Kakao TV to Shut Down After Nine Years as Platform Struggles Against Global Rivals

Kim Jisun Reporter

stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr | 2026-03-06 06:21:02

 

 

[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Kakao TV will shut down its service after nine years, citing changes in the content market and operating environment.

Kakao announced on March 5 that the video platform will officially end its service on June 30. Users will be able to back up their videos starting at 2 p.m. on March 9, while the creation of new channels and VOD uploads will be discontinued from June 1.

Kakao TV launched in 2017 following its integration with Daum TV Pot, and was once considered a pioneer of Korea’s early individual livestreaming and creator content platforms.

However, most video content consumption has shifted to global platforms such as YouTube, while domestic competition has intensified with services such as SOOP and Naver’s Chzzk, causing Kakao TV’s presence in the market to rapidly decline.

Kakao had already begun scaling back the platform in recent years. The Kakao TV app was discontinued in May 2024, followed by the removal of the comment service in July 2024 and the live chat feature in August 2025.

The company said it will focus on minimizing inconvenience for users as the platform approaches its final shutdown.

 

 

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