Global OTT Landing in Korea... Disney+ Available from Today, Will It Break the 'Netflix Dominance'?

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] The global 'over-the-top (OTT) giant' Disney+ with a powerful content lineup officially launched its service in South Korea from midnight on the 12th. With overseas OTT platforms continuously entering the domestic OTT market, which is virtually dominated by Netflix, it seems that the OTT era of the Warring States period is unfolding. Following the official launch of Disney+ in Korea, domestic telecom companies such as LG Uplus and KT have also started customer acquisition battles centered around Disney+.

◆ Disney+ Lands in Korea... Likely to Reshape into a Dual Power Structure with Netflix

The Walt Disney Company announced that it officially launched Disney+ in Korea on this day and unveiled Marvel's original series 'WandaVision' among other content.

From midnight, customers can access the website or download the app from app markets to use Disney+. The subscription fee is KRW 9,900 per month or KRW 99,000 annually. Recently screened movies such as 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings', Disney action-adventure film 'Jungle Cruise', the original film 'Home Sweet Home Alone' reinterpreting 'Home Alone', and new short content from the animation 'The Simpsons' are also introduced.

Osangho, CEO of Walt Disney Company Korea, said, “We are pleased to finally present Disney+, which has received much attention, to Korean consumers,” adding, “We hope everyone enjoys Disney+'s unique storytelling, excellent creativity, and infinite entertainment anytime and anywhere. We will continue to strive to showcase the most original stories through collaboration with various domestic partners and creators.”

In particular, with the arrival of Disney+, the domestic OTT market is expected to be reorganized into a dual power structure of Netflix, which earned huge profits from the recent hit 'Squid Game', versus Disney+.

Disney+ boasts content that appeals to all age groups from toddlers to seniors, including Avengers, Star Wars, and National Geographic, making it a strong rival to the 'OTT powerhouse' Netflix. As of the third quarter, it has 118.1 million global subscribers.

Considering that the core of the global OTT war lies in 'killer content', Disney+'s presence cannot be ignored. It holds over 16,000 episodes of content. From iconic animations like 'The Little Mermaid' and 'Frozen' to Marvel series and Star Wars series, it has built a powerful fandom. Disney+ plans to expand investment in Korean original content following its Korean service launch, similar to Netflix.

Additionally, Disney+ has set its subscription fee lower than Netflix. At KRW 9,900 per month or KRW 99,000 annually, it allows simultaneous access on four devices. This price is cheaper than Netflix as well as domestic leading OTT providers such as Wavve, TVING, and Watcha.

To commemorate the service launch, Disney Korea will stream a Disney+ launch show featuring popular stars on its official YouTube channel from 8 p.m. The event will be hosted by Shin Dong-yup and Park Sun-young, with performances by the contemporary dance group Ambiguous Dance Company, a 30-piece orchestra, and singers Ok Joo-hyun, Gil Byung-min, and Ailee.

◆ Domestic Telecom Companies Also Compete for Customers... Launch Bundled Plans

Domestic telecom companies such as LG Uplus and KT have also joined forces with Disney+ to compete for customers. Disney+ has signed an exclusive partnership with LG Uplus for the IPTV sector and partnerships with LG Uplus and KT for the mobile sector, officially launching the service from this day.

LG Uplus introduced a bundled plan combining IPTV and OTT in conjunction with Disney+. The newly launched IPTV-exclusive plan, 'Premium Disney+', costs KRW 24,600 per month (3-year contract, internet bundle basis, VAT included) and allows unlimited enjoyment of U+tv, internet, and Disney+ content.

In the mobile sector, LG Uplus also launched five 'Disney+ Premium Pack' plans. Subscribers to 5G plans costing KRW 95,000 or more and LTE plans in the KRW 100,000 range receive Disney+ subscription vouchers monthly. The plans eligible for the Premium Pack include 5G Premier Regular, 5G Premier Plus, 5G Premier Super, 5G Signature, and LTE Premier Plus.

Additionally, LG Uplus is running a promotion to commemorate the partnership with Disney+, offering a 3-month subscription voucher to new subscribers of IPTV, internet, and mobile services.

KT, which has a mobile partnership, also launched the 'Disney+ Choice' plan, allowing use of Disney+ along with unlimited 5G data. Subscribers to 5G plans such as Super Plan Premium Choice (KRW 130,000), Super Plan Special Choice (KRW 110,000), or Super Plan Basic Choice (KRW 90,000) can use Disney+ without additional cost under this new plan.

Meanwhile, ahead of Disney+'s launch, Apple TV+ also started its domestic service on the 4th in partnership with SK Broadband. SK Broadband customers receive the 'Apple TV 4K' as the default set-top box and can watch Btv live TV content, VOD, and movies.

HBO Max, which owns dramas like 'Game of Thrones' and movies like 'Harry Potter', is also expected to start service in Korea soon. WarnerMedia, HBO Max's operator, posted a job opening for HBO Max Korea on LinkedIn at the end of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.