A survey conducted by industry tracker Wiseapp Retail revealed that ChatGPT recorded the largest growth rate among all smartphone apps in South Korea this year.
Users of the app rose by 196.6% in November compared with January, making it the fastest-growing app on the market. The survey sampled four million smartphone users across the country, highlighting ChatGPT’s rapid adoption in the local tech ecosystem.
Following ChatGPT, the online shopping app Daiso Mall recorded a growth of 31.9%, while beauty retailer Olive Young saw 30.8% growth.
The asset-management app Monino, affiliated with Samsung Group’s financial services, grew 28.1%.
These figures underscore the extraordinary pace at which ChatGPT has been embraced relative to other widely used apps.
ChatGPT also became the most-used smartphone app in the country during this period. It recorded a monthly average of 16.7 million users.
This surpassed Kakao Pay, which had 9.1 million, and Olive Young, which had 8.6 million.
The statistics demonstrate the increasing reliance on AI platforms for everyday communication, productivity, and information needs.
In October, South Korean internet giant Kakao announced that ChatGPT would be integrated into its messaging app, KakaoTalk.
Users can now access ChatGPT with a single tap, generating AI-powered conversations, images, and text in real time.
Existing ChatGPT account holders can use their credentials within KakaoTalk, facilitating seamless access.
Strategic Partnership and Market Impact
The Kakao-OpenAI partnership, formed in February 2025, is part of Kakao’s strategy to join a global AI alliance. It also aims to strengthen the company’s position amid intensifying competition in the technology sector.
The rollout marked the first major outcome of this collaboration, signalling a broader push for AI adoption across South Korea.
According to Wiseapp Retail, the number of ChatGPT users in South Korea exceeded 20 million for the first time in August 2025.
Monthly active users (MAUs) reached a record 20.31 million, a significant rise from 4.07 million in the same month of the previous year.
This surge highlights both the growing popularity of generative AI and users’ willingness to regularly engage with advanced AI tools.
The rapid adoption of ChatGPT reflects the increasing demand for AI-driven solutions in South Korea.
ChatGPT, integrated into popular platforms like KakaoTalk and steadily growing its user base, will play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s technology landscape. It will actively influence communication, productivity, and innovation across multiple sectors.
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