K-Content News

‘Spoon’ – a Social Audio Platform

“What is the cultural trend for the younger generation today, you ask? The cultural trends of youths in their teens and 20s cannot be defined very easily. I think the problem is trying to give it a definition. You can’t really define what you like. I think it is a bad idea for the older generation to approach this issue from a perspective of trying to understand what the younger generation likes.”

Someone wanting to know what the ‘hot’ cultural trends for the younger generation are might be disappointed with this answer from Mykoon CEO Choi Hyuk-jae. I met with him at his office near Gangnam Station in Seoul in mid-November. He said, “I am always asked about the cultural trends of the younger generation.” He added with emphasis, “The younger generation thinks less about how they act, but instead, quickly react and change based on different content.”

The essence of Spoon Radio is ‘communication’ between people

Mr. Choi captivated young users by opening the personal social audio platform, Spoon Radio, in 2016. There were many people who voiced concerns about him putting out audio in a market where video platforms like YouTube were just gaining momentum. Many people believed that the younger generation, who barely watched TV, would never want to listen to a radio. “It is true that the younger generation does not listen to the radio, but I had questions about whether radio would truly disappear. Watching and listening to something is a tool that makes it easy for people to access. I thought that the reason why the younger generation was not listening to the radio was because it was not in the format that they desired.”

Spoon Radio offer contents under the concept of ‘our own radio’ targeting teenagers and those in their 20s. When a BJ opens a radio channel, users connect to listen to the broadcast and can communicate through real-time chatting services. Unlike conventional radio, where a celebrity DJ provides the content, Spoon Radio offers two-directional content focusing on the user. “The contents of Spoon Radio are very diverse. For example, if a DJ holds a quiz show one day, they will look for different content the next day. They offer content with different themes every day. They communicate with users and look for content that they can all enjoy.” Mr. Choi said, “In Spoon Radio, audio is a tool and the essence is communication,” adding, “The strength of Spoon Radio is that people can share their deepest thoughts with each other and react and sympathize with each other through real-time chat.”

When asked about the perception that Spoon Radio was a ‘return to analog,’ Choi drew a line. “It’s half right and half wrong.” While it has some similarities with existing radio media in that the user listens to what others say, there is also a clear difference. Choi explained, “Simply put, if radio has a warm and cozy feeling, Spoon Radio is different, in that most of the content is made up of people jovially talking and interacting with each other.”

Audio content with unlimited concepts and themes that go beyond Korea to foreign markets

Currently, Spoon Radio services five countries, including Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Choi said, “The audio market is only a fifth the size of the video market,” adding, “We intend to overcome the limitations related to the size of the market by expanding our presence in foreign markets.” Spoon Radio has been growing rapidly recently. It recorded over 5 million total downloads and sales are also rising.

Among the foreign markets that Spoon Radio has entered, Japan stands out the most. It has been seven months since the service was launched in Japan, but its growth rate is faster than Korea when comparing the same period. Spoon Radio in Japan is gaining popularity with content such as debates about specific animations, or staying up all night talking about favorite music and singers. “While Korean users have the tendency to use aspects of themselves to appeal to fans, by exposing their photos, etc., Japanese users tend to hide their identity. It is rare in Japan for users to show their photo in their profile. Most do not show their identity and broadcast as an imaginary character.” The decision-making structure of Spoon Radio focuses less on the opinions of employees, but more on listening carefully to user feedback. Initially, Spoon Radio DJs would record their content first and then upload the files. But then, user demand for live content began to grow. Mr. Choi closely examined the demand for live content from actual users through data and attempted to make changes. After making improvements to the services based on the actual data, reactions from users grew. Choi explained, “The profit model of Spoon Radio, ‘spoons’, was also the result of reflecting the opinions of users,” and added, “We received feedback that they wanted to pay back the DJ since they were able to laugh and feel encouraged by them. Popular DJs earn upwards of KRW 10 million right now.”

Lastly, I asked what Spoon Radio’s dream was. Mr. Choi said, “Just as YouTube is overtaking TV, I want Spoon Radio to replace today’s radio.” He also expressed his aspirations by saying, “We will work hard so that our young users today will continue to use our services, even as they grow older.”

Article by guest report Ma Song-eun (masongeun@gmail.com)