PR84869

SEOUL, South Korea, July 23, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- 5G-Powered Live Relays of K-Pop Shows to Hong Kong -

- Export of High-Definition VOD Repackages and VR Formats -

- KT to Extend Korean Content Markets to Southeast Asia -

KT Corp. (KRX: 030200; NYSE: KT), South Korea's largest telecommunications

company, announced that it is now streaming live performances by K-pop idols

aspiring for global stages to Hong Kong audiences.

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200722/2864474-1 

caption: KT is rehearsing 'KT Live Stage', which is high-definition global

streaming of K-pop contents

The new 5G-powered service began under a contract on content sale that KT

signed on July 15 with China Mobile's music subsidiary, Migu, the leading

Korean mobile carrier said.

The contract is an extension of a 2019 memorandum of understanding on

collaboration in services of 5G-based new media contents. KT is the first

Korean 5G network carrier to export Korean pop music and other digital

entertainment contents via China Mobile's subsidiary.

In December 2019, KT's 5G network began global broadcasts of K-pop groups on

its "KT Live Stage" program. Since then it has relayed seven live programs each

month to audiences in Korea via Seezn - KT's OTT streaming service - and in

Hong Kong via Migu's platform. Those KT Live Stage programs also have been

repackaged into VOD format to export.

FarEasTone, a Taiwanese telecommunications company with much interest in

high-definition streaming of K-pop contents, also provided its clients with

free viewing of KT Live Stage.

KT has collaborated with music promoters and producers in producing the VR

contents of all K-pop artists who participated in KT's earlier live broadcast

programs. AR effects also have been added. The VR contents have been drawing

keen attention from K-pop fans around the world.

The KT stage lineups range from new K-pop artists who are aiming for global

markets to idol groups that have already established fandoms worldwide. K-pop

fans around the world continue to follow up their performances with tweets and

other SNS messages.

KT plans to further expand its live streaming service, targeting a growing

number of Asian countries sharing interest in K-pop contents.

The telecom giant also plans to provide its domestic clients with a variety of

global sports contents via Seezn, including those of the Chinese Volleyball

Super League, or CVL.

Kim Hoon-bae, KT's Executive vice president for Customer New Business Unit,

says the contract to sell Korean-produced entertainment contents to Migu is the

result of the telecom provider's efforts to help promote the global reach of

K-pop contents through its live streaming and other services.

As Kim noted, KT's subsidiary Genie Music signed contracts on the provision of

K-pop contents with Tencent Music Entertainment Group and FUGA in May this year.

Tencent Music Entertainment Group, a company that develops music streaming

services for the Chinese market, and FUGA, a Netherlands-based music technology

and services company, were the latest additions to the list of Genie Music's

some 50 overseas partners.

Among other partners are Amazon Music and TIDAL in the United States; Anghami,

the Middle East; Yandex Music, Russia; JioSaavn, India; and Qobuz, France.

In April this year, KT also agreed with three global content platforms - HBO,

VIKI and ODK - to provide them with "The First Shot," a low-budget web movie,

which Seezn had planned and financed.

Kim says the KT-Migu deal will help the Korean mobile carrier provide global

audiences with a variety of original contents as well as K-pop contents.

HBO and its subsidiaries are scheduled to broadcast "The First Shot" in 13

countries across Southeast Asia and South Asia in October. VIKI and ODK aired

the movie in North and South America, Europe, Oceania and the Middle East in April.

For more information, please visit our English website at

https://corp.kt.com/eng/ 

For inquiries, please contact our Global Media Relations Team at

kt.gmrt@gmail.com

source: KT Corp.

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