The new mobile age has disrupted the way people consume media, as millennials turn to laptops and mobile devices to stream video content and browse posts on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

This technological transition has posed new challenges to traditional TV broadcasters while making way for the rise of new players specializing in mobile-friendly content targeting the young, mobile-savvy generation.

And these so-called “mobile broadcasters” are increasingly gaining traction in South Korea, one of the world’s most wired, tech-savvy countries where 9 in 10 people own smartphones. 

“The ‘mobile broadcasting’ market is one that is just now beginning to form,” said Suh Kwon-suk, chief mobile officer of 72Seconds, a Seoul-based startup best known for its short, 72-second web dramas that portray the everyday lives of those in their 20s and 30s.

“Today, the so-called ‘TV premium’ is disappearing, and we believe there is potential to create influential content that can overtake traditional television content in the future,” Suh said during a YouTube-organized event held Monday in Seoul, highlighting Korea’s influential mobile broadcasters.

Over the past few years, Korea has seen the emergence of new, mobile-centric video content targeting smartphone-savvy millennials -- those in their 20s and 30s who are spending more time on their mobile devices than ever before.

Designed to appeal to the young generation, the mobile-oriented content takes on many themes and forms, whether they be Dingo’s hidden camera program capturing the heart-warming reactions of everyday citizens responding to requests for favors, casual talk shows featuring popular celebrities, or comedic web dramas portraying the everyday struggles of single households.

“We strive to be a content franchise for the new generation of millennials. All of our content are planned and put together by producers in their 20s who mix their everyday stories into their productions,” said Jang Jun-yun, marketing director at Seoul-based MakeUs, the creator of Dingo.

As these tailored mobile video content gain more views and a dedicated following -- by going viral on social media or via subscriptions to YouTube channels operated by the creators -- their brand power grows, making them highly appealing venues for advertisements.

Given this, the primary source of profit for mobile broadcasters is ads -- mostly revenue generated by product placement or fees from ads that appear before and within the videos featured on content platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Naver TV.

“As they grow more diverse and expand viewership, mobile content has the potential to rake in even greater revenue in terms of advertising alone, though we are experimenting with different revenue models,” said Jang.

Looking ahead, these mobile broadcasters are looking to diversify the applications of their mobile productions to expand their audience and revenue streams.

Some potential options include adopting a paid-subscription model for some of their mobile content as well as featuring popular web videos on TV channels to expand viewership.

In the long haul, going global is also a future goal for many mobile broadcasters which say their content can appeal to an international audience.

“We noticed that our shows featuring K-pop groups I.O.I and Vixx created a buzz internationally, though it was meant to target only Korean users. This reception makes us think that we have the potential to succeed in the international market as well,” said Park Jae-yong, the chief producer of Mobidic, a mobile content production company formed last year by major Korean broadcaster SBS.

By Sohn Ji-young (jys@heraldcorp.com)