Why 60,000 People Flocked to Soop Live Broadcasts

[Financial News] More than 60,000 users took part in real time in live broadcasts on Soop that showed even the preparation process behind the content, industry sources said. The platform is expanding its audience by highlighting a key difference: it streams not only the finished result, but also the process of bringing participants together and shaping the content.
According to industry sources on the 26th, a Minecraft content participant selection broadcast hosted by streamers Kim Bong-jun and Kang Man-sik on the 22nd drew a peak of about 60,000 concurrent viewers.
Ideas that emerged during broadcasts also grew larger as participants joined in. During a joint broadcast by streamers Gamst and Namsoon on the 21st, a pinball result led to a singing contest with Yusona.
Although the event accepted applications without any prior notice, music streamers joined one after another, turning it into an impromptu competition that drew a peak of about 23,000 concurrent viewers.
There have also been cases where user-created output became the starting point for new content. When users turned streamer Tayo's imagined ranking of virtual streamers' fighting skills into an AI video, streamer Gosegu saw it and planned a pro wrestling match using the game 'WWE 2K26.' Participants acted out characters based on the users' setting, while a separate commentator covered the match. It is seen as an example of user-generated secondary content expanding into official programming.
All of these contents began with viewer participation. The process of selecting participants, assembling the cast, and developing ideas during the broadcast, along with user reactions, all change what comes next. Unlike over-the-top media services (OTT), which offer finished movies, dramas, or variety shows, live streaming has the distinction of letting creators and viewers build the content together in the same moment.
Soop also operates AI services designed to lower the barrier to entry for live broadcasts. The broadcast summary feature of AI manager 'Salsa (SARSA)' helps users who join in the middle catch up on the main points covered earlier. The AI assistant 'Soopi (SOOPi)' recommends streamers and content based on a user's interests, helping them discover new broadcasts.
“Live content differs from existing video content in that viewers watch not only the finished result, but also the process of how the cast comes together and the content takes shape,” an industry official said. “If technology that makes it easier to understand the context of a broadcast and find content in areas of interest becomes more advanced, even users who are new to live streaming will be able to enter naturally.”
[email protected] Jang Min-kwon Reporter