There’s a new free streaming platform dedicated to Korean content called BINGE Korea popping up on various platforms.
The platform comes from South Korean media company Next Entertainment World and its subsidiary, NEW ID, according to Variety. The ad-supported service launches on Samsung and LG smart TVs and Amazon Fire TV, but will expand to Roku, iOS and Android TV, Variety reported.
BINGE Korea launches at a fortuitous time, with interest in all things Korea are at a fevered pitch. Between bands like BTC and Blackpink, shows like Squid Games and award-winning Parasite, global audiences have increasingly welcomed Korean content. Fans are converging to Los Angeles this weekend for KCON, a fan convention focused on Korean culture and music.
Netflix helped drive some of that popularity, with not only Squid Games, but a host of Korean drama options including revenge thriller My Name, monster shockfest Sweet Home and zombie survival show All of Us are Dead, to name a few. The company said it plans to spend $2.5 billion on Korean productions over the next four years, double the amount it spent since 2016.
NEW ID is already the largest operator of free ad-supported streaming services, according to Variety.
Like larger ad-supported platforms Pluto, BINGE Korea will have multiple channels, from one dedicated to food to others focused around a single show, like kids cartoon Robocar Poli.
These kinds of services have grown in popularity over the last few years thanks to rise in price of subscription services like Netflix and Disney+.