Korean slang profile

구독경제

gudok gyeongje

The subscription economy

Economic activity in which people pay a recurring fee to receive products or services.

This is the earliest source we have verified, not the date the term was coined.

01Examples, with English translations

Example by Julimmal
구독경제 덕분에 영상도 음악도 월정액으로 봐.
With subscriptions, I get videos and music for a monthly fee.
Quoted from a source
구독경제 또는 구독상거래는 제품이나 서비스를 구매·소유하는 것이 아니라 적은 금액을 내고 일정 기간 사용하는 방식이다.[1]
The subscription economy, or subscription commerce, involves paying a small amount to use a product or service for a set period rather than buying and owning it.
English translation by Julimmal.

February 2019The subscription economy, or subscription commerce, involves paying a small amount to use a product or service for a set period rather than buying and owning it.[1]
February 2019Weekly Trend: “구독경제 changes consumers from customers who ‘buy’ products to people who ‘subscribe’ to them.”[2]
April 2021Electronic Newspaper: “구독경제 refers to a payment activity in which users pay a certain amount and regularly receive desired products and services.”[3]

Where the expression originated has not been verified. The 2019 source from Yonhap News only explains the meaning.

Evidence for the origin explanationLow

The meaning is supported, but the sources do not explain how the expression was formed.

Original titles and links are preserved. An English translation does not replace the original source.