KT enters global OTT competition with AI-equipped Seezn

KT, South Korea’s second-largest mobile carrier, announced Thursday the launch of artificial intelligence-equipped 4K over-the-top media service, declaring its intention to enter global markets.

Dubbed as Seezn -- a new combination of words see and citizen -- the KT OTT service uses a AI-based content recommendation feature that recognizes facial expressions of users and analyses the movements to suggest customized content in line with their mood.

Users can also personalize the service by setting conditions like days, time and weather in order to receive more accurate suggestions. 

The mobile carrier has also tried to differentiate the belated service from existing global competitors like Netflix and Disney+ and local rival Wavve launched by a SK Telecom-led coalition of terrestrial broadcasters by merging its mobile Olleh TV service with music platform Genie Music.

Users are offered original sound tracks while watching movies or dramas on Seezn and can listen to the full tracks, if they have a Genie Music ID.

To target users in their 20s and 30s, KT said it will offer variety shows as original contents provided for its IPTV Olleh TV subscribers.

KT has also partnered with US Discovery to co-produce original contents.

Seezn’s contents will be exported to the Chinese market in partnership with China Mobile’s content subsidiary starting next year, the firm said.

A standard plan for monthly subscription of Seezn starts at 5,500 won ($4.70) for around 100 channels and about 70,000 free videos on demand. The premium plan charges 13,200 won per month.

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)