Mobile User Acquisition In Japan & Korea — Market Guide

iOS And Android Split

Japan is one of the most iOS-heavy markets globally — public trackers typically show iPhone with a large share of active smartphones. South Korea is the opposite: Android, led by domestic manufacturers, holds a strong majority. A combined plan therefore needs very different OS strategies per country.

Japan vs South Korea at a glance

	Japan	South Korea
Device mix	iOS-heavy	Android-heavy
Language	Japanese; native-quality copy is essential	Korean; native-quality copy is essential
Strong categories	RPG, gacha, puzzle, manga/comics, fintech	RPG/MMORPG, casual, webtoons, commerce, fintech
Payment notes	App store billing, carrier billing, convenience-store payments, local QR wallets	App store billing, local wallets and super-app payments
Local platforms	Domestic messaging and portal ecosystems alongside global platforms	Domestic messaging, portal and app-store ecosystems alongside global platforms

Creative Notes

Machine translation does not work here. Use native copywriting, local typography and culturally specific art styles; anime and illustrated styles often outperform live action for games. Japanese users respond to detail, character and collection mechanics; Korean audiences value competitive and social features. Seasonal events and collaborations drive spikes in both markets.

Payment Behavior

Both markets are comfortable paying inside apps, and gaming ARPU is among the world's highest. In Japan, carrier billing and convenience-store payments complement cards; prepaid app-store cards are common. In Korea, local digital wallets tied to messaging and portal super-apps are widely used.

How Adora X Buys Japan & Korea

Adora X buys in-app supply in both countries with separate OS strategies, ROAS-based bidding for high-ARPU titles and creative-level reporting to manage fatigue during events.