Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- South Korea's top telecom company KT has released a live commerce feature for its over-the-top service for mobile device users. Live commerce services, which are virtually online home shopping shows, are normally provided through mobile shopping platforms or social media.

The real-time show format video content has settled as a new form of entertainment among young consumers this year when the country rolled out a series of nationwide social distancing protocols to prevent the spread of a COVID-19 pandemic. Through live commerce platforms, customers communicate with show hosts to ask questions and participate in events to get special benefits such as discount coupons. Some live commerce shows invite popular celebrities as show hosts.

KT said in a statement on December 28 that the company joined hands with two  TV home shopping channels, Hyundai Home Shopping and GS Home Shopping, to release the live commerce feature through "Seezn," an over-the-top (OTT) service. "We wish to offer an easy and reliable commerce service through our new live commerce service by partnering with major domestic home shopping channels," a KT official was quoted as saying. KT said that it will attract consumers in their 20s and 30s by offering a wide range of selected products using big data.

The telecom company said that it would work with other home shopping services in 2021 and collaborate with smartphone makers to set up a special smartphone distribution channel to sell mobile devices through KT's live commerce service.