Time Warner Inc. television and film studio Warner Bros. is set to acquire streaming service DramaFever from SoftBank Group, the studio announced Wednesday.
Warner Bros. said DramaFever, which carries hundreds of Korean television shows and films, will bring “critical expertise” to the company as it “explores various (Over-the-Top) scenarios and establishes more direct connections with its audiences.”
According to the studio, DramaFever operates both subscription and on-demand video services, and brings with it a strong millennial subscriber base.
In addition to Korean soap operas, Warner Bros. said the service also includes a selection of series, variety shows, movies and programs for kids, offered in several different languages. DramaFever is currently available in more than 20 countries across the globe, Warner Bros. said.
“This is a great fit for Warner Bros.,” Warner Bros. Television Group President of Business and Strategy Craig Hunegs said. “With Warner Bros.’ resources, we will rapidly enhance and grow the DramaFever channel. As importantly, we are bringing to Warner Bros. a great and talented team, led by Seung Bak and Suk Park, that will move quickly with our own distribution and creative teams to create and build more OTT services.”
The move comes as parent company Time Warner works to bring its online video strategy in line.
In August, Time Warner subsidiary Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. acquired live event streaming service iStreamPlanet.
Time Warner also launched subscription video on demand (SVOD) service HBO NOW in the United States in April of last year. Earlier this month, HBO CEO Richard Plepler revealed that service has pulled in approximately 800,000 paying subscribers since its launch.
Warner Bros.’ deal with SoftBank is expected to close in the second quarter of 2016. Exact terms of the agreement were not disclosed.