diff --git a/yt_dlp/extractor/ondemandkorea.py b/yt_dlp/extractor/ondemandkorea.py
index 81ce99fd9..94fcac720 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/extractor/ondemandkorea.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/extractor/ondemandkorea.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import re
 import uuid
 
 from .common import InfoExtractor
-from ..networking import HEADRequest
 from ..utils import (
     ExtractorError,
     OnDemandPagedList,
@@ -84,15 +83,17 @@ class OnDemandKoreaIE(InfoExtractor):
         def try_geo_bypass(url):
             return traverse_obj(url, ({parse_qs}, 'stream_url', 0, {url_or_none})) or url
 
-        def try_upgrade_quality(url):
-            mod_url = re.sub(r'_720(p?)\.m3u8', r'_1080\1.m3u8', url)
-            return mod_url if mod_url != url and self._request_webpage(
-                HEADRequest(mod_url), video_id, note='Checking for higher quality format',
-                errnote='No higher quality format found', fatal=False) else url
-
         formats = []
         for m3u8_url in traverse_obj(data, (('sources', 'manifest'), ..., 'url', {url_or_none}, {try_geo_bypass})):
-            formats.extend(self._extract_m3u8_formats(try_upgrade_quality(m3u8_url), video_id, fatal=False))
+            mod_url = re.sub(r'_720(p?)\.m3u8', r'_1080\1.m3u8', m3u8_url)
+            if mod_url != m3u8_url:
+                mod_format = self._extract_m3u8_formats(
+                    mod_url, video_id, note='Checking for higher quality format',
+                    errnote='No higher quality format found', fatal=False)
+                if mod_format:
+                    formats.extend(mod_format)
+                    continue
+            formats.extend(self._extract_m3u8_formats(m3u8_url, video_id, fatal=False))
 
         subtitles = {}
         for track in traverse_obj(data, ('text_tracks', lambda _, v: url_or_none(v['url']))):