TLDR Korean ISPs want to charge more for traffic, which causes Twitch to try multiple methods to reduce costs (720p limit, no more VODs). Twitch ends up just leaving the region altogether because Korea is 10x more expensive to operate in than everywhere else and Korea gets super pissed and tries to charge 300k USD in fines at Twitch as they're out the door. Supposedly Youtube has special deals, so that's why they're able to operate in Korea but no one knows how long that will last. Korean ISPs have petitioned the Korean government to charge more for web traffic, which has pushed the region from "twitch is bleeding money like usual" to "twitch can not function here". Forcing a 720p limit didn't seem to matter because apparently Korea is 10x as expensive to operate in as compared to other regions because of it. Twitch decided to terminate their VOD service and then eventually just decided on leaving Korea altogether by February 27th. Korean streamers decided to protest the shutdown of Twitch in Korea by streaming adult games and incredibly lewd outfits (yes Korean are coomers but they're pushing it even farther: Check out the clips section for this channel for example).
Apparently the Korean Telecommunications Commission (KCC) is pissed that Twitch said "fuck you, we're just not going to do business" and decided to hit them with a fine for ₩435m (325k USD) on February 22nd. The fine was for "undermining the interests of users" for shutting down the VOD service. They also threw a ₩15m (11k USD) fine at Twitch for failing to prevent the distribution of illegal footage. Korea is just turbo corrupt. For instance, the heir of Samsung was caught bribing people to the tune of 38 million USD. In 2021, he was found guilty but their President pardoned him so he could lead Samsung because they claimed Samsung was too important to their economy. Samsung, the largest chaebol, makes up like 15% of South Korea's GDP.
I've heard rumors that Youtube has special deals in Korea that lets them operate there, as they aren't seen as a direct competitor to Afreeca like Twitch was. However Naver is supposedly going to start a streaming platform and if they view Youtube as a direct competitor, don't be surprised if they ask the government to ass fuck Youtube out of their country.
The Korean chaebols (megacorps like Samsung, Hyundai, LG, and SK) are typically ran by families. After the Korean war, South Korea's industry was mainly agricultural as all the industry was in the North. Their government decided to push the country to industrialize by giving the chaebols favors and guaranteed loans from the banking sector. So while they did accelerate into an industrialized country within 30 years, it was basically done through monopolies/oligopolies created by the government under a form of guided capitalism.
Unsurprisingly, the chaebol have been exposed for corruption numerous times and no one cares because the chaebol and the government are basically one and the same. Several prominent members of the chaebol have even ran and won seats in Korea's National Assembly (their legislature). Americans at least have a thin veil hiding their corruption with lobbyists colluding with politicians. Imagine if they just cut out the middle man, got rid of the lobbyists, and had some C-level executives at some of the MAMAA companies running and winning seats in the Senate.
Think of it like Arasaka in Cyberpunk, where they are the real ones in charge and are ran by a family with literal heirs.
Apparently the Korean Telecommunications Commission (KCC) is pissed that Twitch said "fuck you, we're just not going to do business" and decided to hit them with a fine for ₩435m (325k USD) on February 22nd. The fine was for "undermining the interests of users" for shutting down the VOD service. They also threw a ₩15m (11k USD) fine at Twitch for failing to prevent the distribution of illegal footage. Korea is just turbo corrupt. For instance, the heir of Samsung was caught bribing people to the tune of 38 million USD. In 2021, he was found guilty but their President pardoned him so he could lead Samsung because they claimed Samsung was too important to their economy. Samsung, the largest chaebol, makes up like 15% of South Korea's GDP.
Whats the point of these fines if they are already leaving the country. Let me rephrase that, because I know the point is out of spite.
How do they intend on collecting if they are already leaving the country?
Whats the point of these fines if they are already leaving the country. Let me rephrase that, because I know the point is out of spite.
How do they intend on collecting if they are already leaving the country?
The KCC has ordered Twitch to provide evidence justifying that their decision to terminate the VOD service was necessary if they are to ever resume operations in South Korea in the future. This isn't "maybe relations will improve in the future and Twitch might return". This is "fuck off and never return".
Korean companies want Korean companies to rule in Korea, so they petition the Korean government to force out all the non-Koreans. Now the Korean bureaucrats got upset that Twitch decided to shine a spotlight on their corruption and blaming them instead of just quietly shuttering their operations in Korea. One of the huge problems with collectivist countries in Asia is that they don't like it when you point out their bullshit and would prefer you to just quietly eat the shit they feed you and thank them for it.
"Kay Yu! I'm coming to pay you!!
"In twitter likes?"
"NO! In real life! I'm going to sneak into your bank and deposit money... directly into your account!"
The KCC has ordered Twitch to provide evidence justifying that their decision to terminate the VOD service was necessary if they are to ever resume operations in South Korea in the future. This isn't "maybe relations will improve in the future and Twitch might return". This is "fuck off and never return".
Korean companies want Korean companies to rule in Korea, so they petition the Korean government to force out all the non-Koreans. Now the Korean bureaucrats got upset that Twitch decided to shine a spotlight on their corruption and blaming them instead of just quietly shuttering their operations in Korea. One of the huge problems with collectivist countries in Asia is that they don't like it when you point out their bullshit and would prefer you to just quietly eat the shit they feed you and thank them for it.
Reminder that this happened, one day Korean decided to randomly get pissed at Japan and boycott all their products, resulting in billions of losses.
Koreans are just as fanatic as Chinese, the situation has become better now for japanese companies in Korea. But there's nothing preventing the next Korean president to go and say "When Japan sends in their people. They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people" and he'd get applauded by the entire nation. And then you'd get shit tons of haters attacking the holo girl.
Japan in active border dispute with Korea doesn't help. While Ayame hate gooks is just a meme, there are reasons why this meme exists.
I'd rather hololive never touch that market unless they are staffed enough to completely prevent another Coco situation.
Mika might be content to be a house husband for Kuro for now. They recently got back to Indonesia and she is probably nursing her hubby back to health right now.
Returning the favour I might add. Mika held a twitter space recently of which I could only catch the last few minutes, but the gist that I got was that her body wasn't really reacting well to the Thai cuisine and Kuro went around stores trying to find some medicine, using the pictures on the packaging to make out what it does.
But seriously, I still think they're bound to end up in VShojo once things settle down a bit and Pomu is back home.
Huh. I just had a thought. I know that there are people who subtitle snippets of the Japanese Hololive talents for English speakers, but are there people who do the opposite? Someone who subtitles the English talents for JP bros?
If you explicitly want to look for EN clips in Japanese the best bet is to just type their Japanese name + Hololive. Like アメリア ホロライブ. Here are few predominantly EN clippers.
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