Korea's App Market Disrupted: ONE Store's Local-First Strategy Pays Off

SEOUL, South Korea – December 29, 2025 – In a digital marketplace long dominated by global tech behemoths, a local contender has officially cemented its place as a major force. ONE Store, a homegrown Korean app marketplace, has secured its position as the nation's second-largest app distribution platform, signaling a significant shift in a market previously controlled by Google and Apple.

According to a comprehensive Mobile Index report from industry analyst IGAWorks, ONE Store captured a 12.6% share of the game transaction value across Korea's three major app marketplaces over a cumulative five-year period, from the second half of 2020 through the first half of 2025. This steady growth underscores a successful long-term strategy that is now bearing significant fruit, challenging the established duopoly and proving that a localized approach can thrive.

The Battle for App Market Supremacy

For years, the South Korean app market, like most worldwide, has been overwhelmingly commanded by Google's Play Store and Apple's App Store. Recent data from 2024 indicated that Google and Apple collectively held over 95% of the market's revenue share. Against this backdrop, ONE Store's rise is not just a business success but a market disruption. The platform's performance is even more striking when examining the most popular and profitable apps. In the first half of 2025, among the top 50 highest-grossing games available on both ONE Store and its larger rivals, the local platform captured an astounding 49.2% share of transaction value. This near-even split in the high-stakes arena of top-tier gaming suggests that when given a clear choice, a large portion of Korean consumers are actively choosing ONE Store.

Founded in 2016 through a strategic alliance of South Korea's three largest mobile carriers—SKT, KT, and LG U+—and દેશ's top internet portal, Naver, ONE Store was built with a deep understanding of the local market. Its pre-installation on all Android devices distributed in Korea gave it an initial foothold, but its sustained growth is attributed to a business model that directly addresses the primary pain points of developers and users alike.

A 'Win-Win' Strategy Reshaping App Economics

The core of ONE Store's strategy is a 'win-win' philosophy that starkly contrasts with the commission-heavy models of its global competitors. While developers have long voiced frustration over the standard 30% commission, a 2024 survey revealed that 70% of Korean app developers considered these "excessive commissions" the single biggest issue in the market. ONE Store seized on this widespread discontent by being the first marketplace to significantly lower its platform fees.

This developer-first approach has had a tangible financial impact. To date, the company reports that developers using its platform have saved a cumulative total of approximately KRW 380 billion (US$257 million) in fees. This isn't just a discount; it's a fundamental reallocation of revenue that allows developers, particularly smaller studios, to reinvest in their products and marketing.

Simultaneously, ONE Store has aggressively courted users with a torrent of incentives. The platform has provided approximately KRW 690 billion (US$467 million) in cumulative discounts to its customers. These benefits go beyond one-time offers, including regular discount coupons and integrations with mobile carrier memberships for daily savings. This strategy has cultivated a highly loyal and engaged user base, evidenced by a key metric: Average Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU). According to the company, its ARPPU is roughly five times higher than that of other major app marketplaces, demonstrating that users who feel they are getting better value are willing to spend more.

Gaming the System: How ONE Store Won Over Gamers

Nowhere is ONE Store's success more evident than in South Korea's lucrative mobile gaming sector, a market that generated over US$6.3 billion in consumer spending in 2023. The platform has become a preferred destination for serious gamers, dominating transaction shares in the most popular genres. In the first half of 2025, among the top 50 highest-grossing titles, ONE Store recorded a 50.9% share in Role-Playing Games (RPGs), 64.8% in Simulation games, and 49.2% in Strategy games. The average share across these three powerhouse genres reached 52.9%, making it the de facto majority platform for top-tier gaming transactions.

This dominance is a direct result of its value proposition. Gamers, who are often high-volume spenders on in-app purchases, are keenly aware of which platform offers the best deals. By consistently providing discounts and supporting diverse payment options, ONE Store ensures that for any given game available on multiple platforms, the most cost-effective purchase is often through its storefront. This has effectively trained a generation of Korean gamers to check ONE Store first before making a purchase, turning the platform into an essential hub for the gaming community.

A Local Uprising in a Global Regulatory Storm

ONE Store's ascent was not achieved in a vacuum. It has been significantly bolstered by a shifting regulatory environment in South Korea, which has been at the forefront of challenging monopolistic practices in the app economy. In 2021, the country passed a landmark amendment to its Telecommunications Business Act, colloquially known as the "anti-Google law." This legislation was the first of its kind globally, making it illegal for dominant app store operators to force developers to use their proprietary in-app payment systems.

This law cracked open the door for competition, creating a landscape where platforms like ONE Store could compete on a more level playing field. The importance of this regulation was highlighted by findings from the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC), which determined that Google had actively engaged in anti-competitive behavior to stifle ONE Store's growth by securing exclusive game releases and preventing developers from "multi-homing"—launching their apps on competing stores simultaneously.

This combination of a savvy, pro-developer business model and a favorable regulatory tailwind has created a powerful blueprint for market disruption. As other regions, such as the European Union with its Digital Markets Act (DMA), begin to enforce similar rules promoting app store competition, the Korean experience serves as a compelling case study. It demonstrates that with the right strategy and regulatory support, local and third-party app marketplaces can successfully challenge the global status quo. This success story underscores a growing global sentiment that a more open and competitive app economy is not only possible but also profitable for those who prioritize both developers and consumers.