V Live
![]() | |
Type of site | Video streaming |
---|---|
Available in | Korean, English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Indonesian, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional) Japanese |
Owner | Naver Corporation |
URL | vlive |
Commercial | Yes |
Registration | Optional |
Launched | August 2015 |
V Live (sometimes stylized as VLIVE) is a South Korean live video streaming service that allows Korean-based celebrities to broadcast live videos on the internet and live chat with fans from around the globe. Streaming is available online or on Android and iOS mobile devices.[1] The company is owned by Naver Corporation and was launched in late August 2015.[2]
History
In 2007, Naver Corporation launched its video platform channel, but availability was highly restricted and unavailable in many countries.[3]
In early August 2015, Naver Corporation released the live streaming app, V Live. The application was originally available only on the Google Play Store for Android, but later launched on iTunes. The app was aimed at reaching international fan bases, particularly those in Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.[4] Therefore, there were no region restrictions and the website had a variety of language options, such as English, Chinese and Japanese.
According to Sensor Tower, the application had 200,000 downloads and earned $600,000 in Aug 2017; by May 2018, the V Live app had over 1 million downloads on the Google Play Store and iTunes.[5]
Services
V Live has over 700 channels associated with different Hallyu stars, including BTS, Big Bang, Exo, Got7, Seventeen, as well as several actors, such as Lee Jong-suk and Park Bo-young.[6] V Live may broadcast programs that range from live chat sessions with fans, performances, reality shows, and award shows.
V Live makes it easy for fans to interact with the website. Users are alerted when a channel they follow begins a live stream or uploads new content.[7] Users can also comment or send hearts on videos, which the idol or idols can also see in real time. Every interaction contributes to the user's "chemi-beat". The chemi-beat tracks the users chemistry with a celebrity. Users can increase their chemi-beat by regularly engaging with a channel, turning on push notifications and sharing videos.[8] Having a high chemi-heat increases the user's chances of winning an event hosted by an idol.[3]
V Live+ (PLUS)
V Live+ refers to paid content types that offer unreleased, downloadable and fan catered content.[9] The content can only be purchased with V coins, which roughly amount to 50 for 1 USD.[10]
Channel+
Some idols also offer Channel+, a premium channel that can only be accessed with a subscription. Channel+ channels can be purchased with V coins on a 30 day, 3 month, 6 month or yearly basis.[11] Channel+ channels differ from regular channels in that they provide hidden broadcasts, videos and posts.[12]
Reality shows that have aired exclusively on V Live Channel+ include Real GOT7 and BTS: Bon Voyage.
Influence on Hallyu
V Live is a medium in which Korean celebrities can reach a global audience and has allowed non-Korean speaking fans worldwide to intimately interact with their favorite Hallyu idols. There is an online community on V Live for fan translators who create foreign subtitles so that more people can enjoy the content worldwide. Translators are ranked by the number of lines that they have translated.[13] The subtitling process is made user-friendly so that fans do not need any specific technical skills.[14] Contests and events are held to encourage fan-subbing. For example, fan translators in the past have won V coins[15] and video calls with their favorite idols.[16] Because of fan translators, some videos have as many as 17 subtitle options.[17]
According to Alexa Internet, only 18% of users come from South Korea, while 9.4% come from China, 8.5% are from the United States, 5.9% are from Indonesia, and 5.7% are from Thailand. V Live's global Alexa rank is 918 as of May 2018, which shows a positive increase.[18]
References
- ^ "About V LIVE". Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ Herald, The Korea (2015-07-29). "Naver to launch global streaming app for K-pop". Retrieved 2018-03-14.
- ^ a b "Linking You to Hallyu: The V Live Broadcasting App". seoulbeats. 2015-09-07. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
- ^ Herald, The Korea (2015-07-29). "Naver to launch global streaming app for K-pop". Retrieved 2018-03-14.
- ^ Tower, Sensor. "Sensor Tower - Mobile App Store Marketing Intelligence". Sensor Tower. Retrieved 2018-05-01.
- ^ "Channels : V LIVE". Retrieved 2018-03-14.
- ^ Aisyah, Aznur; Jin, Nam Yun (2017-12-28). "K-Pop V Fansubs, V LIVE and NAVER Dictionary: Fansubbers' Synergy in Minimising Language Barriers". 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature®. 23 (4). ISSN 2550-2247.
- ^ "What is a chemi-beat?". help.naver.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "What is V Live +(PLUS)?". help.naver.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "What are coins and how can I buy them?". help.naver.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "[V LIVE] TWICE+". Retrieved 2018-04-26.
- ^ "The difference between regular channels and CHANNEL+". help.naver.com. Retrieved 2018-04-26.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=
(help) - ^ "홈 :: V LIVE Fansubs". subtitle.vlive.tv (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-04-26.
- ^ Aisyah, Aznur; Jin, Nam Yun (2017-12-28). "K-Pop V Fansubs, V LIVE and NAVER Dictionary: Fansubbers' Synergy in Minimising Language Barriers". 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature®. 23 (4). ISSN 2550-2247.
- ^ "NOTICE :: V LIVE Fansubs". subtitle.vlive.tv (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-04-26.
- ^ "NOTICE :: V LIVE Fansubs". subtitle.vlive.tv (in Korean). Retrieved 2018-04-26.
- ^ "[V LIVE] Run BTS! 2018 - EP.50". Retrieved 2018-04-28.
- ^ "Vlive.tv Traffic, Demographics and Competitors - Alexa". www.alexa.com. Retrieved 2018-03-14.