On the 31st, SOOP announced its preliminary consolidated financial results for the second quarter of 2026, reporting revenue of ₩103.84 billion and an operating profit of ₩12.63 billion. Revenue and operating profit decreased by 11.2% and 57.9%, respectively, compared to the same period last year. Net profit stood at ₩8.75 billion, a 61.1% decline year-on-year.

By segment, platform revenue was ₩74.13 billion and advertising revenue was ₩27.21 billion, down 12.3% and 11.6% respectively from the same period last year. Other revenue rose 60.4% to ₩2.51 billion. Operating expenses reached ₩91.21 billion, a 5% increase year-on-year, driven by higher payment commissions—such as broadcasting rights fees—and increased support for streamers.

Cumulative results for the first half of the year show revenue of ₩209.9 billion, operating profit of ₩33.9 billion, and net profit of ₩31.2 billion. Platform revenue for the first half was ₩148.2 billion, with advertising revenue at ₩57.7 billion.

SOOP expects profitability to gradually recover in the second half of the year as it enters the peak advertising season and concludes the reflection of one-time costs.

To foster a content-centric platform environment, the company continued its e-sports leagues, ASL and GSL, which feature 'StarCraft' and 'StarCraft II,' in the second quarter. It also expanded touchpoints across key categories—including gaming, sports, music, and virtual content—by linking tournaments with original content and offline events.

To support the ecosystem, the company lowered entry barriers for new broadcasters and expanded growth programs that provide equipment, production, and promotional support tailored to different activity stages and categories. It added that it has also refined its support system to ensure stable activities and the formation of fan communities across various categories, including virtual streamers.

In the second half, the company plans to focus on increasing new user acquisition and enhancing the activity levels of existing users. To this end, it is preparing a system for existing streamers to discover and mentor new talent, as well as a performance certification system based on activities and achievements. The goal is to create a self-sustaining growth structure driven by streamer participation and to bolster the donation economy ecosystem.

In the service sector, the company is pursuing a UI/UX overhaul aimed at improving user convenience and content experience. It also plans to lower language barriers for global users by strengthening AI-based personalized recommendations, subtitles, and chat translation features.

To diversify revenue, SOOP will introduce a new integrated marketing consulting brand that pools the capabilities of SOOP and its advertising and marketing affiliates. The strategy is to maintain the expertise of each entity while responding to the market as a unified brand to boost business competitiveness and expand the scale of platform advertising.

Below is the full text of the CEO speech by SOOP CEO Lee Min-won during the Q2 earnings call regarding plans for the second half of 2026.

Hello. I am Lee Min-won, CEO of SOOP.

Before we begin the Q&A, I would like to briefly share management's perspective on these results and our future business direction.

The management team, including myself, takes the company's current situation very seriously. We believe it is time to coolly assess our position and implement changes, not only in terms of short-term performance but also regarding the growth of our streamer and content ecosystem.

However, we believe that the live streaming competitiveness and the foundation of the streamer ecosystem that SOOP has built over a long period remain solid. We will not stop at simply cutting costs or improving short-term results; we will focus more on expanding the influx of new streamers and users and increasing the activity levels of our existing user base.

In the second quarter, donation economy revenue began to rebound, and traffic recovered to levels seen in the same period last year. However, the overall performance fell short of expectations due to the reflection of one-time costs related to a tax audit, combined with strategic investments for growth in the second half.

I will now outline the three directions the company is preparing for the growth of our business and services.

First, (Traffic/Revenue Growth) We are preparing various policies and systems to increase streamer influx and activity, through which we will revitalize the donation economy ecosystem. To attract new streamers, we are preparing a system where our strongest partners—the streamers themselves—can discover and mentor new talent. We are also preparing to introduce a 'Performance Certification System' based on activities and achievements to boost the motivation and activity of existing streamers. Our overall direction is to shift from a 'company-led growth structure' to a 'self-sustaining ecosystem growth structure.' Specific details will be announced within the third quarter.

Second, (Service Activation) We are preparing a UI/UX overhaul to make our services easier and more convenient for streamers and users. We plan to upgrade the platform beyond its current function-centric UI/UX to provide new enjoyment and content experiences. We will also apply various AI features, such as AI-based personalized recommendations, subtitles, and chat translation, to enhance convenience and lower language barriers for global users. We plan to unveil the revamped UI/UX at the 'Streamer Awards,' SOOP's biggest event of the year.

Third, (Revenue Diversification) We will consolidate the advertising capabilities of SOOP and its affiliate companies to build an integrated marketing brand. SOOP and its three affiliate companies are preparing a 'marketing consulting brand' that maintains each company's expertise while being recognized as a single, unified brand in the market. In the short term, we plan to pool our capabilities to secure buying power and expand the scale of the platform advertising ecosystem. In the long term, we aim to build an advertising ecosystem where streamers and brands can grow together while providing more benefits to users. We plan to launch this new brand within the year.

Next, I would like to make three promises to enhance shareholder value.

First, starting with the Q3 earnings release, we will transparently disclose key metrics so that investors can more clearly assess the platform's growth potential and business trends. Through this, we will strengthen communication with the market and ensure that our changes and achievements can be verified more objectively.

Second, as previously mentioned, we will finalize and announce a concrete plan for the utilization of treasury shares within the year.

Third, above all, we will restore the competitiveness of our core business and generate sustainable growth. We will prioritize the growth of the streamer and user ecosystem, and we will execute the necessary changes and investments to lead to a substantial increase in corporate value.

It may take some time for the changes we are preparing to translate into actual results. However, the entire management team and all employees are acutely aware of the current situation, and we will implement the necessary changes with speed.

Rather than being swayed by short-term numbers, we will focus on restoring our core competitiveness and making SOOP a company that grows once again.