Ad-Free Without the Beats—Google Unwraps YouTube Lite for Korea

Image Source: www.chosun.com

On July 15, 2025, Google announced plans to launch YouTube Premium Lite in South Korea, a standalone subscription offering ad-free video streaming without access to YouTube Music. The move is part of a voluntary corrective measure to resolve an ongoing investigation by the Korea Fair Trade Commission (FTC) into alleged anti-competitive bundling practices.

What’s New With YouTube Premium Lite

Ad-Free Viewing Only: No music streaming, background play, or offline downloads.

Pricing:

₩8,500/month for Android users (~$6.15)
₩10,900/month for iOS users

Launch Timeline: Expected by end of 2025, pending FTC approval.

Price Freeze: Google will freeze prices for both Premium Lite and full Premium plans for at least one year.

Why the FTC Got Involved

The FTC began investigating Google in 2023, citing concerns that bundling YouTube Music with Premium subscriptions limited consumer choice and harmed local music platforms like Melon and Genie.
Google’s corrective proposal was submitted under the FTC’s “consent decision” framework, allowing the investigation to be suspended if consumer harm is addressed.

Support for Korean Music Industry