News1
A Korean online news agency providing wire-style national and regional news.
News1 at a glance
News1 is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in South Korea, currently ranked #111 in the country. It was founded in 2011 by Not publicly disclosed and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Today News1 is owned by News1 Korea. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 45 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through content licensing, digital advertising. Its closest rivals include yna.co.kr, newsis.com, mk.co.kr.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 42.3 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 43.6 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 45 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 47.7 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
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
- ≈ 13.5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| news1 | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | 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
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in South Korea
Company information
- Website
- news1.kr
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- News1 Korea
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Not publicly disclosed
- Founded
- 2011
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Employees
- 400+
- Ownership
- News1 Korea controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $60 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- Korean, English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $60 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
News1 operates a news and media publisher focused on South Korea. A Korean online news agency providing wire-style national and regional news. Revenue comes mainly from content licensing, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Content licensing
- Digital advertising
Products & services
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)
- #111 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in South Korea
- Global rank
- 3000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| yna.co.kr | ≈ 27 million / month | #112 class competitor | — |
| newsis.com | ≈ 20.2 million / month | #113 class competitor | — |
| mk.co.kr | ≈ 13.5 million / month | #114 class competitor | — |
What is News1?
News1 (news1.kr) is a news and media publisher serving users in South Korea. A Korean online news agency providing wire-style national and regional news. It ranks #111 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns News1?
The site is operated by News1 Korea, founded by Not publicly disclosed. The company was established in 2011 and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It employs around 400+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place News1 at roughly 45 million visits per month, about 1.5 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How News1 makes money
Revenue comes primarily from content licensing, alongside digital advertising.
Competitors in South Korea
Its closest rivals include yna.co.kr, newsis.com, mk.co.kr.
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
- 2011
News1 is founded in Seoul, South Korea.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #111 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
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns News1?
News1 is operated by News1 Korea. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is News1 headquartered?
News1 is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.
When was News1 founded?
News1 was founded in 2011 by Not publicly disclosed.
How many employees does News1 have?
News1 employs approximately 400+ people.
What is News1's revenue?
News1's revenue: ≈ $60 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are News1's competitors?
Main competitors in South Korea include yna.co.kr, newsis.com, mk.co.kr.
How does News1 make money?
Mainly content licensing, digital advertising.
Is News1 publicly traded?
No — News1 is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by News1 Korea.
How many visitors does News1 get?
Third-party estimates place News1 at roughly 45 million visits per month, mostly from South Korea, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is News1 safe?
News1 is an established news & media site founded in 2011 and ranked #111 in South Korea; use the official domain news1.kr and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsnews1.kr
- 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