Telecommunications companies in South Korea are expanding beyond their core business, venturing into drama and entertainment production. While over-the-top (OTT) platforms scale back on original content, telecom companies are leveraging big data to produce consumer-tailored shows, moving beyond media distribution platforms to full-fledged creators of original content.
Korea’s three major telecom companies—KT, LG Uplus, and SK Telecom—have adopted distinct strategies for their content offerings, according to industry insiders on Oct. 13.
KT is offering new films, dramas, and entertainment shows through its subsidiaries, KT Studio Genie and skyTV. LG Uplus is doing the same via its content-focused branch, STUDIO X+U. SK Telecom continues to back Waave, an integrated streaming platform that it co-owns with the country’s three largest national television networks.
“Successful content production boosts the company’s image,” said a telecom industry insider. “Beyond telecommunications and AI, content is emerging as another area where companies can build competitiveness.”
KT has been actively producing original content since 2022, following the success of the drama “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” on its cable channel ENA. This year, skyTV is focusing on producing entertainment shows, while KT Studio Genie handles drama production.
The original drama “Your Honor” recently became a viral hit with a 6% viewer rating. The show is available exclusively on KT’s platforms, Genie TV and ENA Channel. Other popular shows on ENA, such as “I am Solo,” “Hyunmookase,” and “My Child’s Private Life,” have also drawn attention.
The telecom industry’s move into content is part of a broader growth strategy involving media (content) and artificial intelligence.
After establishing its content production arm, STUDIO X+U, in 2022, LG U+ has focused on filling a niche in the content market by creating “mid-form” programs, each lasting under 30 minutes. Mid-form content is gaining attention for its fast-paced and compact storytelling. These 20–30 minute episodes are easy to digest and well-suited younger audiences who consume media on their smartphones.
We believe that well-made mid-form content will appeal to both young Koreans and audiences in China, so we are considering expanding overseas,” said a company representative. “We are determined to prove that telecom companies can excel at producing mobile-friendly content.”
SK Telecom is setting itself apart by offering popular dramas from the late 1990s and early 2000s through Waave. The director’s cut of the 2004 drama “My Lovely Sam Soon” ranked no.1 for new paid subscriptions on the streaming service upon its release.
