Netflix’s Warner Bros. takeover bid raises alarms over deepening crisis in Korea’s content ecosystem

Netflix’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has sent shockwaves across the global entertainment business, with Korea’s already fragile, Netflix-dominated streaming service ecosystem bracing for a possible major shift in streaming power dynamics. The streaming giant announced earlier this month that it plans to acquire WBD’s studio and streaming businesses for about $72 billion, giving Netflix control of some of the most powerful franchises. The possible acquisition would include Warner Bros. films and TV studios, HBO and streaming platform Max, signaling a structural shift in who controls production, distribution and long‑term intellectual property. If completed, the acquisition would instantly strengthen Netflix’s already dominant position in Korea, where it holds about 40 percent of the local streaming market, far outpacing homegrown rivals such as Coupang Play, Tving and Wave. Adding global fandom-heavy titles such as “Harry Potter,” the “Game of Thrones” universe and the DC franchise, including “Batman” and “Superman,” would make this domiWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times