How the 2026 World Cup Turns Korean YouTube Into a Stage for Cheering, Ads, and Analysis
Key Takeaways
- · 곽윤기의 월드컵 응원 영상이 2,070만 회로 꽉잡아윤기 채널 최다 조회 영상이며, 오비맥주·FIFA 협업으로 제작됐다(Dhesy 데이터 기준, 2026-06-10).
- · 오비맥주는 카스 뷰잉펍을 40여 개국 20만 개 이상 가동하는 'Cheers to Bars' 캠페인으로 월드컵에 올라탔다.
- · 광고 분석 채널 김진짜의 나이키 광고 분석 영상이 749만 회를 기록해, 브랜드 광고가 분석 콘텐츠로 재소비되는 구조를 보였다.
- · Dhesy 데이터 기준 슬롯 집계로 오비맥주 42건·나이키 13건·아디다스 8건·FIFA 3건의 크리에이터 협업이 집계된다.
- · 곽윤기 55.6%·김진짜 37.5% 협업비율은 스포츠 대형 채널 평균 15.3% 대비 예외에 가까워 대회 종료 후 조정될 여지가 있다.
The 2026 World Cup is reshaping Korean YouTube into a single stage where fans, brands, and even ad-analysis channels collide around the same event.
A single cheering clip pulls in 20.7 million views
Kwak Yoon-gy, a former Olympic short-track speed skater, filmed a cheering clip from a World Cup stadium that has now passed 20.7 million views. Posted on his channel Kkwakjaba Yoongy (953K subscribers), this Short was made with OB Beer and FIFA, and by Dhesy data it is the most-watched video on the channel (2026-06-10).
According to outlets including Xportsnews, broadcaster Jeon Hyun-moo, who joined as a KBS main caster, correctly predicted Korea's 2-1 comeback win over the Czech Republic and Oh Hyun-gyu's decisive goal in a pre-match video, and the clip spread as what fans called a "shrine." A single prediction clip carried across broadcast and YouTube became the epicenter of the cheering frenzy.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11 and the group stage is underway. Korea won its opener against the Czech Republic 2-1 in a comeback, and faces Mexico in its second group match on June 19. Whenever there is a match, related videos flood YouTube recommendation feeds.
How an Olympic short-track skater became a World Cup cheering creator
Kwak Yoon-gy competed at the Olympics as a national short-track team member. Around his retirement he built a channel under the label "sports teller," and now draws 953K subscribers by breaking down sports and athletes like a commentator.
This World Cup, he captured the event from the stadium in a video made with FIFA. Because he is a former athlete, his cheering clips are received as the perspective of someone who reads the game rather than a simple fan cam. World Cup cheering content draws in well-known figures from outside the sport, but Kwak uses his sports expertise as an edge within that flow.
Temperature differences among sports channels making cheering content
Not every sports channel moves the same way during World Cup season. Below are recent three-month metrics for large sports channels with over 900K subscribers (Dhesy data, recent three-month slot tally).
| Channel | Subscribers | 3-month ad ratio | 3-month avg views |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kkwakjaba Yoongy | 953K | 55.6% | 1.23M |
| Kim Jinjja | 1.05M | 37.5% | 620K |
| JK Art Soccer Online | 953K | 12.0% | 1.88M |
| Shoot for Love | 1.82M | 10.4% | 380K |
| Large sports channel avg | — | 15.3% | 350K |
Kwak's ad ratio of 55.6% is the highest among the channels listed, while Shoot for Love (1.82M subscribers) sits at 10.4%, centered on non-sponsored content. Even within the same category, some channels embrace ads while others compete on content alone.
Cass viewing pubs and 'Cheers to Bars': how a beer brand rides the World Cup
Cheering fervor is also a brand stage. OB Beer launched the 'Cheers to Bars' campaign running 'Cass viewing pubs' for the World Cup. Per media reports, it is operating more than 200,000 viewing pubs across roughly 40 countries including Korea, with campaign videos released on Instagram and YouTube.
