KOOLi Inc.
KOOLi Inc. is a privately held media technology company that delivers licensed Korean television content to North American Korean-American households through its ODK Box IPTV streaming device, subscription plans, and a network of 50+ retail partner stores across the US and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersIrvine, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KOOLi Inc. does
KOOLi Inc. is a privately held Delaware-incorporated media technology company, founded in May 2015 in Irvine, California by Korean IT-Media professionals, that delivers Korean television content to North American Korean-American and Asian-American households. The company operates an IPTV streaming service centered on its proprietary ODK Box hardware device (WooriKooli W Streaming Media Player), a set-top box that connects to televisions via HDMI and streams 100+ licensed Korean live TV channels and on-demand content over the internet using adaptive streaming technology (240p to 1080p HD). Content is sourced through direct licensing agreements with major Korean broadcasters including KBS, MBC, SBS, EBS, tvN, JTBC, MBN, Channel A, TV Chosun, OCN, and Mnet. Since April 2019, KOOLi has operated as a sister company to OnDemandKorea under common ownership, enabling cross-platform content access and bundled PREMIUM membership across TV, mobile, tablet, and desktop devices.
The company's revenue model is built on four streams: (1) recurring subscriptions for ODK Box PREMIUM ($19.99/month or $180/year) and ODK Box FAMILY ($9.99/month) plans, (2) hardware device sales and a free rental model with a $50 refundable security deposit, (3) pay-per-view movie rentals with 48-hour access windows, and (4) a freemium BASIC tier with limited content and advertising. Distribution is executed through direct website sales (kooli.tv, shop.kooli.tv), third-party marketplaces (ODK Shop, eBay), and a network of 50+ physical partner retail stores across the US and Canada. The company serves a concentrated niche market — the Korean diaspora in North America — with horizontal segmentation across Korean-Americans, broader Asian-Americans interested in Korean content, and multi-device family households. The company is headquartered in Fullerton, California, employs 11-50 people, and has raised approximately $2.37M in disclosed early-stage funding across two 2015 rounds.
KOOLi Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KOOLi Inc.
- Legal name
- KOOLi Inc.
- Website
- https://kooli.tv
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KOOLi Inc. is a privately held media technology company that delivers licensed Korean television content to North American Korean-American households through its ODK Box IPTV streaming device, subscription plans, and a network of 50+ retail partner stores across the US and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KOOLi Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Korean IPTV Streaming Service
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Motion Picture and Video Distribution (512120)
- SIC
- Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Live TV Streaming (vMVPD/IPTV OTT) (MPACAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Pay-TV Value-Added Services (DVR, VOD, TV Everywhere, Apps) (MPABAGAG), Live Streaming & Webcasting Platforms (BPAMAJAB)
Keywords
Where KOOLi Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Irvine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
KOOLi Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel
Revenue model
- Subscription Services: Monthly and annual subscription fees for ODK Box PREMIUM and FAMILY plans. First device uses PREMIUM plan ($19.99/month or $180/year), additional devices receive 50% FAMILY discount ($9.99/month). Subscriptions include OnDemandKorea PREMIUM membership at no extra cost.
- Device Sales: Sale of ODK Box WooriKooli W Streaming Media Player hardware. Annual plan subscribers receive the device free ($100 value). Purchased devices come with 7-day free trial followed by automatic subscription conversion.
- Device Rental: Free rental model requiring $50 security deposit per device, with monthly subscription fees. Deposit refunded upon device return in good condition. Additional rental devices receive 50% discount.
- Pay-Per-View (PPV): Pay-per-view movie rentals with 48-hour access period. PIN code required for purchase. Users can watch rented movies unlimited times during the rental window.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Basic tier with ads - free access with limited content |
| Subscription | Monthly | ODK Box PREMIUM monthly subscription - full access with first month discount |
| Subscription | Annual | ODK Box PREMIUM annual subscription - best value with free device |
| Subscription | Monthly | ODK Box FAMILY plan - discounted rate for additional devices |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
KOOLi Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KOOLi Inc. sells the ODK Box (WooriKooli W Streaming Media Player), an HDMI-connected hardware streaming device that delivers licensed Korean broadcast television content to subscribers in the US and Canada. The service provides 100+ live Korean TV channels (KBS, MBC, SBS, tvN, JTBC, EBS, MBN, Channel A, TV Chosun, OCN, Mnet and others) plus on-demand dramas, variety shows, movies, news, kids programming, and sports via adaptive streaming. Subscribers receive a bundled OnDemandKorea PREMIUM membership ($16.99/month value) at no additional cost.
Product overview
KOOLi Inc. offers a hardware-based IPTV streaming service centered on the ODK Box (WooriKooli W Streaming Media Player), a device that delivers Korean television content to users in North America. The product portfolio consists of the ODK Box hardware device as the core product, paired with subscription tiers (ODK Box PREMIUM, ODK Box FAMILY, and ODK Box BASIC) that grant access to Korean live TV channels, dramas, movies, and on-demand content. The service includes complimentary access to OnDemandKorea PREMIUM ($16.99/month value), which is also a sister company as of April 2019. Subscribers can stream on their TV via the ODK Box device or access content on mobile/tablet via OnDemandKorea. Pricing includes free rental options with a $50 deposit or device purchase promotions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ODK Box: A streaming media player device that provides access to Korean TV channels, on-demand content, and live broadcasting for North American viewers.
