Korean streaming has always been a battleground. AfreecaTV dominated for years, then Twitch arrived and built a loyal community — until it pulled out of Korea entirely in 2024. That exodus handed Naver's Chzzk a golden opportunity, and it took it.
But now there's a new challenger: ci.me (씨미).
What Is ci.me?
ci.me is a live streaming platform launched in March 2026 by Marpple Corporation — a creator commerce company backed by Nexon. It's positioning itself as the go-to platform for VTubers and gaming streamers, offering features like 4K streaming, low-latency tech via AWS IVS, lower commission rates, and direct integration with Marpple's merchandise shop.
On paper, it sounds like a solid challenger. In practice? It's been a bumpy start.
The Streamer Revolving Door
The biggest story around ci.me isn't the platform itself — it's the streamers who joined and then quietly left.
- Kimidori Mero announced simultaneous streaming on ci.me and YouTube in early March 2026. Less than two weeks later, after putting it to a fan vote, she dropped ci.me and moved back to Chzzk.
- Ganjang joined ci.me on March 11th. By April 6th, they were gone — back to Chzzk, YouTube, and Twitch.
- Mwengi tried ci.me for exactly one month before leaving, publicly stating the platform was "too hard to grow on."
The pattern is clear: streamers are curious enough to try ci.me, but not finding the audience to make it worth staying.
Why Streamers Keep Leaving
ci.me's core problem is a chicken-and-egg situation. Viewers don't go where their favorite streamers aren't. Streamers don't stay where the viewers aren't. As of now, the only streamers doing full exclusive broadcasts on ci.me are Hanabi and Scosism — essentially everyone else is using it as a secondary simultaneous stream at best.
Chzzk, meanwhile, has the power of Naver's entire ecosystem behind it — Naver Pay integration, Smart TV apps on both LG and Samsung, and years of community building from ex-Twitch streamers who needed a new home.
Chzzk's Own Controversies
Chzzk isn't drama-free either. The platform has faced criticism on multiple fronts:
- The assassination comment incident: During the 2025 presidential election broadcast, a streamer made remarks suggesting someone should assassinate the winning candidate. Naver responded with only a temporary ban — not a permanent one — which sparked massive backlash from the community.
- VTuber ASMR crackdown: Chzzk faced pressure after viewers complained that VTubers were operating in a regulatory blind spot, getting away with suggestive ASMR content that face-cam streamers couldn't. Chzzk eventually moved to regulate it.
- Beta launch controversies: When Chzzk first launched, streamers who had been permanently banned on other platforms managed to get in as beta testers, drawing heavy criticism.
So Who's Winning?
Right now, Chzzk — and it's not close. The viewer numbers, the big-name streamers, and the platform stability all favor Naver's platform. ci.me is still finding its feet, and the early streamer exits haven't helped its image.
But it's still early. ci.me has real technical advantages and a merchandise integration that no other Korean platform offers. If it can lock in even a handful of top-tier exclusive streamers, the game could change fast.
Korean streaming has flipped before. It could flip again.
What to Watch
- Will ci.me sign any major exclusive deals?
- How will Chzzk respond to growing competition?
- Can VTuber communities rally around a new platform the way gaming streamers rallied around Chzzk after Twitch left?
This rivalry is just getting started. Stay tuned.