PCCW Media Group has launched Viu, its OTT multi-screen video service in Singapore, as a further step in its regional expansion.
Viu has clinched a landmark pan-regional deal with the top four Korean broadcasters – SBS, KBS, MBC and CJ E&M – giving Viu an exclusive window and rights to 95% of their latest telecast dramas, as well as variety shows from South Korea.
This agreement is the very first time South Korea’s top four broadcasters signed a pan-regional agreement with an OTT service provider, offering their latest content with an exclusive head-start window.
Viu now offers Singapore fans a freemium service — launched in partnership with Singtel — with multi-screen access to the widest range of the latest popular Korean dramas and variety shows, as well as other premium Asian content from the region.
To provide a better experience for Singapore viewers, English and Chinese subtitles will be provided as fast as eight hours after its initial telecast in Korea for selected titles.
Viu also offers user-friendly functions such as download-to-stream capability and personalized multi-device synchronization for a seamless viewing experience.
Launched in Hong Kong and now in Singapore, Viu will be progressively rolled out in Malaysia, Indonesia and India with an expanding premium Asian content catalogue of Korean, Japanese, Chinese titles and more to suit the different markets.
“Korean content is among the most popular content category for Asian viewers,” said Janice Lee, managing director of PCCW Media Group.
Lee Ueng Gin, executive managing director of KBS Television Division, said fans of their drama and variety shows will find this partnership appealing as opposed to having pirated, unstable streaming/download on illegal sites.”