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

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:

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

Support for Korean Music Industry

Next Steps

Sources: Yonhap News, The Hans India, Business Korea, Korea JoongAng Daily, RouteNote Blog