Korean Streaming Service Achieves Milestone, Thanks to Exclusive Content and Strategic Alliances

Courtesy of COUPANG PLAY

South Korean streaming service Coupang Play reached a significant milestone by surpassing 8 million monthly users for the first time among domestic platforms. This achievement, reported by app analysis service WiseApp on Monday, is primarily attributed to exclusive partnerships, particularly in the realm of sports games. 

▲ Courtesy of COUPANG PLAYIn January, Coupang Play recorded 8.05 million monthly active users for its mobile app, marking a consistent rise since October 2020. This milestone establishes the platform as the first domestic streaming service to exceed the 8-million-mark, representing its largest monthly user base to date.

In the same month, Netflix remained the most-used streaming app among Korean users, boasting 12.37 million users. Following Netflix and Coupang Play, Tving, Wavve, and Disney+ had 5.51 million, 3.01 million, and 2.77 million users in January, respectively.

Coupang Play, a media company affiliated with online retail giant Coupang, attributes its sustained viewership to linked subscriptions with Coupang, offering free access to the media platform for Coupang members. Exclusive streaming rights for the ongoing AFC Asian Cup, shared with Tving, and exclusive ticketing for the 2024 MLB World Tour series in Seoul have also attracted subscribers.

Original content, such as the exclusive comedy show "SNL Korea" with season reboots since 2021, and the recent original drama series "Boyhood" (2023), ending on a high note in December, have contributed to Coupang Play's popularity, with the last two episodes experiencing a 2,914 percent increase in viewership compared to the first week on-air.

Sayart 

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