ahn Sung-jae and Anxious Kim Hamjji — an AI hamster character channel capturing office-worker woes — also ranked high, signaling the rise of distinctive, personality-driven creators.
K-content also led the way among hot topics. Alongside KDH, dramas like I Was Fooled and Squid Game were among the most consumed themes for Korean users this year. YouTube noted that both KDH and Squid Game simultaneously topped popular-topic lists in many surveyed countries, with that global momentum reflected back in Korea’s interest metrics.
In gaming, Roblox and Mabinogi content pulled strong views and engagement.
You can find the full lists and the deeper trend report for Korean YouTube 2025 in the YouTube Culture & Trends section.