What Caused the YouTube Service Disruption in South Korea?
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Synopsis
YouTube faced a brief disruption on October 16, impacting users in South Korea and globally. The service quickly returned to normal, but not before users experienced playback issues across various devices. This incident highlights the challenges of managing large-scale digital platforms in today's interconnected world.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube's service was disrupted on October 16, affecting users in South Korea and worldwide.
- The issues were primarily related to video playback on mobile and desktop devices.
- Google confirmed the resolution of the disruption and thanked users for their patience.
Seoul, Oct 16 (NationPress) YouTube's services have returned to normal following a brief disruption that impacted users in South Korea on Thursday. This incident affected video playback on both mobile devices and desktop computers, as per reports from industry analysts.
Earlier that day, users attempting to access the platform through the YouTube mobile app encountered an error that stopped video playback, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.
Desktop users faced similar challenges, but by approximately 9:30 a.m., the service appeared to be mostly restored.
The disruption also impacted some users of YouTube Music and was thought to be part of a wider global outage.
Google later confirmed that the issue had been resolved across all YouTube services and expressed gratitude to users for their understanding.
YouTube, a platform run by Google, holds the title of the most popular video service in South Korea.
In a related note, the Ministry of Science and ICT announced that Google Korea reported the YouTube outage to the government at around 9:01 a.m.
According to regulations, major broadcasting and telecom operators are required to report any service disruptions within 10 minutes of occurrence. However, Google Korea reported the issue after this timeframe.
Following the Kakao data center fire in 2022, the government classified seven significant platform companies, including Google, as major broadcasting and telecom operators. This classification means they are now integrated into the government’s disaster management framework.
This YouTube error had a global impact, affecting users in South Korea, the US, and Europe. In Korea, many users reported that videos on YouTube, YouTube Music, and YouTube TV failed to play on several devices, including smartphones.
Some users noted that advertisements played, but the screen turned black afterward, while others were unable to play any videos.
The global outage is estimated to have occurred between 8:17 a.m. and 9:10 a.m.
Point of View
I believe it's crucial for major platforms like YouTube to maintain transparency and efficiency in communication during service disruptions. The recent incident in South Korea highlights the importance of prompt reporting and effective management in the digital age, ensuring users remain informed and engaged.
NationPress
16/10/2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the YouTube disruption in South Korea?
The disruption was caused by a temporary error that affected video playback on both mobile and desktop devices, which was part of a broader global outage.
How long did the YouTube outage last?
The global outage is estimated to have lasted from approximately 8:17 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. on October 16.
Did the disruption affect YouTube Music?
Yes, some users of YouTube Music also experienced issues during the outage.
