November 12 Domestic Full Launch
Disney, Pixar, Marvel and 6 Brands
Over 16,000 Episodes of Rich Content
Includes Many Korean Original Contents
CEO Osangho's Pick is 'Mandalorian'
Osangho, CEO of The Walt Disney Company Korea, held the 'Korea Media Day' event online on the 14th and introduced the online video streaming service (OTT) 'Disney+'. Photo by Osangho, standing at the podium
[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Oh Sang-ho, CEO of Walt Disney Company Korea, stated on the 14th, "Just as Disney has brought joy to domestic consumers, we will continue to deliver new and original stories to everyone every day through 'Disney Plus (+)'."
Before the launch of the online video streaming service (OTT) Disney+ in Korea on the 12th of next month, an online 'Korea Media Day' event was held. Disney+ offers a wide range of movies and TV program content from Disney's six core brands: ‘Disney’, ‘Pixar’, ‘Marvel’, ‘Star Wars’, ‘National Geographic’, and ‘Star’.
CEO Oh Sang-ho said, "Over the past 30 years, Disney has expanded its business in various fields in Korea, delivering new entertainment experiences to Korean consumers and striving to make outstanding and original stories accessible to everyone." He added, "With the launch of Disney+, we will continuously expand collaboration with Korean partners and creators. We will elevate Disney’s long-standing efforts to broaden its connection with domestic consumers to the next level."
Jay Trinidad, Head of DTC (Direct-to-Consumer) Business for The Walt Disney Company Asia-Pacific, spoke as a presenter.
The key keywords for the Asia-Pacific market strategy are partnership, local content, and creativity. Jay Trinidad, Head of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) business for Walt Disney Company Asia-Pacific, said, "Korea captivates global audiences with its outstanding cultural content and is sweeping the global content and entertainment industry. Through the Korean launch, we hope to introduce the best global entertainment to domestic consumers and showcase Korea’s creative excellence to audiences worldwide."
With the launch of Disney+, consumers can enjoy over 16,000 episodes of movies and TV programs, including the Star brand, which offers a broad range of general entertainment. The Star brand provides original series created in partnership with domestic content creators, Korean content, as well as content from ABC, 20th Television, 20th Century Studios, and Searchlight Pictures.
Among the numerous movies and TV programs, CEO Oh Sang-ho strongly recommends the first live-action Star Wars drama series aired on Disney+, 'The Mandalorian.' Oh said with a smile, "Even those who are not Star Wars fans can enjoy it, but Star Wars fans will find it incredibly entertaining. It is one of the top Disney+ contents I recommend." Trinidad recommended the Marvel series, while Kim So-yeon, Executive Director of DTC business at Walt Disney Company Korea, recommended classic Disney and Pixar films.
The subscription fee is 9,900 KRW per month or 99,000 KRW annually. Disney+ can be accessed on Android and iOS-based mobile and tablet devices, as well as smart TVs and connected TVs. It is also available through LG Uplus IPTV and mobile, LG HelloVision cable TV, and KT mobile platforms. Up to four devices can be connected simultaneously, and downloads are supported on up to 10 mobile devices. Individual profiles, including child profiles, can be set up, and group viewing features are also available.
Consumers can subscribe to Disney+ starting November 12 through the official Disney+ website or Android and iOS apps. More detailed information is available on the online site.
"Disney is a good citizen"
The impact of the global OTT giant Disney+ on the domestic market is also expected to be significant. The greatest anticipation is that the main stage for Korean content creators will expand further. CEO Oh Sang-ho said, "We will work to introduce various local content in partnership with Korean companies and grow together. We are also preparing programs for various regional communities, including Korea."
Executive Director Kim So-yeon emphasized, "Demand for local content is continuously increasing not only in Asia but worldwide," adding, "Interest in Korean content is very high." In fact, among the more than 20 new works introduced at the APAC-related event scheduled for the afternoon, a significant number are Korean productions.
Regarding the currently heated dispute over network usage fees between domestic Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and global Content Providers (CPs), it is expected that Disney+ will have limited likelihood of repeating such conflicts. The lawsuit between SK Broadband and Netflix is a representative case. On this matter, Head Trinidad explained, "Disney is a good citizen and will actively cooperate with various CDN providers," adding, "We believe this will likely provide consumers with the best streaming experience."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