Notably, this brand also appears on Kwak's 20.7-million-view cheering clip. By bundling offline viewing pubs with creator collaborations in one campaign, it turns the out-of-stadium cheering experience into a brand touchpoint.
Here is the scale of creator collaborations for brands directly tied to the World Cup (Dhesy data, slot tally).
| Brand | Cumulative collaborations | Category |
|---|---|---|
| OB Beer | 42 | Alcohol / cheering |
| Nike | 13 | Sports gear |
| Adidas | 8 | Sports gear |
| FIFA | 3 | Tournament host |
| Four-brand average | 16.5 | — |
By Dhesy slot tally, OB Beer leads with 42 collaborations, followed by sports-gear rivals Nike (13) and Adidas (8). Brands that sell a "watch-together" experience, like beer, use creators more aggressively at the World Cup.
Even channels that analyze ads: Kim Jinjja's Nike ad video at 7.49M views
World Cup YouTube is not only cheering and ads. Channels that resell ads as content stand on the same stage. The ad-analysis channel Kim Jinjja (1.05M subscribers) dissected Nike's new ad in a video that hit 7.49 million views (2026-06-09).
An ad made by a brand passes through a creator who analyzes ads and generates views once more. By Dhesy data, Kim Jinjja's recent three-month ad ratio is 37.5%, showing the duality of a channel that analyzes ads while also being a brand partner.
When this pattern does not hold
World Cup momentum does not give every channel and brand the same effect. Once the tournament ends, views on cheering and ad content cool quickly, and many sports channels center on non-sponsored content. As with Shoot for Love's 10.4% ad ratio, larger channels often rely less on ads.
Ratios like Kwak's 55.6% and Kim Jinjja's 37.5% look like exceptions against the 15.3% average for large sports channels. They may reflect collaborations concentrated around a short event, and could revert to normal levels after the tournament.
Through the next matches and the final: what to watch on World Cup YouTube
From the June 19 Mexico match through the round of 16 and the final (July 19), cheering, ad, and analysis content will likely rise and fall with the match schedule. If the opening stage made one peak, a second peak should arrive around the final.
The things to watch are clear: how creators who make cheering content like Kwak Yoon-gy, brands that sell cheering like OB Beer, and channels that analyze ads like Kim Jinjja overlap again at each Korean match. The protagonist of World Cup YouTube may not be the broadcast screen, but the content consuming the same event in its own way just outside it.
FAQ
Q. Where do people watch World Cup cheering videos the most? A. By Dhesy data, the World Cup cheering video on Kwak Yoon-gy's Kkwakjaba Yoongy channel reached 20.7 million views, the channel's most-watched (2026-06-10). Sports-teller channels and stadium creators lead cheering content.
Q. Can you watch World Cup matches live on YouTube? A. 2026 World Cup broadcasting rights are split among broadcasters and some streaming platforms, so it varies by channel. YouTube mainly carries highlights and cheering/analysis content; check official channel notices for live coverage.
Q. Which brand rode the World Cup the most? A. By Dhesy slot tally, OB Beer leads with 42 creator collaborations, followed by Nike (13), Adidas (8), and FIFA (3). The Cass viewing pub campaign is a prime example.
Q. Do ad-analysis channels make World Cup content too? A. Yes. Kim Jinjja's Nike ad analysis video reached 7.49 million views (2026-06-09). Brand ads are consumed once more as analysis content.
Q. Will these channels' collaborations drop after the World Cup? A. They may. The average ad ratio for large sports channels is around 15.3%, and Kwak's 55.6% and Kim Jinjja's 37.5% may reflect collaborations concentrated in the World Cup season, with room to settle back to normal after the tournament.
Methodology: Based on Dhesy's 4,100+ brands and 3M+ collaboration records. Ad ratios and average views are recent three-month slot tallies, limited to the collected range. Period: 2026-03-19 to 2026-06-19.