Launched in February 2022, Naver’s “Naver Premium Contents” has surpassed six million active users as of November 2023.
On this online platform, content creators can sell their work to pay subscribers. The format matches that of Naver’s Smart Store, which is an online shopping platform for small businesses. Creators can decide the amount of content they want to offer for free and how much content will be available to premium users.
The most popular topics are finance, business, education, books, liberal arts, real estate, and writing. Other trending topics include hobbies, science, technology, and employment.
As reported by Naver, the total number of paid users and total number of channels have doubled each year. Content creators made over 130,000 entries on the platform in 2023 alone. According to a spokesperson from Naver, one of the most profitable operators makes 850 million won ($651,000) monthly.
The Naver spokesperson told the Korea JoongAng Daily:
“Unlike in the West, Korean users are still stringent when it comes to paying for digital content. Naver is one of the pioneering platforms which hopes to popularize the market. Currently, consumers are more open to the concept of paying for business-related information such as investment and real estate, but what we are ultimately aiming for is for more content operators from a variety of fields to enter the platform and stimulate the market.”
Naver leverages AI technology to allow operators to upload content easily and effectively. For example, it facilitates auto-generated subtitles, for example, and can transcribe videos to be published as text.
In addition, Naver’s large language model – HyperClova X – will also be integrated into the platform as “Clova for Writing.” The technology integrates the algorithm into Naver’s writing tool, SmartEditor, to help recommend writing topics for creators. It can also produce and edit content on its own.
What’s more, Naver’s app can also recommend tailored content for users, including premium works. According to the company, nearly 10 percent of its users are introduced to the platform through personalized recommendations.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
