Twitch Exits South Korea, Paving Way for AfreecaTV and CHZZK to Dominate Live Streaming in Q1

A recent report by StreamElements and Streams Charts highlights the shifting landscape of live streaming in South Korea following Twitch's departure. AfreecaTV and CHZZK have emerged as leading streaming platforms, with notable hours watched in Q1. In the previous month, AfreecaTV led with 98 million hours watched, while CHZZK secured the second position with 59 million hours, surpassing Twitch Korea's 5 million hours watched. Twitch's decision to shut down in South Korea, citing high operational costs, has created an opportunity for local platforms to thrive. AfreecaTV is poised to launch a global beta of its SOOP streaming service in the first half of 2024. Similarly, Naver, the parent company of CHZZK, plans to launch a worldwide beta this year. According to StreamElements co-founder Or Perry, the live streaming landscape has been dominated by discussions around Twitch, YouTube, and Kick, but AfreecaTV and Naver are now poised to enter the global conversation with their respective platforms.