Key East, BYJ's Dream of Introducing Korea to the World

Sohn Ilhyeong(from the left of the photo), CEO at IMX, Moon Kyuhak, CEO at the SoftBank Korea, Bae Seongwoong, CEO at BOF are having press conference announcing the making of the top Asian media company on 20.

BYJ’s investment of his 9 billion won earning last year to establish Key East in partnership with Soft Bank has made news a few days ago. Their aim is to sustain the Korean Current that has hit all of Asia and expand it across Europe and America with BYJ personally producing the Korean Current contents such as entertainment and music with competitive power by utilizing IPTV.
I’m not gonna lie is saying I understand the nature and scope of work that Yong Joon is putting himself into. I’ve never heard of IPTV before but that’s the joy of the internet, we can always do research at a flick of our fingers.

Apparently, IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is basically a way of getting TV transmitted over high-speed internet connections. The conventional tv that we are used to is usually sent to our sets by cable, satellite, or through the air, as analogue or digital signals. IPTV means video data is sent across the net in packets of data. It can then be stored on a server and sent to computers or straight to special set-top boxes, over ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber lines), or cable lines. IPTV can be in the form of live TV, but more usually as stored video - sometimes known as video on demand (VOD). To watch IPTV, a person sitting at home needs a computer, or set-top box, plugged into the TV. I’m familiar with VOD and I’ve already watched some live tv on the net but I still experience delays even if I’m using a broadband connection. Most of the time I end up hearing the audio before seeing the actual clip.

The programs being broadcasted through IPTV can be paused, and re-wound, as they can with personal digital video recorders, like the Sky+ box. Reminds of TEVO in the US that I’ve wanted to have here in the Philippines.

But realistically, until broadband speeds are a standard above the current entry level of 1Mbps of 2Mbps, it is unlikely to be widespread. It may take five to seven years before there will be a single pipe coming into our homes that will be capable of carrying our voice calls, standard broadband data connection, and TV and net radio stations.

Since IPTV is still in the infant stages around the world, I can see why BYJ decided to venture in this type of business. He has the understanding of the inner workings of the entertainment industry having been in the business for more than a decade. BOF has a roster of new talents that they have been training so they can have another avenue of exposure for them. It’s been mentioned that he made initial talks with SM Entertainment and with the screen quota more likely to be final, I’m sure they will see Key East as a partnership worth exploring as an alternative in marketing their talents. And lastly he has the luxury of time to think and prepare programs that will be acceptable not just to Asians but to the rest of the world.