EXCLUSIVE: The Hallyu march continues this week, as a significant Korean content material streaming service continues its international rollout.
Okay-entertainment subscription streamer Kocowa+ has launched in Europe and Oceania, providing 30,000 hours — what Kocowa claims is the “largest Korean content material library exterior of Korea” — and with English, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese language subtitles. In whole, it should launch in 39 territories.
One notable aspect of the service is that every one new applications are made out there inside eight hours of their broadcast in Korea, all absolutely geared up with subtitles. A curated KocoCraves function will comprise a mixture of reside viewing events and chosen content material that encourages fan engagement and entry to easy-access fan favourite content material.
Kocowa is a three way partnership firm fashioned by Korean broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS, SK Sq. Americas and Content material Wavve. The service launched in 2017 and is already within the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Brazil.
The content material combine consists of Okay-dramas, Okay-pop movies and performances, celebrity-led actuality exhibits and selection exhibits.
Newly launched dramas embody Queen of Divorce, a few high divorce mediator who presents a ‘vengeful answer’ in opposition to the maddening partner of a consumer, romantic each day drama Su Ji and U Ri, historic wartime romance collection My Dearest, season two of Escape of the Seven and the Park Website positioning-jun starrer Battle For My Manner, which follows 4 buddies pursuing their desires.
Library dramas embody coming-of-age school drama Weightlifting Fairy Kim-Guide Joo; Espresso Prince, a few poor lady disguised as a lady who falls in love with the proprietor of a restaurant that hires males solely; highschool drama Extraordinary You and Excessive Kick!, which is billed as “Trendy Household with a Korean twist.”
On the unscripted entrance are exhibits equivalent to Weekly Idol, Residence Alone, The Supervisor and How Do You Play, that includes comic Yoo Jae-suk. Unique content material consists of Alumni Lovers, during which former classmates reunite with outdated crushes, and subs within the UK, Eire, Portugal and Spain can have entry to selection present Operating Man.
Okay-pop exhibits may even be nicely represented with the likes of Idol Star Athletics Championships, lady group journey collection NewJeans Journey Code in Busan and BTSChronicles. Journey collection that includes Okay-pop teams has change into massive enterprise and additional exhibits from the style embody Aespa’s Sync Highway, EXO Journey the World on a Ladder and NCT Life, which presents seasons set in Osaka, Chuncheon and Honcheon, together with DREAM in Wonderland, during which NCT DREAM members escape the town life and luxuriate in holidays in small cities.
Kocowa+ may even supply reside streams of concert events and music chart exhibits, together with year-end productions equivalent to KBS Music Competition, SBS Leisure Awards and MBC Music Competition.
Kocowa+ is priced at at €6.99 ($6.99) monthly for fundamental entry, with premium plans providing as much as 4 logins at €7.99 ($7.99). A 30% low cost on new subscriptions is being supplied for the primary 12 months.
“As the house of the most important Korean Content material library exterior of Korea, we’re honored to deliver the primary 100% Korean streaming platform to Europe and Oceania,” stated KunHee Park, CEO and CPO, Crossfunctional of KOCOWA+.
“As we introduce our distinctive model to new subscribers, we’re enthusiastic about our capacity to grasp what the viewers desires in order that we are able to create custom-made experiences for them primarily based on their preferences to allow them to find, join and luxuriate in every little thing our platform has to supply.”
The launch comes on the again of a Media Companions Asia report that recommended Korean content material accounted for 50% of SVO viewership and 42% of free streaming viewing throughout Asia within the first half of 2023, and amidst rising recognition of Okay-content all over the world. Parrot Analytics additionally not too long ago reported that Okay-content demand had doubled since 2018 and is presently at an all-time excessive.
Europe, particularly, has adopted the Hallyu (Okay-content) wave. The continent was not too long ago named because the style’s fast-growing market, with 13.2 million figuring out themselves as followers, in accordance with the 2023 Abroad World Hallyu Survey.
The motion can also be rising within the U.S., as Deadline’s reporting has highlighted. We not too long ago revealed that LA producer-distributor The Gurin Firm, UTA and Titan Content material, the U.S.-based Okay-pop firm launched by former SM Leisure CEO Nikki Semin Han, teamed to created Okay-Pop Goals (working title), a Okay-pop expertise search set within the U.S.
