Tving and Coupang Play battle for S. Korea’s streaming market

According to the Korea Creative Content Agency, every South Korean subscribed to an average of 2.2 OTT (over-the-top) streaming services per person in 2023. Given Netflix’s dominant lead for global streaming, most consumers appear to pair it with just one domestic platform—making local services compete fiercely for the remaining “one slot.” The main competition is between Tving and Coupang Play.

So far this year, the two have been evenly matched, each leading in monthly active users (MAU) for three out of six months. Data from Mobile Index shows Tving leading January. Coupang Play took the lead from February to April, and Tving pulled ahead again in May and June. For the first half of the year overall, Tving slightly edged out Coupang Play in MAU, but Coupang Play had more cumulative new app installs.

Both platforms have pursued similar strategies: expanding services through OTT partnerships and putting live sports front and center. Tving is leveraging a merger with fellow domestic streamer Wavve, while Coupang Play is integrating more closely with parent company Coupang—mirroring Amazon’s approach with Prime Video.

Graphics by Rhee Choul-won

In the early hours of July 14, Tving livestreamed the men’s singles final of “The Championships, Wimbledon.” On the same day, Coupang Play broadcasted the FIFA Club World Cup final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Both platforms secured exclusive rights to the events, highlighting their aggressive push to capture the sports fanbase. Live sports are seen as a powerful tool to build viewer loyalty and drive long-term “lock-in” by keeping users tied to a platform.

Graphics by Rhee Choul-won

Since 2023, Coupang Play has held exclusive digital broadcasting rights for South Korea’s professional soccer league, the K League. It has also secured rights to the Premier League (EPL), which kicks off in August, completing its lineup of all four major European soccer leagues—Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, and France’s Ligue 1 included. The platform also streams the NBA for the 2025–2026 seasons and Formula One (F1) races. Going beyond traditional broadcasting, Coupang Play incorporates features like multiview and live chat to enhance the viewing experience.

Tving holds exclusive wired and wireless broadcasting rights for South Korea’s professional baseball league (KBO) from 2024 to 2026—a league that surpassed 10 million total spectators last year. Usage on the platform reportedly surged during the start of the baseball season. To cater to baseball fans, Tving offers features such as pitch success rate predictions and multiview streaming modes. It also broadcasts select games from the KBO’s second-tier league.

Both platforms are also investing in original sports-themed variety shows to attract fans. Coupang Play is set to release the second season of its soccer variety show Shooting Star later this year, featuring former players like Park Ji-sung and Choi Yong-soo. Tving recently launched Baseball Representative: The League of Fans 2, a show that highlights the unique traits of all 10 professional baseball teams across the country.

The battle for subscribers is also intensifying through diverse pricing strategies. Since last month, regular Coupang members have been able to watch selective Coupang Play content for free with ads. The platform also introduced a “Sports Pass” subscription. While national team matches and K League games remain free to view, access to Coupang’s exclusive sports broadcasts now requires a monthly Sports Pass, priced at 9,900 won (about $7.20).

Tving is taking an aggressive pricing approach by expanding partnerships. Following regulatory approval of its merger with fellow domestic platform Wavve last month, Tving launched a bundled subscription plan that offers access to both OTT services for 7,900 won (about $5.70) per month.