SOOP

This article is about the streaming service. For other uses, see Soop.
SOOP
Type of site
Video hosting service, Video streaming service
Available inKorean, English
HeadquartersSouth Korea
Area servedWorldwide
Owner
  • Su Gil Seo (CEO)
ParentAfreecaTV Co., Ltd. (2011–)
Nowcom (2005–2011)
URLwww.sooplive.co.kr
RegistrationAvailable
LaunchedMay 11, 2005; 19 years ago (2005-05-11)
Current statusActive

SOOP, previously known as AfreecaTV (Korean: 아프리카TV, short for "Any FREE broadCAsting") (KRX: 067160), is a video live-streaming service. It is now owned and operated by AfreecaTV Co., Ltd. in South Korea after Nowcom's AfreecaTV Co., Ltd and ZettaMedia split in 2011.[1] As of July 2019 AfreecaTV was listed 4th in the "Asia's 200 Best Under A Billion" list by Forbes.[2]

History

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AfreecaTV initially started as a W beta service on May 11, 2005, and was officially named "AFREECA” on March 9, 2006. 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.

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]

On October 15, 2024, AfreecaTV changed its name to SOOP.[8]

Controversy

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There have been many social problems with Afreeca TV such as offers for sexual favors[9] and abasement of disabled individuals.[10] 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.[11]

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.[11]

Esports

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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.[12][13] They currently sponsor a professional League of Legends team, Kwangdong Freecs (formerly Afreeca Freecs).[14] The Starcraft 2 team was reformed at the start of 2020.[15][16]

Afreeca also announced on January 23, 2016 that they would be sponsoring two seasons of Brood War tournaments.[17] The tournament has proved popular and is now in its 17th season as of December 2024.[18]

Esports League

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Esports broadcast relay station

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nowcom Will Create "ZettaMedia" for Web Storage Business" (in Korean). Digital Daily. 2011-05-13. Retrieved 2013-10-19.
  2. ^ "Asia's 200 Best Under A Billion". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  3. ^ "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. ^ 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. ^ "AfreecaTV - Android Apps on Google Play". Google Play. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  6. ^ "Seoul City meetings open to public". The Korea Herald. 2012-04-25. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
  7. ^ 박, 수정 (2015-12-04). "나인뮤지스, 아프리카TV에서 14일간 특별한 데이트..털털 매력 생중계" (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-12-05.
  8. ^ "AfreecaTV changes its name to 'SOOP'". THE KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY. 2024.
  9. ^ choi, young kyung. "여자친구 성상납 논란에 휩싸인 아프리카TV 인기BJ" (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  10. ^ lee, seul ki. "다시 고개든 '장애인 비하' 1인 미디어" (in Korean). Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  11. ^ a b "아프리카TV '별풍선' 한도, 하루 100만원으로 제한된다" (in Korean). 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-04-07.
  12. ^ "Afreeca SC2 team disbands".
  13. ^ "[취재] 이선종 감독 "아프리카 프릭스로 새출발 하게 되어 정말 기쁘다"" (in Korean). 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  14. ^ Waltzer, Noah (22 July 2018). "Kingzone topples MVP, Gen.G shines against Afreeca". ESPN.com. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  15. ^ @afreecaTV_gl (3 January 2020). "Welcome to the Afreeca Freecs!..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "Online Watch Movies". Archived from the original on 2020-05-09. Retrieved 2020-08-16. Monday, August 17, 2020
  17. ^ "Afreeca to sponsor 2 BW Tournaments in 2016". 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
  18. ^ "afreeca starcraft league's official website".
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