15-Second Videos: Short Filming Time and Easy Editing Make Content Trend
Naver Launches 'Blog Moment'... Kakao Prepares 'TokTV' Service
[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] The rural hairdresser 'Hojin-ssam' transformed into a global hair designer by uploading short videos related to hairstyles on TikTok. Hojin-ssam has 270,000 followers and a cumulative 2.7 million likes. In fact, there are even Chinese and Vietnamese customers who visit the hair salon located in Jeungpyeong-gun, Chungbuk. This is a star created by the 'TikTok craze.'
◆ Young people enthusiastic about short videos = The success stories of 'YouTubers' in the past are now being continued by 'TikTokers.' TikTok, which shares videos from 15 to 60 seconds, recorded 2 billion cumulative downloads and 500 million monthly active users (MAU) as of April, maintaining its position as the king in the 'short-form (Short-Form, videos around 10 minutes) content market.' According to Sensor Tower, TikTok generated revenue of $176.9 million (approximately 214.2 billion KRW) last year.
TikTok accurately targeted changes in video consumption patterns and captured users' hearts. As it became an era where people watch videos whenever they have time through smartphones, consumption of concise short-form content increased. The main consumers of video content, Generation Z (born after 1995), even feel that 10 minutes is long. According to market research firm Mezzomedia, 56% of teenagers prefer short-form content under 10 minutes. Recently, YouTube content has also mainly consisted of short videos around 10 minutes.
The charm of TikTok that captivated users is its 'simplicity.' TikTok, which uploads 15-second videos, has a short shooting time and provides editing tools, so anyone can easily use it. Thanks to this, users continuously create and upload content, which others imitate and reproduce, turning it into a form of play culture.
◆ IT giants' 'short-form' battle = Inspired by TikTok's success, domestic and international IT giants have entered the 'short-form video' market. Google launched the one-minute video platform 'Tangi,' and Twitter released 'Byte' in January. Jeffrey Katzenberg, founder of DreamWorks, and Meg Whitman, former CEO of eBay, unveiled the short-form internet video service (OTT) 'Quibi' on the 6th. YouTube is also reportedly preparing 'Shorts,' a platform similar to TikTok.
South Korea's two major portals, Naver and Kakao, have also joined the short-form market featuring videos around 10 minutes. On the 10th, Naver launched 'Blog Moment,' a short-form video editing service. Kakao is focusing on producing short-form content by recruiting many star PDs through its subsidiary Kakao M. In the first half of this year, Kakao plans to introduce a separate channel called 'TokTV (tentative name)' on KakaoTalk to distribute various types of content, including short-form videos.
Experts predict that the short-form trend will gradually become mainstream. Professor Lee Byung-min of Konkuk University's Department of Cultural Contents said, "With the spread of smartphones and 5G, anyone can edit videos and immediately post reactions," adding, "As global companies enter, short-form content, which was previously considered unusual, will become more established and widespread."
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