Melon
Korea's leading music streaming service with charts and artist content.
Melon at a glance
Melon is an entertainment & streaming website and one of the most visited sites in South Korea, currently ranked #183 in the country. It was founded in 2004 by SK Telecom and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Today Melon is owned by Kakao Entertainment. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 40 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, advertising. Its closest rivals include genie.co.kr, spotify.com, music.youtube.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 37.6 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 38.8 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 40 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 42.4 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct63%
- Organic search21%
- Social8%
- Referral5%
- Paid3%
Audience & demographics
- Men54%
- Women46%
- Age 18-2428%
- Age 25-3429%
- Age 35-4421%
The audience is concentrated in South Korea, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- South Korea86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 12 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- South Korea
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| melon | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| watch online | Top 10 | High | — |
| live stream | Top 10 | High | — |
| subscription price | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the South Korea web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 74% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading entertainment & streaming apps in South Korea
Company information
- Website
- melon.com
- Sector
- Entertainment & Streaming
- Owner
- Kakao Entertainment
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of public company
- Founders
- SK Telecom
- Founded
- 2004
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Employees
- 500+
- Ownership
- Kakao Entertainment controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $700 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Korean
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $700 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Melon operates an entertainment and streaming service focused on South Korea. Korea's leading music streaming service with charts and artist content. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Advertising
Products & services
Related deals on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, Global Site Index earns from qualifying purchases.
International presence
- Primary market
- South Korea
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (South Korea)
- #183 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading entertainment & streaming site in South Korea
- Global rank
- 2500
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| genie.co.kr | ≈ 24 million / month | #184 class competitor | — |
| spotify.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #185 class competitor | — |
| music.youtube.com | ≈ 12 million / month | #186 class competitor | — |
What is Melon?
Melon (melon.com) is an entertainment and streaming service serving users in South Korea. Korea's leading music streaming service with charts and artist content. It ranks #183 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the entertainment & streaming category.
Who owns Melon?
The site is operated by Kakao Entertainment, founded by SK Telecom. The company was established in 2004 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It employs around 500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Melon at roughly 40 million visits per month, about 1.3 million per day. Around 74% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 6.9 pages per visit with an average session of 14 min.
How Melon makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside advertising.
Competitors in South Korea
Its closest rivals include genie.co.kr, spotify.com, music.youtube.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 2004
Melon is founded in Seoul, South Korea.
- Growth phase
Expands its entertainment & streaming offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #183 among the most visited websites in South Korea.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Large local content library
- Live sports or exclusive originals
- Works across mobile, web and TV apps
- Affordable local pricing tiers
Cons
- Content rotates out of the catalogue
- Ad-supported tier interrupts playback
- Rights restrictions limit some titles
- Streaming quality varies on weak connections
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Melon?
Melon is operated by Kakao Entertainment. Subsidiary of public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Melon headquartered?
Melon is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
When was Melon founded?
Melon was founded in 2004 by SK Telecom.
How many employees does Melon have?
Melon employs approximately 500+ people.
What is Melon's revenue?
Melon's revenue: ≈ $700 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are Melon's competitors?
Main competitors in South Korea include genie.co.kr, spotify.com, music.youtube.com.
How does Melon make money?
Mainly subscriptions, advertising.
Is Melon publicly traded?
Melon's ownership: Subsidiary of public company.
How many visitors does Melon get?
Third-party estimates place Melon at roughly 40 million visits per month, mostly from South Korea, with 74% mobile traffic.
Is Melon safe?
Melon is an established entertainment & streaming site founded in 2004 and ranked #183 in South Korea; use the official domain melon.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsmelon.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageSouth Korea and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos