Kocowa
 | |
Type of site | OTT video streaming |
|---|---|
| Available in | English, Spanish, Portuguese |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Area served | Americas, Europe, Oceania |
| Owner | wavve Americas (KBS, MBC, SBS and SK Telecom) |
| Products | Video streaming |
| URL | www |
| Launched | November 2016 |
| Current status | Active |
Kocowa (stylized as KOCOWA) is an American over-the-top streaming service headquartered in Los Angeles as a joint venture between the top three Korean broadcast networks: KBS, MBC and SBS along with SK Telecom, who co-founded Wavve in South Korea,[1] to provide Korean entertainment including K-dramas, K-reality, K-variety, and K-pop to the Americas and all with multi-language subtitles.
A subsidiary of Wavve Americas, the name KOCOWA stands for Korean Content Wave.[2] Launched in July 2017,[3] it became the IP holder and content broker for its Korean programs to platforms such as Roku, Comcast, Prime Video, and others. In addition to streaming high-quality Korean content with premium subtitles on these platforms, they also offer access to the largest library of K-Dramas via their app.
History
[edit]
The top three Korean broadcast networks, KBS, MBC and SBS, consolidated their efforts to distribute content globally due to the rising demand for Korean content across the globe. In July 2017, KOCOWA launched its streaming services, making them accessible via smart TVs, web, and mobile.
In April 2024, Kocowa launched in Europe and Oceania making it accessible to stream on 39 countries.[4]
Services
[edit]KOCOWA streams a variety of Korean programs ranging from TV series such as School 2017 and The King in Love, variety shows Running Man and Infinite Challenge, and K-pop music programs including Inkigayo and Music Bank World Tour up to six hours after being broadcast in Korea.
KOCOWA offers a Live Stream that centers around the platform's 3 main content categories: Music, Dramas, and Reality. This line-up of content gives users a variety of entertainment options to enjoy while interacting with others on the platform. If subscribers choose to stream on a desktop or laptop, they can chat with other k-drama and k-pop fans in real time. Subscribers who speak English, Portuguese, or Spanish can participate in this interactive experience.
Business
[edit]KOCOWA is a subscription-based service offering a variety of plans from $0.99 per day, $6.99 per month, or $69.99 annually that provides full access to its programming without ads within six hours after being broadcast in Korea. Those who opt for the advertising-based plan can access new content after 24 hours of its release. In August 2017, Viki announced a partnership with KOCOWA which allows its Viki Pass Plus subscribers to have additional access to KOCOWA programming without a separate subscription on KOCOWA[5]
References
[edit]- ^ Frater, Patrick (December 21, 2022). "Wavve Buys Out KOCOWA, Specialty Streamer of Korean Content in the Americas". Variety. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (2017-07-24). "Korean Broadcasters Launch U.S. Streaming Service, Taking on Warner Bros.' DramaFever". Variety. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
- ^ Kocowa. "Streaming media platform KOCOWA launches in the United States, offering access to Korean TV Programs". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2017-10-04.
- ^ Whittock, Jesse (April 2, 2024). "K-Entertainment Streamer Kocowa+ Continues Rollout With Europe & Oceania Launches". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Viki Partners With KOCOWA to Offer New Subscription Option Called Viki Pass Plus". Kdrama Kisses. 2017-08-15. Retrieved 2017-10-05.
