Why is TVING suddenly obsessed with ‘skincare’? From Dermaline Direct PDRN to ‘Thieving Birds’

When you see the name TVING, it’s easy to just think of it as another OTT platform. But if you follow what they’ve been up to lately, it’s clear they’re about much more than just churning out dramas and variety shows. They’re breaking the mould in several areas, and doing so with a surprising sense of style. Today, as you can tell from the headline, I want to talk about two key areas TVING is moving into: skincare and music.

Why is an OTT platform getting into cosmetics? Enter ‘Dermaline Direct PDRN’

The first thing that caught my eye was the Dermaline Direct PDRN Solution Activating Toner and the Dermaline Direct PDRN Solution Activating Emulsion. When I first saw the product names, I thought, ‘Oh, has TVING finally teamed up with a beauty brand?’ But it turns out this goes beyond a simple collaboration; it’s their own in-house skincare line. With ingredients like ‘PDRN’, it’s quite bold of them to bring a regenerative skincare concept, usually found in dermatology clinics, to the mass market.

The term ‘Re-Tiving’ has become a common phrase among younger generations, showing just how much TVING’s content has become a core part of their lifestyle. And now they’re taking it a step further by launching actual products that viewers can use themselves. The name ‘Dermaline’ suggests professionalism, and adding ‘Activating’ hints at real skincare benefits. This feels less like simple merchandise and more like a clear move to target people with genuine skin concerns.

I’ve heard this bold pivot has actually been a project in the works for quite some time. Rumours have been circulating within the beauty industry for months about ‘an OTT platform making a foray into skincare’, and now the specific product line is finally being unveiled.

• Dermaline Direct PDRN Solution Activating Toner: The first step to balance dead skin cells and hydration, with a focus on soothing the skin.
• Dermaline Direct PDRN Solution Activating Emulsion: The next step after the toner, designed to leave your skin feeling moisturised and help strengthen the skin barrier.

After all, the more time we spend binge-watching on TVING, the more likely we are to end up with some skin issues (we all know that dehydrated feeling after a late-night marathon session, right?). It seems they’ve really tapped into this specific need. It’s not just about buying products because a favourite actor uses them; the platform itself is aiming to become a kind of beauty curator.

Music too? The unexpected charm of ‘Thieving Birds’

After making such a bold move in beauty, they’ve also kicked off something interesting in music. It’s a project called ‘Thieving Birds’. The name might sound a bit quirky, like ‘birds that steal’, but it actually marks the start of some very stylish music content.

While it’s common now for OTTs to release original soundtracks, TVING is adding elements like live performances and a focus on discovering new artists. Instead of just relying on big-name stars, they’re using this ‘Thieving Birds’ banner to showcase hidden gems and artists who experiment across different genres.

The interesting thing is, this music project has the potential to become a standalone piece of content, not just promotional material for a drama. It’s the meeting point of the indie scene’s unique vibe (which you might have heard of but rarely get to experience) and catchy, mainstream melodies. With ‘Thieving Birds’, TVING is clearly trying to draw music fans into its platform as well.

Why all this diversity?

To sum it up, what TVING is doing now seems to be heading in three main directions:

• Beauty (Dermaline Direct PDRN Solution): A strategy to become part of viewers’ daily routines, integrating into their lifestyle.
• Music (Thieving Birds): An attempt to broaden its cultural influence, attracting not just viewers but also music fans to the platform.
• Connecting Experiences (Re-Tiving): Creating a positive feedback loop where content viewing leads to using beauty products, which leads to listening to related music, all packaged as a complete brand experience.

It reads as a strategy to move beyond just competing on subscriber numbers or viewing minutes, aiming to have the brand itself recognised as a lifestyle choice. Ultimately, they want to create a cycle where viewers watch dramas on TVING, buy the beauty products featured, and listen to the soundtracks from those dramas.

Of course, these kinds of bold attempts don’t always succeed. The beauty market is fiercely competitive, and musical tastes are notoriously diverse. But at the very least, TVING’s current moves are brimming with the ambition to break out of the ‘just another OTT’ box. It will be interesting to see whether this ‘Activating’ line becomes a dermatologist-recommended favourite, or if ‘Thieving Birds’ becomes a major category at year-end awards shows.