It has become easier to access paid VOD from major domestic broadcasters. LG Uplus announced on the 21st that it will launch the 'U+tv Broadcast Pass,' a service that lets users watch paid VOD from four broadcasters, including Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS), and JTBC, in one place.
According to LG Uplus, U+tv Broadcast Pass was designed to create a viewing environment where content scattered across different platforms can be conveniently watched in one place. The service is set to launch on July 1, and its key feature is that users can watch paid VOD, including dramas, entertainment shows, current affairs, and educational programs, without any additional payment.
U+tv Broadcast Pass will be offered in two plans: a basic plan at 19,800 won per month and a premium plan at 22,000 won per month, based on a three-year contract and a bundled internet subscription. Subscribers can watch paid VOD from the four broadcasters, as well as 222 live channels in the basic plan and 257 in the premium plan, including six UHD channels. Each month, they can also enjoy the latest films, overseas dramas, animation, pay-channel VOD, U+ originals, opera, top-tier domestic and international performing arts, and premium documentaries at no extra cost. When linked with U+tv Mobile, content watched on TV can be continued on mobile devices, allowing use without location restrictions. Oh In-ho, executive vice president in charge of media business at LG Uplus, said, "We will build a TV viewing ecosystem that creates new customer experiences."
Meanwhile, LG Uplus has been pushing a management strategy centered on IPTV after shutting down its own OTT service, U+Mobile TV, and the mobile service for its kids' platform, Kids' Land, in order to focus on its core telecommunications business. Its move to strengthen the competitiveness of U+tv through the connection between IPTV and mobile is also seen as part of that effort.
Kim Se-hyung fax123@sportschosun.com
