In 2024, Twitch will cease operations in South Korea. This news is a major shock for Korean streamers who rely on the platform for their livelihood. Now, some are considering switching platforms – or even emigrating.
Which streamer is it about? “Yummy_2” is a Korean streamer who has been offering her content in English since 2020. On Twitch, she mainly appears in the “Just Chatting” category. In the last 3 months, she achieved an average of 171 viewers (via sullygnome).
Why is she losing her job? Like many other Korean streamers, Yummy_2 was surprised on December 5, 2023, by the announcement that Twitch would cease operations in South Korea on February 27, 2024. The decision is justified by high costs.
In an official blog post, it is stated that they have already tried to reduce operating costs by limiting stream quality to 720p. Furthermore, VODs, or recordings of streams, were made inaccessible to Korean users.
Nevertheless, the costs to operate Twitch in Korea are said to be 10 times higher than in other countries. Korean streamers now face a difficult decision.
Streamers are considering life after Twitch
What kind of decision is this? For many affected streamers, the question now is how to deal with the situation, as they suddenly lose a source of income. For Yummy_2, this means that she loses her job, as she noted in a stream on December 6.
She sees two options: switching platforms or leaving the country. The 26-year-old is unsure if her viewers would follow her if she streamed on another platform, such as YouTube.
Alternatively, Yummy_2 could continue streaming on Twitch from another country. However, as the streamer explains, she would need to create a new account and work her way back to partner status on Twitch.
Streamer HAchubby is also facing a similar decision. She reported in her stream on December 6 about a possible switch to YouTube. She had lost her job in a supermarket in 2021, but thanks to her community, she was able to open her own shop (via GameStar).
In an emotional stream, HAchubby announced the closure of the “Hachumart”. The shop had been facing financial difficulties for some time, as she explains. However, she seems to have been able to finance it with her Twitch earnings until now.
Another alternative besides YouTube could be the platform AfreecaTV, the South Korean version of Twitch. There are already big names like LoL world champion Faker represented there.
