Twitch to Shut Down Operations in South Korea by February 2024

Twitch, the popular live streaming platform, has confirmed the closure of its operations in South Korea, with the shutdown scheduled for February 27, 2024. This announcement, made on December 6th (KST), follows an initial notification to the South Korean community on December 5th (PT).

The impending closure marks a significant turning point for Twitch in South Korea. From February 27th, the platform will no longer onboard new affiliate members or partners who select South Korea as their country of residence. This change signals an end to the expansion and growth of Twitch’s community in the region.

In a detailed timeline of the shutdown, Twitch has outlined key dates for the South Korean community. On February 27, 2024 (KST) and February 26 (PT), streamers residing in South Korea will be unable to generate revenue from Twitch’s products, a move that will affect numerous content creators who rely on the platform for income. Additionally, viewers in South Korea will be restricted from making purchases on the Korean Twitch service after this date.

Twitch has also scheduled a final payout for affiliate streamers who are registered as South Korea residents. This payout is set for March 16, 2024 (KST) and March 15 (PT), providing a closure to the financial aspects of the platform's operations in the country.

In a further development, on June 4, 2024 (KST) and June 3 (PT), the affiliate and partner onboarding process will be completely cancelled from all Twitch accounts in South Korea. This step finalizes the cessation of Twitch's services and its presence in the South Korean streaming landscape.

The decision to close down operations in South Korea, attributed to the high operational costs and challenges in maintaining profitability, has stirred discussions about the future of live streaming and digital content creation in the country. Twitch's withdrawal presents both challenges and opportunities for local and international platforms aiming to fill the void.

Twitch’s management has expressed regret over this decision, highlighting the significant contributions of the South Korean community to the global esports and streaming culture. The company remains committed to supporting affected streamers and viewers during this transition period and has promised to maintain open lines of communication through various channels, including the upcoming livestream session on TwitchKR.

As the streaming community in South Korea prepares for this transition, the focus shifts to how the digital content landscape will evolve and adapt in response to Twitch's departure.