[IT Experience] Wave, TVING, Watcha Focus on the 'Core'... Netflix Falls Short

Tried SK Broadband's New Product 'PlayZ'

I connected SK Broadband's 'All-in-One Play Box' PlayZ to the living room TV. Photo by Cha Min-young

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] 'Average of 2.7 per Korean citizen'

It is truly the "era of OTT," as shown by the Korea Creative Content Agency's survey revealing that the entire population subscribes to two or more online video streaming services (OTT) simultaneously. Just as the media landscape shifted from cable TV to IPTV in the past, a rapid transition from IPTV to OTT is now underway. SK Broadband, whose main business is IPTV, has also embarked on an "OTT experiment" to capture MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) customers who do not watch IPTV.

PlayZ set-top box main unit that fits in one hand

Launched in January by SK Broadband, "PlayZ" is an OTT box that combines Android TV and an OTT service portal. Emphasizing portability, the main unit is small and light enough to fit in one hand. The product weighs only 66g, making it compact enough to fit snugly into a women's handbag. Included in the package are an HDMI port cable, power adapter, LAN cable for wired connection, remote control, and batteries.

I installed PlayZ on an LG TV in the living room and connected it to wireless Wi-Fi. There was no burden since it was not necessary to use SK Broadband internet. The connection itself was not difficult, but including the software download of just over 1GB, the initial setup took about 15 minutes. The first login also required a one-time phone number verification.

The home screen layout adopted a familiar user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) style typical of general OTT services. On the left side, a narrow menu channel featured ChannelZ, series, movies, games, and more, while the right side displayed a long row of content posters on a large screen. At the top were default applications including Wavve, TVING, Watcha, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV Plus (+), YouTube, Twitch, and AfreecaTV. All OTT services were paid, but some free content was also available, including favorites like "Love Playlist," which was a pleasant surprise. As previously announced, Netflix was not accessible.

Individual VODs are provided together with information about the OTT service providers.

As an OTT portal, the volume of content was overwhelming. Selecting "Thirty-Nine," which was included in this week's comprehensive OTT rankings, automatically brought up the TVING icon on the screen, indicating that you could watch it on TVING. The popular animation "Demon Slayer" was available on three platforms: TVING, Wavve, and Watcha. There was no need to individually access and search each OTT service. For overseas series, rare programs were easily accessible via Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video.

Since it is Android TV, additional app downloads were possible. From the Google Play Store, various apps such as Disney+, Red Bull TV, TED, and news apps could be freely downloaded. It was also possible to easily watch YouTube videos through mirroring using the Google Chromecast method. Mirroring transfers the smartphone screen to another device over the same Wi-Fi network.

A scene from the broadcast of the 'Dallyeora Bangtan' channel

One unexpectedly attractive feature was the live channel, ChannelZ. Compared to IPTV filled with countless home shopping channels and general broadcasts, the approximately 30 channels with over 80% entertainment, drama, and movie content felt like a strong advantage. There were six domestic drama channels alone, and along with KakaoTV, you could watch shows like Run BTS and YG TV. There were also two e-sports channels broadcasting game competitions. Pressing the "Z" key on the remote connected directly to the full schedule, allowing quick checking.

With karaoke venues becoming difficult to access, apps like Kumyoung Karaoke seemed useful. Searching for a singer and selecting a song played the lyrics along with the accompaniment. With just a wireless microphone, any place?whether a campsite or hotel?could become a karaoke room. Shooting, golf, and board games were also available. However, nostalgic arcade games dominated the "retro games" category, so continuous use seemed unlikely.

After using PlayZ for over half a day on the weekend, it appeared to be a cost-effective alternative for those without smart TVs or who do not use IPTV. The biggest advantage was that there was no separate monthly fee, and for 79,000 KRW, this domestic OTT box could make an old TV feel like a new smart TV. On the downside, the fundamental limitation of no access to Netflix content such as "All of Us Are Dead" was disappointing. The quality of game content, which seemed somewhat lacking for a product concept called "all-in-one play box," also needs improvement in the future.