Soop (service)

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SOOP
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FormerlyW Player (2005–2006)
AfreecaTV (2006–2024)
Type of site
Video hosting service, Video streaming service
Available inKorean, English
HeadquartersSouth Korea
Area servedWorldwide
OwnerPage Template:Plainlist/styles.css has no content.
  • Su Gil Seo (CEO)
ParentSOOP Corp. (2011–present)
Nowcom (2005–2011)
URLwww.sooplive.com
RegistrationAvailable
LaunchedMay 11, 2005; 21 years ago (2005-05-11)
Current statusActive

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Soop (stylized in all caps; Template:Langx), previously known as W Player (Template:Langx) and AfreecaTV (Template:Langx), is a video live streaming service. It is owned and operated by SOOP Co., Ltd. in South Korea, which was rebranded from Nowcom's AfreecaTV Co., Ltd, itself split with ZettaMedia in 2011.[1]

Launched in 2005, the platform was listed fourth in the "Asia's 200 Best Under A Billion" list by Forbes in July 2019.[2] Initially focused on Korean viewers, it began offering an English-language interface for international users in 2012. In 2024, with its parent company's rebrand, AfreecaTV was relaunched as Soop, offering two distinct services for Korea and Global users.

History

Soop initially started as a W beta service on May 11, 2005, and was officially named "Afreeca" on March 9, 2006.[<span title="Script error: No such module "decodeEncode".">clarification needed] The site mainly re-transmits TV channels but also allows users to upload their own videos and shows. Functions such as broadcasting, viewing, channel listing, live chatting, and discussion boards are provided. Users are required to install 'Afreeca Player' for grid delivery. Independent broadcasters called broadcasting jockeys (BJs) deliver live broadcasts to viewers, who can add them to their list of favorite channels using an Afreeca Player tool. Some channels have tens of thousands of viewers at any given time. Paid services such as quick views or channel relays allow BJs additional sources of revenue.[citation needed]

The platform ranges anywhere from TV broadcasts, live video game broadcasts, taxi driver monitoring, artist performances,[3] and personal daily-life video blogs and shows for actresses and professional broadcasters.

The head of AfreecaTV's parent company Nowcom, Mun Yong-sik, was arrested in 2008 for illegally distributing copyrighted films. Some alleged the arrest was politically motivated due to Afreeca being used by protesters to coordinate.[4]

On September 27, 2012, AfreecaTV English was released on the Google Play store.[5]

One example of expansion of Afreeca's role is the hosting of a live talk session with Mayor Park of Seoul, broadcast live online and via mobile on AfreecaTV.[6] He used the platform as a way to conduct a community scanning forum to collect public opinions and allow bloggers with various areas of expertise to participate in the dialogue. The bloggers were able to address the problems facing Seoul and propose solutions in their areas of expertise, while also exchanging ideas with Mayor Park in an in-depth discussion on the administration of the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Depending on rising of power of AfreecaTV, many Idol Groups participate in AfreecaTV for their fans, for example, Nine Muses.[7]

In 2024, AfreecaTV was relaunched as SOOP by splitting the platform into two distinct versions: Korea and Global. The Global version was launched as a separate platform early in the year, with user interface and design different from AfreecaTV, and secures rights deals with major sporting events such as the international streaming rights of the Korea Baseball Organization, as well as becoming the exclusive streaming provider of Valorant Challengers SEA (which SOOP runs as the tournament's official organizer). On October 15, months after non-Korean languages were removed from the platform following the Global version's launch, AfreecaTV itself changed its name to SOOP, becoming the Korea version of the service.[8][9]

Controversy

There have been many social problems with Afreeca TV such as offers for sexual favors[10] and abasement of disabled individuals.[11] Many broadcasters were involved in these incidents, and they were punished by managers of Afreeca TV by suspension of their IDs. Due to such problems, mass media in South Korea have shown concern about the effects of personal broadcasting platforms.[12]

A claim was made that audience overloading has caused overpayment of fees for Internet broadcasting. In light of this, Korea's Clean Internet Broadcasting Council came to an agreement with Afreeca TV to reduce the payment maximum to less than 1 million won (a little less than US$900) per day by June 2008.[12]

Esports

Afreeca picked up the SBENU StarCraft II team on January 23, 2016 and participated in Proleague. On November 21, 2016, it was announced that the team was disbanding its StarCraft II division, though it kept involvement in Starcraft up.[13][14] They currently sponsor a professional League of Legends team, DN SOOPers (formerly Afreeca Freecs, Kwangdong Freecs and DN Freecs).[15][16][17] The Starcraft 2 team was reformed at the start of 2020.[18]

Afreeca also announced on January 23, 2016 that they would be sponsoring two seasons of Brood War tournaments.[19] The tournament has proved popular and is now in its 21st season as of May 2026.[20]

Esports League

Esports broadcast relay station

References

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  1. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Nowcom Will Create "ZettaMedia" for Web Storage Business" (in 한국어). Digital Daily. 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  2. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Asia's 200 Best Under A Billion". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  3. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sung Yuri Appears on Afreeca TV". CJ E&M enewsWorld. 2011-09-25. Archived from the original on 2015-01-13. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  4. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jung Hyo-sik, Lee Min-a (18 June 2008). "Afreeca head accused of pirating". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on June 27, 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  5. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."AfreecaTV - Android Apps on Google Play". Google Play. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  6. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Seoul City meetings open to public". The Korea Herald. 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  7. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.박, 수정 (2015-12-04). "나인뮤지스, 아프리카TV에서 14일간 특별한 데이트..털털 매력 생중계" (in 한국어). Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  8. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."AfreecaTV changes its name to 'SOOP'". THE KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY. 2024.
  9. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."KBO games to be streamed live overseas". Yonhap News Agency. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  10. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.choi, young kyung. "여자친구 성상납 논란에 휩싸인 아프리카TV 인기BJ" (in 한국어). Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  11. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.lee, seul ki. "다시 고개든 '장애인 비하' 1인 미디어" (in 한국어). Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  12. ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."아프리카TV '별풍선' 한도, 하루 100만원으로 제한된다" (in 한국어). 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
  13. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Afreeca SC2 team disbands".
  14. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."[취재] 이선종 감독 "아프리카 프릭스로 새출발 하게 되어 정말 기쁘다"" (in 한국어). 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  15. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Waltzer, Noah (22 July 2018). "Kingzone topples MVP, Gen.G shines against Afreeca". ESPN.com. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  16. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Xu, Davide (27 December 2024). "Kwangdong Freecs rebrands to DN Freecs". Esports.net. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  17. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Nicholson, Jonno (22 December 2025). "DN FREECS rebranded to DN SOOPers for 2026". Esports Insider. Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  18. ^ Script error: No such module "cite tweet".
  19. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Afreeca to sponsor 2 BW Tournaments in 2016". 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  20. ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."afreeca starcraft league's official website".

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