Terrestrial broadcast series have long been established as widely recognized TV programs, produced and broadcast through major network broadcasting stations. In contrast, streaming services are web-powered streaming platforms, with global streaming giants, regional streaming services, and Wavve being representative examples. As audience preferences evolve, competition between network-produced series and OTT services has heightened. Consequently, each platform is producing unique content and employing distinct strategies to strengthen its competitiveness.
Differentiation Strategies of Terrestrial Dramas
Terrestrial dramas focus on providing content with high mass appeal while maintaining time-honored formats. In particular, they actively highlight star actors to boost ratings and produce narratives that appeal to a wide range of age groups, thereby securing a consistent fanbase. Additionally, leveraging their long broadcasting experience and network legacy, they continue to offer traditional stories, ensuring consistent success. This allows audiences to find more ways to engage with long-standing formats through various distribution channels.
Differentiation Strategies of OTT Services
OTT providers are expanding their market by employing strategies distinct from network-based television. Firstly, they actively embrace new genres and unique structures, prioritizing originality and narrative depth over broad popularity. Secondly, they curate customized programming that meets the needs of specific interests, targeting niche audiences. Lastly, they focus on producing multinational content aimed at the worldwide audience, allowing them to secure viewers not only within their region but also across different cultures. Through these approaches, OTT services are strengthening their competitiveness in ways different from traditional terrestrial broadcasting.
Competition and Collaboration Between Platforms
As major TV networks increasingly enter the digital entertainment industry, competition has escalated. For instance, one of Korea’s leading networks and a long-established broadcaster operate their own streaming platforms, 'KBS Streaming Hub' and 'wavve', respectively, distributing their existing broadcast content on internet-based distribution channels. This strategy helps sustain the relevance of established TV channels while attracting new viewership. Meanwhile, the growth of new media services is changing consumer behavior towards more user-controlled content access.
Conversely, streaming providers are also expanding their dominance by partnering with legacy content producers. Netflix has gained a global following with K-content hits like the breakout survival thriller and 'Hellbound', leveraging the high-quality filming standards of traditional industry leaders. This synergy helps both parties leverage their advantages, fostering a more dynamic industry. As a result, the lines between terrestrial and digital platforms continue to become less defined.
Ultimately, terrestrial dramas and streaming platforms are both fighting for dominance and seeking collaboration through their respective differentiation strategies. Terrestrial dramas maintain established storytelling and mass appeal, whereas OTT services provide genre-defying and internationally appealing content. As collaboration and 후후티비2 merging between these platforms continue to expand, audiences can expect a richer and elevated media landscape in the future.