Naver TV to shut down after 14 years, content shifting to short-form platform

Service to end in September, 14 years after 2012 launch

Long-form content to migrate to Clip; Chzzk to expand gaming offerings

Creator ecosystem to follow in platform overhaul

Naver will shut down its video platform Naver TV after 14 years of operation, shifting its content business to short-form platform Clip and live-streaming service Chzzk.

According to the IT industry on Friday, Naver plans to terminate Naver TV at 3 p.m. on Sept. 30. Content currently hosted on Naver TV will migrate to Clip, which has long been linked to the platform.

Naver TV launched in 2012 under the name "Naver TV Cast," growing its platform as broadcasters, entertainment agencies and individual creators used the service to distribute drama series, variety shows and music videos. The service was rebranded as "Naver TV" in 2017.

In 2022, Naver merged the Naver TV mobile app with its live entertainment platform NOW. When Naver shut down NOW two years later in 2024, the Naver TV app resumed operating independently — but it will ultimately close in September.

Naver plans to consolidate the content capabilities it built through Naver TV around Clip and Chzzk. "We will strengthen content competitiveness by centering on Clip and Chzzk, where users and creators are actively joining and expanding the ecosystem," a Naver official said. "We will particularly boost our business competitiveness by adding Naver TV's long-form content to Clip."

Naver will integrate Naver TV's landscape-format and long-form videos into Clip, bringing video content creation and distribution under one roof. Clip is a short-form platform that recommends brief videos tailored to users' interests and connects them to Naver services such as shopping, reservations and location information.

The move reflects a strategy to broaden the user base by grafting long-form content onto a short-form core, as domestic users continue to spend more time consuming short-form content.

Naver Chzzk logo [Naver]

Domestic short-form drama viewing time surpassed 2 million hours last year, according to an end-of-year report compiled by Spoonlabs using data from its short-form drama platform Biglu. Clip's daily average users also topped 11 million in June, signaling strong growth.

Chzzk will handle the expansion of game-focused live broadcasts and the streamer ecosystem. Naver plans to transfer gaming and live content previously offered on Naver TV to Chzzk, consolidating real-time broadcast users and creators in one place while strengthening monetization through sponsorships and advertising.

The creator ecosystem is also expected to expand around Clip and Chzzk. Short-form and general video creators will continue their activity on Clip, while creators focused on real-time interaction and gaming broadcasts will move to Chzzk. Starting at 3 p.m. on Sept. 10, Naver will begin a profile migration process to allow Naver TV creators to continue their work on Clip.

chami@heraldcorp.com