[Start人] LiveConnect "Watch Idol Performances Live at Home Without Interruptions"

Interview with Startup LiveConnect CEO Shin Heeyong
Live Streaming Demand Increases Amid COVID-19
Recognized for Stability After Managing Over 200 Performances

Shin Hee-yong, CEO who has established his position working in the entertainment industry since the late 1990s at companies like SM and Seoul Records. One day, when a friend asked him to get tickets for an idol singer's concert, he suddenly had this thought: "Isn't there a way to enjoy live performances vividly at home in real time?" Shin's vision of a world where anyone can comfortably watch live stages at home without audience limits became the founding motivation for 'LiveConnect.'

In 2019, LiveConnect partnered with KAI Co., Ltd., the developer of the multi-angle video system 'ScreenX,' to create the 'Multi-view' feature that allows viewers to watch idol singers performing on stage in an immersive way. Multi-view functions like a fancam, letting users focus on one singer they want to see on a large screen, watching videos by member and angle, and switching screens seamlessly.

The service was planned to launch in November 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. As the contactless market rapidly grew, concert streaming companies began to emerge like mushrooms. They could not wait until the end of the year. Starting with a jazz musician's performance in July that year, LiveConnect has conducted over 200 live streaming concerts to date, gaining recognition for its stability. The service differentiated itself by providing real-time chat between fans and artists before and after performances, as well as subtitles in English, Chinese, and Japanese, securing its place in the market. Renowned singers such as IZ*ONE, Kang Daniel, and Solar met their fans through LiveConnect. Meanwhile, concert streaming companies without technological support often shut down due to unstable services caused by server crashes amid rapid user growth.

Shin Heeyong, CEO of LiveConnect

LiveConnect recorded sales of 800 million KRW in 2020 and 1.6 billion KRW last year, receiving a 3 billion KRW Series A investment from NCSoft. CEO Shin stated, "We can provide stable real-time streaming with high-quality video and audio without limiting the number of users," adding, "We are also preparing challenges using advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and extended reality (XR)." He predicted, "With the endemic era, performances are increasing toward the end of the year, and as more idol singers enter the global stage, the live streaming market will expand further."

LiveConnect is expanding its scope by building its own platform, 'LAKUS.' CEO Shin explained, "We felt the need to start a service unique to LiveConnect after streaming through other platforms," and added, "We are designing a platform where ticket purchases, concert viewing, and merchandise purchases are possible, and that can accommodate all new services to be developed in the future." On LAKUS, LiveConnect plans to stream performances it produces and invests in live, as well as provide new content in the form of web variety shows.

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