[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Kakao(035720)’s video platform “KakaoTV” has shut down after nine years of service. Once aspiring to become Korea’s leading video platform based on KakaoTalk, the service invested heavily in original content production and live streaming, but it was unable to keep pace with the shifting trends in the content market, which has shifted toward YouTube, Over-The-Top (OTT) services, and short-form content. Kakao is now reworking its strategy to focus on growing short-form content and a creator ecosystem within KakaoTalk itself, rather than maintaining its own standalone video platform.

According to the IT industry on the 30th, KakaoTV officially ceased operations at 2:00 a.m. that day. KakaoTV had previously announced in March, “After much deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to discontinue the service due to the rapidly changing trends in the content market and shifts in the operating environment.” Starting June 1, the platform suspended the creation of new channels and the uploading of video-on-demand (VOD) content, while continuing to support user video backups until the service’s termination date.

Kakao explained, “KakaoTV has strived to be a space where creators and users can communicate closely,” adding, “We have reviewed the service’s operational direction from various angles, and in the process of restructuring the service, we decided to terminate it after comprehensively considering business efficiency and mid- to long-term competitiveness.”

Experimenting with a “Korean-Style Video Platform” Through Originals and Live Streaming

KakaoTV took its first steps in 2017. Building on the strong user base of KakaoTalk and Daum, it explored its growth potential as a “Korean-style video platform” by offering broadcast clips, live streams, VOD, and original content. It provided direct access to original content within the KakaoTalk #Tab and offered live content across various genres, including news, games, music, and entertainment.

At the time, KakaoTV’s role went beyond that of a simple video platform. It served primarily as a content hub designed to keep users engaged longer within the Kakao ecosystem. The strategy was to secure user touchpoints through KakaoTalk—the nation’s most popular messenger—and the Daum portal, while increasing dwell time by integrating its own original content and live broadcasts.

Kakao also poured its heart and soul into the content competition. In the early 2020s, KakaoTV dove headfirst into producing original content, prioritizing content optimized for mobile. The drama *Daughter-in-Law* resonated with viewers by realistically depicting the in-laws and married life, while the variety show *Real Kyung-kyu* garnered attention with its concept of Lee Kyung-kyu’s foray into digital variety. In addition, it sought to establish KakaoTV’s unique identity by launching variety shows and dramas such as “The Ant Is Chubby Again Today,” “Shall We Chat?,” “Merseon 129,” “Change Days,” and “The Crazy One in This Neighborhood.”

KakaoTV positioned original content as the key to differentiating its platform. The plan was to adapt Kakao’s intellectual property (IP), such as webtoons and web novels, into video formats and lead the way in creating new video consumption habits by prioritizing short, fast-paced content tailored to the mobile viewing environment. The platform targeted the mobile video market with “mid-form” content—runs of around 20 to 30 minutes—that are shorter than full-length dramas or variety shows but offer more narrative depth than short-form content.

A portal-style video platform overshadowed by YouTube, OTT, and short-form platforms

However, the market landscape changed rapidly. Consumption of long-form video shifted toward OTT services like Netflix, while everyday video consumption gravitated toward short-form platforms such as YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and TikTok. As YouTube’s influence grew—backed by its creator ecosystem, recommendation algorithms, and advertising monetization structure—the market position of general-purpose video platforms based on portals and messengers narrowed.

The competitive landscape among domestic platforms has also changed. Naver (NAVER(035420)) is strengthening its presence in live-based content areas—such as game streaming, esports, and sports broadcasts—by promoting Chizchiz. SOOP(067160) is also maintaining its own ecosystem centered on personal broadcasting and real-time communities. In contrast, KakaoTV had a strong character as a comprehensive platform encompassing original content, live broadcasts, and general VOD. It is assessed that the platform had limitations in repeatedly retaining specific fanbases or users with specific consumption goals.

Consequently, KakaoTV had been gradually scaling back its features even before the service’s termination. Following the discontinuation of its sponsorship and ad revenue-sharing service in 2021, it ceased operations of “BizStation,” its ad and sponsorship settlement platform, later that same year. In 2023, it discontinued its paid original VOD programs, and in 2024, it shut down its mobile app service and VOD comment feature one after another. Last year, it further scaled back the platform’s features by discontinuing the live chat function.

Shift in Focus to KakaoTalk Short-Form Content… Content Supply Continues

This trend is also linked to changes in Kakao’s internal content strategy. Whereas KakaoTV previously focused on securing original content to increase user engagement within the Kakao ecosystem, the emphasis is now shifting toward transforming KakaoTalk itself into a content consumption platform. The strategy is to place feeds and short-form content within KakaoTalk—the app users open most frequently—to increase engagement time and expand touchpoints for advertising and commerce.

This also aligns with the “selection and focus” approach that has continued under CEO Jeong Shin-ah’s leadership. It is understood that KakaoTV is being phased out as part of the process of streamlining non-core and low-efficiency businesses and reorganizing core services around KakaoTalk and AI.

Last September, Kakao revamped the third tab in KakaoTalk to introduce its short-form video service. KakaoTalk Short Form is characterized by the ability to share videos within chat rooms, watch them simultaneously with friends, and exchange reactions. Kakao has been collaborating with various creators since before the service’s launch, and earlier this year, it held an open recruitment drive for official creators to be active on KakaoTalk Short Form. The company plans to expand the short-form ecosystem by providing users with a differentiated content experience while creating a stable environment for creators to operate.

However, the discontinuation of KakaoTV does not signify a scaling back of Kakao’s content production and distribution business. Kakao Entertainment continues to produce a wide range of video content—including dramas, movies, and variety shows—and distributes it to various platforms, such as domestic and international OTT services, broadcast networks, and movie theaters. Recently, the Netflix series *The Boy at the Back of the Class*, produced by Kakao Entertainment, achieved global success by entering the Netflix Top 10 in 32 countries worldwide, including South Korea, immediately after its release.

Kakao stated, “We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported Kakao TV over the years, and we will continue to do our best to provide diverse content and advanced services.”