[Zoom In] "TV and Theaters? This Is How We Enjoy Them"

Expansion of the Web Content Market... The Era of One Person, One Channel
Popular Channels like Shotbox, Panibottle, and Geunhwang Olympic
Influence Rivaling Broadcasts and Movies
"Professional and Detailed Targeting"

Shortbox Kim Won-hoon, Jo Jin-se / Photo by Meta Comedy

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] There was a time when I used to lower my head to appear on TV. Appearing on high-rating programs was essential to gain recognition and popularity. The competition rate for broadcasters' open recruitment talents and comedians reached hundreds to one, and agencies competed to get their entertainers on air.

It also became rare to sit in front of the TV at specific times on weekends to watch variety shows and wait through commercials. This is because people can now choose and enjoy content anytime and anywhere they want.

The same goes for movies. The youth generation born in the 2000s does not consider watching movies only in theaters. Being familiar with various platforms such as Over-The-Top (OTT) services and YouTube, they feel the boundaries of movies are blurred. Whether watching at home on TV, on a mobile phone, or sitting in a theater, they all accept it as 'movies.'

Amid these market changes, the web content market has grown significantly. What was once considered a niche market has now broken into the mainstream and exerts tremendous influence. It is truly the era of one person, one channel. Not only celebrities but also non-celebrities are promoting 'themselves' through personal channels. This is even more useful for actors. It is said that casting officials for broadcasting and films send love calls after seeing images exposed through web content, showing its great power.

With the cancellation of KBS2's 'Gag Concert' in 2020, the era of gag shows on terrestrial broadcasting came to an end. Comedians who lost their place and drifted turned their eyes to online platforms. They dominated the YouTube market with ingenious ideas and relatable comedy.

KBS open recruitment 30th and 31st batch alumni Kim Wonhoon and Jo Jinse have gained popularity through the YouTube channel 'Shortbox.' They evoke laughter and empathy with 5-minute skits depicting the daily lives of couples. Especially, the 'Long-term Relationship' series, which recorded 5 million views, gained popularity and surpassed 1 million subscribers.

Comedian Lee Eunji gained popularity by portraying the 2000s 'Playing Sisters' concept alter ego 'Gil Eunji,' a class of 2005 queen bee, through the YouTube channel 'Pisik University,' and recently has been attracting attention with comedian Lee Changho through 'Flirting Tiki-taka.' Afterwards, Lee Eunji expanded her activities by appearing on MBC variety show 'I Live Alone.'

Travel YouTuber Panibottle (Park Jaehan) planned and produced the web drama 'Jojoso,' which depicts the daily life of a small and medium-sized enterprise employee. 'Jojoso' was released on a YouTube channel in January last year and gained great popularity as the SME version of 'Misaeng.' It was later released on Watcha and produced up to season 4. Panibottle, credited as director and planner, participated only until season 3.

Junyi (Jung Junhwa) and Taeki (Park Hyuntaek), former entertainment reporters, run 'Geunhwang Olympics,' which is also popular. It is content that interviews the current status of nostalgic celebrities or trending figures from the past. Launched in April 2019, it has surpassed 610,000 subscribers. Its strong casting power seems to have driven its popularity. As difficult situations of appearing stars are conveyed, fundraising occurs, or it serves as a stepping stone for their comeback, demonstrating powerful influence.

Regarding the changing market, a representative from a content production company said, "We cannot turn back the clock. As platforms expand and diversify, viewing patterns have changed rapidly, and this will continue. Competition will likely become even fiercer."

He added, "It is truly an era where content is pouring out. Barriers between platforms are lowering, and only high-quality content will survive. The production flow is also changing. Although the youth generation is the core target in the web market, detailed target setting is required even within that. At the production stage, there is a trend to define targets in detail, then plan stories, select directors, and cast actors accordingly to produce content."

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