Kakao TV to close comment section, focus on short-form content

[Courtesy of Kakao Corp.]

Kakao TV, Kakao Corp.’s video and live commercial service, has decided to discontinue its video-on-demand (VOD) ‘comment service’ from July 2024 onwards.

This move comes as Kakao TV is increasingly giving up its market share to YouTube and over-the-top (OTT) services like Netflix and Tving pursuing aggressive strategies for the South Korean market. Scaling back Kakao TV features highlights this struggle, with low user engagement in the comment sections being a significant factor.

Speculation about Kakao TV’s potential shutdown is growing as it has already withdrawn its app from Android and iOS app stores in February 2024. The platform ceased its paid original video service supplied by Kakao Entertainment in April 2023, while news, sports, and a few live services are the only ones that currently remain active, according to industry sources on Sunday.

Kakao TV attempted to revitalize its platform in December 2023 by updating its live broadcasting and chat services, but the lack of revenue opportunities for content creators made it difficult for the platform to gain traction. The company has been making efforts to enhance its link with Daum portal’s ‘short form’ tab since the new feature introduction in March 2024, which is viewed as part of Kakao TV’s attempts for revitalization.

“We are focusing on expanding our short-form video content service in conjunction with Daum,” a Kakao official said adding, “We are working to create a structure that allows us to operate Kakao TV efficiently.”