Karaoke operator numbers fall by nearly 1,200 in a year as company dinners dwindle
The number of karaoke business operators in South Korea fell by 1,192 between January and September, as more company gatherings end before moving on to a second venue.
National Tax Service data showed that 23,741 karaoke business operators were registered nationwide in September, down 4.78 percent from 24,933 a year earlier. In 2016, the figure stood at 32,500.
Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer studies at Inha University, attributed the decline partly to fewer company dinners.
“As company dinners become less frequent, people are visiting karaoke rooms less often as well,” Lee said.
An Agriculture Ministry report found that 29.2 percent of office workers said they attended fewer company dinners in 2025 than in 2024. That was 1.9 percentage points higher than the share who said they attended more. The report also found that company gatherings were increasingly shorter or ended at the first venue.
Separate Interior Ministry data showed that 156 karaoke establishments were newly registered this year through Nov. 6. There were 296 new registrations in all of last year.
Lee said changing tastes in the look and feel of karaoke rooms may also be a factor.
“In the past, people preferred karaoke rooms that felt private and secluded, but that is no longer the case,” she said.
“I think they should have a brighter interior, just like coin singing rooms or study cafes that are popular among younger generations.”
shwang9@heraldcorp.com
