Naver VS NC reorganizes Yanggang-gu, a global’K-pop platform’ grand race

Naver and Big Hit Announce New K-Pop Platform Launch
NCsoft launches universe armed with various contents

[디지털투데이 최지연 기자] A race has begun among Korean big tech companies to take over the global’K-pop platform’. In the existing NCsoft, Naver, and Big Hit composition, Naver and Big Hit have formed an alliance with Naver/Big Hit and NCsoft’s Yanggang composition.

Naver is running a global live community platform’V Live’, and Big Hit is running a global fan community platform’Weverse’. In cooperation with Big Hit, Naver creates a new global fan community platform that integrates users, contents, and services of both platforms VLive and Weverse.

On the 27th, Naver made an alliance with Big Hit by investing a 49% stake (worth 4118 billion won) in BNX, a subsidiary of Big Hit. BNX is the operator of Big Hit’s enter platform Weverse and changes its name to’Weverse Company’ with this investment attraction.

Big Hit will take over the VLive business unit through its subsidiary BNX. Big Hit, which has accumulated know-how in the entertainment market, will lead the business, and Naver is a strategy to create synergy through a new K-pop platform by focusing on technology capabilities.

V Live was launched by Naver in 2015. It has established itself as a representative K-pop platform, with technology that supports stable live performances and fan community platforms. In addition to the singers of large entertainment companies such as SM, YG, and JYP, VLive has more than 1,000 communication channels open. With the community service’Fanship’, K-pop singers made profits by selling tickets to live concerts and exclusive videos to the global market.

Big Hit introduced the global fan community platform’Weverse’ in June 2019. Weverse grew rapidly after two years of launch. As of December last year, with the singer BTS, it recorded about 17 million downloads. Weverse operates membership and sells tickets and goods for performances. Last October, through the BTS online concert (Bangbangkon), it recorded 49.1 billion won ticket sales.

In the industry, as the K-pop entertainment industry is still in the very long term, it is said that the two companies have formed an alliance to expand the market size and invest in the long term. This is because if you include many artists and build various contents, you can secure a long-term source of revenue. Naver can receive content from Big Hit, and Big Hit can utilize Naver’s powerful platform and IT technology.

The construction of a new global K-pop platform between the two companies is expected to take about a year. Until integration, the two companies are expected to operate each platform, VLive and Weverse, as they are now. Attention is drawn to what content and technology will be integrated with VLive and Weverse.

NCsoft emerged as a rival to Naver and Big Hit. NCsoft and its subsidiary Kleb launched the K-pop platform’Universe’ around the world on the 28th. NC Softton established its subsidiary Kleb in July of last year. Kleb is in charge of creating the contents of the universe.

Universe is an all-in-one platform where you can enjoy online and offline fandom activities on mobile. As global K-pop stars with strong fandoms such as singer Kang Daniel, group IZone, Monsta X, and (Female) Idle joined, the universe surpassed 4 million in advance reservations.

Universe caught the attention of fans by releasing various original contents such as music sources, music videos, and entertainment. The sound source and music video will be released with IZone as the first batter at 6 pm on the 28th, and original entertainment contents featuring Kang Daniel and Monsta X will also be presented. Their original content will be updated weekly in each of the 10 episodes.

Universe is attracting attention by introducing new technologies such as AI voice, avatar, and augmented reality (AR). NC plans to introduce a K-pop entertainment platform that allows you to enjoy online and offline fandom activities on mobile using various IT technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), voice synthesis, and motion capture, which have been strengthened by the game business.

In addition, NCsoft plans to establish a joint venture with CJ Entertainment (CJ ENM) within this year, apart from its subsidiary Kleb. The synergy effect is expected to increase further as the two companies decide to do the content and digital platform business together.

An industry official said, “As an alliance between Naver and Big Hit, Naver and NCsoft have established themselves in a Yanggang composition.

Reporter Choi Ji-yeon [email protected]

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