Netflix poaches kids and mukbang YouTubers, breaking YouTube’s 20-year lock on creators

Netflix, the world’s largest over-the-top (OTT) streaming service, has recruited a large number of popular YouTubers in areas including kids’ content and mukbang, disrupting the 'creator' ecosystem that 'YouTube' had defended for 20 years. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), a U.S. daily newspaper, reported on the 23rd local time that the two companies, the dominant forces in the global video-platform market, are engaged in a fierce battle for control over content creators.

Netflix breaks through entrenched defenses, expands into snackable content

Netflix, which had focused on big-budget original series such as 'Stranger Things' and 'Bridgerton', is recently shifting its strategy toward lighter, snackable content. Its top target is the 'kids’ content' market. The company has recruited megastar YouTubers including Ms. Rachel, Mark Rober and Danny Go to launch dedicated programs, which quickly took over Netflix’s popularity rankings.

The expansion does not stop there. Netflix has also signed a series of deals with 'Good Mythical Morning (GMM)', which has built a devoted following through outrageous mukbangs and unusual experiences, and 'Allan’s Universe', a powerhouse in sketch comedy. The WSJ described Netflix’s aggressive push into video podcasts as evidence that YouTube’s exclusive position, unchallenged for 20 years, is facing its strongest challenge yet.

YouTube senses threat, wages all-out fight with penalties and incentives

YouTube has also moved swiftly to counter the growing challenge. It has begun policing its own ranks by quietly warning that creators who choose Netflix could lose access to lucrative brand partnerships or exposure at major advertising events — an implicit 'penalty.'

At the same time, the platform has offered incentives to 'diversify content.' It recently introduced dedicated production tools for 'short-form dramas,' lowering the barrier to entry for episodic series, and launched an 'artificial intelligence (AI) storytelling assistant' to maximize creators’ production efficiency.

YouTube has also entered the 'major live-streaming' market, traditionally considered the preserve of established OTT platforms. The platform is currently livestreaming the 'Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival,' the largest music festival in the western United States, and recently secured the festival’s 'exclusive streaming' rights through 2030 in a blockbuster deal, firing the opening salvo in an all-out war.