Terrestrial dramas have long been established as widely recognized TV programs, produced and broadcast through terrestrial broadcasting stations. In contrast, Over-the-Top (OTT) services are digitally distributed streaming platforms, with global streaming giants, Watcha, and Wavve being representative examples. As viewing trends evolve, competition between terrestrial dramas and OTT services has heightened. Consequently, each platform is creating unique content and employing distinct strategies to strengthen its competitiveness.
Differentiation Strategies of Terrestrial Dramas
Terrestrial broadcast series focus on providing productions with widespread popularity while maintaining classic narrative structures. In particular, they actively cast renowned leads to attract audience interest and produce television series that resonate with a broad spectrum of viewers, thereby securing a broad viewer base. Additionally, leveraging their decades of industry presence and brand trust, they continue to offer traditional stories, ensuring stable viewership ratings. This allows audiences to find more ways to engage with traditional content 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 adopt new genres and experimental formats, prioritizing artistic direction and cinematic quality over broad popularity. Secondly, they provide tailored content that caters to specific interests, targeting niche audiences. Lastly, they focus on producing multinational content aimed at the expanding international scene, allowing them to attract subscribers not only in their home country but also internationally. Through these strategies, OTT platforms are building industry dominance in ways different from legacy channels.
Competition and Collaboration Between Platforms
As legacy media companies increasingly penetrate the streaming space, competition has become fierce. For instance, one of Korea’s leading networks and MBC operate their own OTT services, 'KBS Streaming Hub' and 'wavve', respectively, distributing their existing TV shows on internet-based distribution channels. This initiative helps preserve the market presence of legacy networks while attracting new viewership. Meanwhile, the growth of competing streaming networks is shifting audience preferences towards more user-controlled content access.
Conversely, digital platforms are also solidifying their influence by partnering with legacy content producers. A 후후티비 leading global streaming giant has gained worldwide success with Hallyu series like the breakout survival thriller and the supernatural dystopian sensation, leveraging the drama production capabilities of traditional industry leaders. This synergy helps both parties leverage their advantages, fostering a richer content environment. As a result, the lines between terrestrial and digital platforms continue to become less defined.
Ultimately, legacy TV series and streaming platforms are both fighting for dominance and finding common ground through their respective unique approaches. Terrestrial dramas maintain established storytelling and broad accessibility, whereas OTT services provide bold and internationally appealing content. As synergy and cooperation between these platforms continue to expand, audiences can expect a richer and enriched entertainment experience in the future.