LG Uplus "Raising Aideulnara Like Netflix"

Targeting 1 Million Subscribers by 2027... Aggressive Expansion Without Company Name
Interactive Content and Personalized Recommendations Differentiate Service

LG Uplus models using the Idleunara OTT service. Photo by LG Uplus

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] LG Uplus announced that it will revamp 'Idulnara' into a kids' online video streaming service (OTT) and nurture it as the 'Netflix for kids.' The company will also remove the LG Uplus name and expand the service to the entire nation.

On the 10th, LG Uplus held a briefing at its Yongsan headquarters in Seoul and revealed that it will transform the IPTV-based infant media platform U+Idulnara into a mobile-based kids-only OTT service called 'Idulnara,' targeting young children and their parents. The plan is to achieve 1 million domestic and international subscribers by 2027, five years from now.

Removing the Brand Name and Announcing Aggressive Market Expansion... "We Will Become the 'Kids Netflix'"

LG Uplus unveiled a new brand identity (BI) that removes the company name, aiming to make Idulnara a kids OTT service used by the entire population, including customers of other companies, rather than just an IPTV add-on service. This marks a full-scale service revamp five years after launching Idulnara as an IPTV add-on service in 2017.

Jong-wook Park, Executive Director and Head of Idulnara at LG Uplus, said, "We plan to expand Idulnara into an OTT to increase customer service usage time. We will continuously expand services and content that satisfy both children and parents, nurturing it into the Netflix of the kids OTT market."

Children's Country Differentiators. Photo by LG Uplus

Differentiation through Interactive Content and Metadata-Based Content Recommendations... Plans for Global Expansion

The revamped Idulnara features a total of 50,000 pieces of content, including about 10,000 interactive contents, a customized content recommendation service based on 1,200 detailed metadata categories, and a growth report for children based on usage history. Newly added interactive content includes 'Video Reading' where teachers conduct post-reading activities, 'Touchbook' (218 titles) that responds to touch, '3D Augmented Reality (AR) Stereoscopic Books' (600 titles), 'Coding through Storybooks' (338 titles), and 'Disney Learning+' (3,200 titles) for learning English through Disney cartoons.

Children can read books and participate in classes with teachers who hold reading instructor certifications, or become the main character to develop stories. They can develop problem-solving skills by coding storybook content and learn English by mimicking Disney dialogues and songs.

The service expands digital touchpoints not only for children but also for parents. After diagnosing the tendencies of both children and parents, it recommends customized content that supports child development using the diagnosis results and metadata from 1,200 content items. Based on one month of usage history, it provides an 'Our Child Growth Report' service showing activity status such as content viewing and quiz participation. This differentiates itself from existing services that simply recommend content based on viewing data or only show content usage status.

LG Uplus plans to target the corporate (B2B) education market such as kindergartens and also aims for global market expansion. Idulnara will be showcased at the largest domestic infant education exhibition, the 'Seoul International Early Childhood Education & Kids Fair,' held at COEX on the 17th. Idulnara can be used on smartphones and tablet PCs. U+tv customers can also watch the service on IPTV, excluding interactive content. The monthly subscription fee is 25,000 KRW (VAT included), with the first month free. Additionally, if subscribed by the end of January 2023, customers can continue the service at a 60% discounted rate of 9,900 KRW per month (VAT included).

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