On May 29 KST, SBS announced its successful shutdown of three websites, including Fanta TV (formerly known as 'BLACK VOD'), an illicit video streaming platform with servers based in China.

Last August, SBS collaborated with Chinese investigative authorities in a joint effort to combat copyright infringement by targeting Fanta TV, which unlawfully distributed Korean content without authorization. As a result of this operation, Fanta TV and Itaewon TV were dismantled after servers were seized in May of this year, followed by the closure of Cola TV. At present, all three platforms, including Fanta TV, are inaccessible, with their servers deactivated.

Fanta TV operated as an unlawful streaming service with a server situated in China, generating advertising revenue by providing unauthorized access to Korean broadcast content. The platform would upload Korean content within 24 hours of its airing and illicitly offer viewing services to users. This method of infringement, characterized by offshore server setups and continuous IP and URL alterations, mirrors the tactics employed by Nunu TV, a site that gained notoriety in Korea in April last year.

SBS stated, "This action represents a crackdown on an illegal Korean streaming site operating from a server in China, and we hope it serves as a positive precedent for combating similar illicit platforms evading enforcement by utilizing overseas servers." They emphasized the ongoing need for governmental attention and cooperation, as many comparable illegal streaming sites persist in China despite the closure of Fanta TV.

In response to the surge in illegal distribution of Korean content sparked by Nunu TV in 2023, the government established the 'Consultative Body of Related Ministries to Eradicate Illegal Distribution of K Content'. However, the reality persists that certain illicit streaming platforms with offshore servers continue to operate, evading enforcement through URL alterations. It is imperative for the government to intensify efforts to penalize such illegal sites that consistently evade detection through cunning methods, safeguarding the integrity of Korean content.

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