- OnDemandKorea
Products and services
- ODK Box (WooriKooli W Streaming Media Player) Hardware streaming media player that connects to TVs via HDMI, enabling US and Canada viewers to stream 100+ Korean live TV channels and on-demand content via Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection.
- ODK Box Streaming Subscription (PREMIUM) Recurring monthly or annual subscription service ($6.99 first month, then $19.99/month, or $180/year) that unlocks unlimited premium Korean streaming content and includes a free OnDemandKorea PREMIUM membership (valued at $16.99/month). Annual subscribers receive the ODK Box device free (a $100 value).
- Pay-Per-View Movie Rentals Pay-per-view movie rental service providing 48-hour access to individual movies via PIN code purchase, with unlimited viewing during the rental window.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100+ Korean TV channels available streaming to North America
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KOOLi Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
KOOLi Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
KOOLi Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- OnDemandKoreacoreSince April 2019, KOOLi and OnDemandKorea became sister companies under common ownership, enabling shared content libraries, integrated customer accounts, and bundled PREMIUM membership access across both platforms. ODK Box subscribers receive OnDemandKorea PREMIUM membership included, and existing OnDemandKorea members can transition to ODK Box plans.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KOOLi Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- OnDemandKorea: KOOLi's sister company providing Korean TV streaming to North American audiences via web and mobile. Operates the same Korean content catalog under a cross-platform umbrella, making it the most directly comparable peer (and effectively the company's mobile/desktop counterpart).
- Kocowa: US-based Korean content streaming service backed by major Korean broadcasters (KBS, MBC, SBS) themselves. Directly competes for Korean-American and Korean-curious viewers with licensed K-drama and K-variety catalog, and offers similar live and on-demand Korean programming.
- Rakuten Viki: Subscription streaming platform specializing in Asian dramas, movies, and TV with Korean as a flagship category. Targets Asian-American and Asian-content-curious audiences in the US and competes directly for the same Korean-content subscriber wallet share.
- Viu: PCCW-owned OTT streaming service delivering Korean and pan-Asian dramas to international markets including North America. Operates a freemium/subscription model on app stores and competes for Asian-content-curious viewers across the same diaspora.
Emerging players
- AsianCrush: US-based streaming service offering Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and other Asian films and series. Targets a similar Asian-American audience but with a broader non-Korean focus, serving as a partial-overlap niche competitor.
- WeTV: Tencent-owned international streaming service offering Korean and Asian drama content with subtitles. Targets similar overseas Asian-content audiences and competes at the emerging end of the niche streaming spectrum.
Broad incumbents
- iQIYI: One of China's largest streaming platforms with growing Korean and Asian drama catalog internationally. Operates a broad pan-Asian content offering that competes with KOOLi for Asian-American viewer time, though anchored in Chinese content.
- Netflix: Global streaming incumbent that has aggressively invested in Korean originals (Squid Game, etc.) and licenses K-dramas. Represents the primary mainstream alternative that competes with KOOLi for casual Korean-content viewer attention and subscription dollars.
- Disney+: Major global streaming service with growing Korean content slate through partnerships and originals. As a broad incumbent it offers overlapping K-drama content to mainstream audiences, reducing the unique value of dedicated Korean services like KOOLi.
Others
- Roku: Dominant streaming-device and platform aggregator whose devices (and Roku Channel) deliver thousands of apps including Korean-content services. Represents an alternative hardware/distribution path that could substitute for or undermine KOOLi's dedicated ODK Box model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KOOLi Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceKOOLi Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KOOLi Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KOOLi Inc. subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
KOOLi Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KOOLi Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KOOLi Inc.
What does KOOLi Inc. do?
KOOLi Inc. sells the ODK Box (WooriKooli W Streaming Media Player), an HDMI-connected hardware streaming device that delivers licensed Korean broadcast television content to subscribers in the US and Canada. The service provides 100+ live Korean TV channels (KBS, MBC, SBS, tvN, JTBC, EBS, MBN, Channel A, TV Chosun, OCN, Mnet and others) plus on-demand dramas, variety shows, movies, news, kids programming, and sports via adaptive streaming. Subscribers receive a bundled OnDemandKorea PREMIUM membership ($16.99/month value) at no additional cost.
Is KOOLi Inc. a public or private company?
KOOLi Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was KOOLi Inc. founded?
KOOLi Inc. was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KOOLi Inc. based?
KOOLi Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, United States, in the North America region.
How does KOOLi Inc. make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Subscription Services are the primary driver. The others are device Sales, device Rental and pay-Per-View (PPV).
Who are KOOLi Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are OnDemandKorea, Kocowa, Rakuten Viki and Viu. Emerging players are AsianCrush and WeTV. Broad incumbents are iQIYI, Netflix and Disney+. Roku is listed as an others.
Does KOOLi Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for KOOLi Inc..
What industry is KOOLi Inc. in?
KOOLi Inc.'s product category is Korean IPTV Streaming Service. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAAAD, Live TV Streaming (vMVPD/IPTV OTT), with a secondary code of MPABAGAG, Pay-TV Value-Added Services (DVR, VOD, TV Everywhere, Apps). Its NAICS code is 51621 and its SIC code is 4841.