‘V’ app aims to connect K-pop stars with overseas fans

Naver, South Korea’s biggest search portal, will launch a real-time mobile broadcasting app featuring the country’s hottest and newest K-pop singers and idol bands for the global audience and fans next month.

In partnerships with Korea’s major entertainment and talent agencies including SM and YG, the global V app will stream the stars’ live concerts and their daily activities behind the scenes with real-time English subtitles.

Also, the video streaming app will have communication features enabling stars to closely interact with fans in Asia and elsewhere.

For instance, the app can broadcast stars going to the Incheon Airport and letting their fans know that they are traveling to their countries for concerts or fan meetings, or show what they do minutes before performing live onstage.

More than 20 K-pop idol groups, including BIGBANG and 2PM, have signed on to appear live on the V streaming app. Naver will provide its expertise in platform operations and marketing, while talent agencies will provide the content.

Naver’s “V” app logo. (Naver)

The V app mainly target Asian countries where K-pop is popular such as Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Its UX design and features will all be in English. Naver will test-launch the V service on the Android operating system on Aug. 1 and on the iOS in mid-August. Its official launch will be at the end of next month.

“The V broadcasting platform seeks to provide a bigger window of opportunities to introduce K-pop content overseas,” said Choi Seo-hee, spokesperson for Naver.

“We hope to create new Korean stars (like Justin Bieber via YouTube) while further promoting current hottest stars through the platform targeting the Asian markets.”

Naver added that it seeks to expand the V app by linking with its online video platform TV Cast and inviting other Korean celebrities such as movie and TV actors and actresses. 

Naver's soon-to-be launched “V” app will allow K-pop stars to stream live their daily activities and closely interact with fans via mobile devices. (Naver)

Given the lack of mobile network infrastructure especially in emerging Asian markets, Naver’s TV Cast will offer videos of stars featured on the V app so that fans can m on their PCs. It does not have any plans yet to link the app with Naver’s Line mobile messenger.

Naver created the global mobile video-streaming app as talent agencies are facing a limit in introducing their K-pop content and diversifying their earnings overseas using a very few conventional domestic distribution channels. There are only four music programs by Korean network televisions. Most entertainment agencies have set up their channels on YouTube, but have attracted little attention.

By Park Hyong-ki (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Source: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150729000975


>> You can register to be notified once the app can be downloaded here: https://campaign.naver.com/v/en/

[OSEN=??? ??] YG Entertainment’s August is going to be made more special.

In September, YG is expected to arouse much attention by showcasing an incredible line-up of artists. BIGBANG’s “MADE” will be completed and iKON will make a debut on 15th. The now world-star PSY will come back with a new track. All of them will be showcased every 2 weeks.

But their special September will be following a very different August. On August 5, BIGBANG’s new two tracks will be unveiled. The two music videos with the tracks are expected to heat up the music world once again. The final album “E” will feature “FANTASTIC” by GD & T.O.P, and one another is yet to be unveiled. Rappers GD & T.O.P are going to show some incredible chemistry.

BIGBANG has been moving on with flying colors since May, sweeping across all charts with their new songs every month. “LOSER,” “BAE BAE,” “BANG BANG BANG,” “WE LIKE 2 PARTY”, “IF YOU” and “SOBER” have been huge hits, so it is only natural that expectations for the last two are growing.

August is made special because of the artists carrying out their careers in different fields. The soundtracks from MBC’s “Infinite Challenge” will be unveiled in mid-August.

BIGBANG’s GD and TAEYANG will be teamed up with Gwang Hee. GD and TAEYANG will showcase something very different on the program, and considering the enormous popularity the program garners, the tracks will become huge hits.

And there’s another one, “Show Me the Money 4.” WINNER’s SONG MIN HO is involved in the program, and the tracks from it will also be unveiled in August. “Infinite Challenge” and “Show Me the Money” will have a huge influence on the music world. August will be filled with YG artists’ impact.

And then comes iKON and PSY. PSY’s song is a summery one, and he thought of making a comeback in August, but he decided to come after all the other artists. BIGBANG-iKON-PSY line-up is already exciting the fans in the music world.

2015. 7. 29.
Source: http://www.yg-life.com/archives/53571?lang=en