Tving and Wavve launch joint ‘Double Pass’ subscription ahead of merger

Domestic streaming services Tving and Wavve will launch a bundled subscription plan, the “Double Pass,” as a first step toward merging the two platforms.

A promotional image for Tving and Wavve's bundle subscription plan, the ″Double Pass″ [TVING/WAVVE]

Domestic streaming services Tving and Wavve will launch a bundled subscription plan, the “Double Pass,” as a first step toward merging the two platforms.

Tving and Wavve announced the new subscription plan on Monday, which will give users access to content from both services.

An early bird promotion will run until Sept. 30, offering up to 39 percent off the subscription fee. The plan will become available at 2 p.m. on Monday.

As of June, Tving’s monthly subscriptions are priced at 9,500 won ($7) for a basic plan that supports one user, 5,500 won for an ad-supported plan, 13,500 won for a standard plan that supports two users and 17,000 won for a premium plan that supports four users. Wavve’s pricing is slightly lower, with its basic plan at 7,900 won, the two-user plan at 10,900 won and the four-user plan at 13,900 won.

With the “Double Pass,” users can receive up to a 39 percent discount, saving as much as 12,400 won compared to subscribing to both services separately at the standard rate.

The new plan provides access to a wide content lineup, including Tving’s exclusive original shows and content from channels such as tvN, JTBC, OCN and Mnet. It also includes live broadcasts of KBO and KBL games, short-form content and titles available via the Apple TV+ brand hall. Wavve content includes its own original shows, exclusive overseas series and programming from terrestrial broadcasters MBC and KBS.

The subscription plan comes in four tiers, depending on user preferences. The “Double Slim” combines a standard ad-supported Tving subscription with a Wavve basic plan. The “Double Basic” includes the basic subscriptions of both services. The “Double Standard” pairs the standard plans, while the “Double Premium” includes the premium subscriptions of both platforms.

“This is the first case of crossing platform boundaries in Korea’s increasingly competitive streaming market,” a Tving representative said. “It will be an innovative alternative that expands content options and lowers costs for multi-homing users. We aim to deliver a stronger user experience through competitive pricing and differentiated content.”

The launch comes after the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) granted conditional approval for the merger on June 10. The FTC ruled that Tving, owned by CJ ENM, and Wavve, whose majority shares are held by SK Square, may merge as long as they maintain current subscription prices to avoid undermining fair competition in the local streaming market.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]