SOOP’s CEO Seo Soo-gil has returned to lead the South Korean streaming platform as it faces mounting pressure from Naver Corp.’s CHZZK service, which has captured market leadership just a year after launch.
CHZZK reached 2.5 million monthly active users in December, edging past SOOP’s 2.35 million. The platform’s success stems from its integration with Naver’s ecosystem and exclusive rights to major esports events, including the League of Legends World Championship and domestic volleyball league.
To regain momentum, SOOP launched its global streaming platform in November, targeting Southeast Asian and English-speaking markets. The company rolled out SAVVY, an AI-powered video production system, and plans to introduce two more AI features – SOOPI for viewer assistance and SHARK for automated highlight generation.
The competition intensifies as Korea’s game streaming market is expected to hit 650 billion won ($493.6 million) this year. CHZZK’s demographic strength lies in younger viewers, with over 85% of users in their teens and twenties.
Naver is doubling down on its streaming ambitions by building a specialized virtual streamer studio at its headquarters, signaling a long-term commitment to the sector.
