Ditching exclusivity: Streaming platforms pivot to TV

A poster for Apple TV+ series “Pachinko” / Courtesy of Apple TV+

Original series once confined only to streaming services are increasingly finding new audiences as well-made productions that were once on the verge of remaining hidden gems — restricted by streaming platforms' paywalls — are now returning to traditional TV channels. This unconventional strategy abandons the closed-off approach of exclusive releases, crossing platform boundaries to maximize touchpoints with viewers.

Apple TV+’s ambitious project "Pachinko" (2022) landed on the small screen via tvN, airing its first episode on Saturday. Despite its overwhelming capital and exquisite cinematography, the drama had long remained a show people "wanted to watch but couldn't," largely due to the platform's relatively small subscriber base in Korea.

Starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Min-ha, the drama examines four generations of a Korean family during the Japanese occupation of Korea and the subsequent racism that followed.

Through a familiar TV channel, it has finally connected properly with viewers across all generations. The move is intended to leverage the high accessibility of local TV to expand brand awareness. Following Season 1, Season 2 will begin airing on July 18.

Immediately following "Pachinko" on the same day, the Tving original series "Dear X" (2025) was also broadcast as part of tvN’s lineup.

Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, "Dear X" is a dark fairy tale depicting the downfall of Baek A-jin (Kim Yoo-jung), a sociopathic actress who steps on others to climb from the rock bottom of her life to the very top.

A scene from Tving original series "Dear X" / Courtesy of Tving

Upon its initial streaming release, it ranked number one in driving new paid subscribers for Tving, generating buzz among its audience.

The exclamation point of this reverse-scheduling trend is undoubtedly Disney+’s stylish action thriller "A Shop for Killers" (2024), which is set to air on MBC on July 3. While hits like "Big Bet" (2022-2023) and "Moving" (2023) previously followed a similar path, this move feels slightly different.

Depicting the desperate struggle of Jian (Kim Hye-jun), a niece hunted by mysterious killers due to the dangerous legacy left behind by her uncle Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook), the series showcases the essence of streaming-style hardboiled action. The very fact that a terrestrial network, with notoriously strict censorship standards, has accepted such a sharp, genre-specific show into its regular programming schedule is unprecedented.

A poster for Disney+ series "A Shop for Killers" / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea

With the domestic streaming market nearing saturation, there is a clear business calculation that locking elaborately crafted intellectual properties (IP) solely inside a single platform carries too much financial risk.

The organic windowing between local streaming platform Tving and cable channel tvN — both under the same parent company CJ ENM — serves as a practical demonstration of an efficient ecosystem model that extends the lifespan of a well-made IP.

Experts see this recent movement as a byproduct of mutual survival. In short, MBC is securing trendy original content, while Disney+ is using the broad reach of terrestrial TV to lure potential subscribers.

The timing is also aimed at driving attention to Season 2 of "A Shop for Killers," which is scheduled to drop on Disney+ around the same time as the terrestrial broadcast premiere of Season 1.

"This scheduling of 'A Shop for Killers' Season 1 is part of a strategic curation to introduce proven streaming original dramas to terrestrial TV viewers. We are continuing our efforts to broaden viewer choices by selecting outstanding external content while simultaneously strengthening the competitiveness of our own programming," an MBC official said.