Global IP & Stories, Local Wins
An Intense Scene in TikTok
Presented by
SAMUEL LEE
Assistant Director
SBS Korea
SBS is one of TikTok's key partners across APAC. This segment is delivered by Samuel Lee, who oversees the digital content business at SBS's Production Division in Korea.
Over the past decade, SBS had the opportunity to collaborate with various global platforms, and Samuel has led projects across content distribution, branded content production, and sponsorship deals.
Read his sharing below
SBS is one of South Korea’s leading national broadcasters, established in 1991.
The broadcasting company operates one terrestrial TV channel, eight cable channels, and two radio stations, delivering a wide range of content every day.
Beyond broadcasting, SBS is a comprehensive media group engaged in drama, entertainment, and documentary production and distribution, as well as live performances, advertising, and digital content businesses across the entire media value chain.
SBS has produced a wide range of hit programs across drama, entertainment, and current affairs.
Sandglass
64.5%
Viewership Rating
Running Man
ASIA
Audience Support
Unanswered Questions
Korea’s Leading
Investigative Journalism Program
Popularity of SBS
So why has it become even more critical for media companies today?
At the heart of it is Gen Z, a new generation of viewers with an unprecedented preference for short-form content.
They are not only a key audience now, but more importantly, our future fans and consumers, which makes it essential to ensure our brands and programs stay top-of-mind and turn them into loyal supporters. This isn’t just a marketing challenge; it’s a fundamental driver of future business success.
About a decade ago, SBS also began seeking answers to this question. As traditional TV viewership declined rapidly among younger audiences, a key challenge emerged:
How can we expose our brand and programs to this generation?
In response, SBS launched its digital brand Mobidic, producing digital content in new formats and lengths. We also created a wide range of digital clips and short-form content to make our TV programs more accessible, and actively promoted them through off-platform marketing initiatives.
In this context,
TikTok has become the most powerful tool for showcasing our IPs
And what they’re looking for on TikTok is that “Intense Scene". They’re ready to receive the powerful scenes we’ve crafted. An intense scene captures their attention, sparks curiosity, and ultimately drives them to search for, explore, and watch our content.
In this way, TikTok is not just a platform for content consumption. It serves as a powerful catalyst that helps audiences recognize and engage with our IP.
Today, we live in an era overwhelmed by abundant content. Numerous OTT platforms continuously release new content and fiercely compete to promote it. However, deciding “What should I watch?” has become increasingly difficult and tiring.
In this environment, short-form content acts like a “sampling station” for confused viewers, helping them decide what they truly want to watch and which content to choose in the moment. Bite-sized moments are impactful, viewers are much more likely to select and engage with the full content based on that experience.
SBS is also running various campaigns on TikTok to imprint our programs in the minds of viewers, especially younger audiences.
1
Treasure Island
50M
Views
15.7%
Final Rating
Earlier this year, SBS drama Treasure Island starring Park Hyung-sik and Heo Joon-ho tapped TikTok with over 100 exclusive clips. The content pulled in more than 50M views, especially from younger audiences, and helped push the show to a 15.7% final rating and 4.0% in the 20–49 demo — one of the strongest drama performances in the first half of the year.
2
Running Man
1.4M
Views
Popularity in
SEA
SBS variety shows are also seeing results on TikTok. To mark Running Man’s 15th anniversary, clips from a special episode were shared on the platform, one of which quickly hit 1.4M views. With its big following in Southeast Asia, TikTok has become a key channel for the show to stay relevant and connect with fans.
3
Dr. Romantic
16.8%
Ratings on broadcast
SBS brought back highlights from earlier seasons as short-form TikTok videos. The strategy reignited interest among old viewers and drew new ones, leading the series to peak at 16.8% ratings during its broadcast.
4
The Fiery Priest
50K
Likes
Buzz
for the drama & variety shows
To promote The Fiery Priest Season 2, the cast joined a variety show Whenever Possible and took part in a jump rope challenge featured on TikTok. The clip earned over 50K likes and created buzz for both the drama and the variety show, powered by the cast’s star appeal.
5
Park Hee-soon & Running Man
Global
Hype
Riding the global hype of Squid Game, SBS resurfaced actor Park Hee-soon’s past Running Man appearance on TikTok. The throwback clips drew global attention and reminded viewers of the long-running show’s appeal.
Strong Visuals & Sound
One key element that SBS considers is the power of strong visuals and sound. Creating an immediate hook is crucial in digital content.
A few years ago, we talked about capturing a viewer’s attention within the first minute or 30 seconds. But in today’s short-form era, it all comes down to the first 10 seconds. That’s why it’s essential to start with striking visuals and sound that stop the scroll and command attention from the very first moment.
Micro Narrative
Second, the moment must contain a micro narrative within the short-form content that keeps viewers watching until the end. This clip is from Fortune Tellers' Love, a reality dating show that aired on SBS and was well-loved in Southeast Asia. At the start of this video, one participant takes out a ritual bell used in shamanistic practices from her bag.
As she shakes the bell to search for her match, tension builds. This narrative arc compresses the essence of "Possessed Love" into a brief moment, holding viewers’ attention until the end. Through this, viewers experience the unique charm and flavor of this IP, even within a short clip.
Spark curiosity
Lastly, the scene should spark curiosity about the backstory or the broader universe. This motion poster from the recent SBS drama may seem ordinary at first glance, but a massive tail behind actor Yook Sung-jae raises questions: What does it mean? Who is he? Similarly, a short-form clip from Revenant uses a striking moment with actress Kim Tae-ri that leaves viewers wondering about her actions and what will unfold next.
So far, SBS has shown “Intense Scenes” on TikTok that stick with viewers.
But TikTok is more than just a content platform for SBS. It’s a full-funnel partner that helps expand our IP into global markets.
TikTok is also a key platform for digital sponsorships.
Last year, SBS repurposed the variety IP A Date With My Son-In-Law in Maeil into 12 TikTok videos featuring Son Tae-jin and Lim Ha-ryong. The campaign drew over 6 million views and left the client highly satisfied, serving as a strong reference case for branded content success at SBS.
Beyond content production and partnerships, SBS operates K-POP concerts worldwide and is actively exploring digital commerce.
To scale these initiatives, strong local partnerships are crucial. SBS is open to collaboration and looks forward to exploring opportunities with you!