Hooq (stylised in all caps, pronounced like ''hook'') was a Singaporean

video on demand Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of ...

streaming service. It was a joint-venture of Singtel, Sony Pictures and

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, with presence in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

, and

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...

. Hooq filed for liquidation on 27 March 2020, and shut down on 30 April 2020. Its assets were acquired by

Coupang Coupang ( ko, 쿠팡) is a South Korean e-commerce company based in Seoul, South Korea, and incorporated in Delaware, United States. Founded in 2010 by Bom Kim, the company expanded to become the largest online marketplace in South Korea. I ...

History

Hooq was a joint-venture of Singtel, Sony Pictures and

, established on 30 January 2015, when the presence of

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

in Asia was still limited. An online streaming video platform, Hooq would be able to capitalise on Singtel's reach and distribution to deliver Hollywood movies, television series, as well as local programming to Asian markets. Hooq also produced original content to attract subscribers, starting with a mini-series based on the multi-award-winning movie, On the Job which revolves around a hard-hitting topic in Philippine society. The platform was progressively launched in the

, and

over 2015 and 2016. The content on the platform was accessed with a monthly or yearly subscription fee. Hooq was named Best Mobile App in the Media, Film, TV or Video category at the

GSMA The GSM Association (commonly referred to as 'the GSMA' or ''Global System for Mobile Communications'', originally ''Groupe Spécial Mobile'') is an industry organisation that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide. More ...

's Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards 2016 in

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

. Due to its fast growing, but loss-making status in Singtel's portfolio, an initial public offering was considered for value realisation in 2019. However, on 27 March 2020, Hooq filed for liquidation, citing "significant structural changes" that had occurred in the over-the-top (OTT) video market and its competitive landscape. Its global headcount of 240 staff was affected and laid off during this liquidation process. HOOQ shut down on 30 April 2020.

Ownership

Singtel owned 65 percent of Hooq's shares, while Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. each owned 17.5 percent. The share structure remained unchanged when it raised an additional in 2017. On 27 March 2020, when announced its plans for liquidation, it was revealed that Singtel has an indirect control of 76.5 percent of the company. In July 2020, South Korean e-commerce company

acquired Hooq's assets, which are being used as the basis of its own service Coupang Play.

References

External links

* {{Warner Bros. Subscription video on demand services 2015 establishments in Singapore Singaporean entertainment websites Internet properties established in 2015 2020 disestablishments in Singapore Internet properties disestablished in 2020 Defunct subscription services Products and services discontinued in 2020 Defunct companies of Singapore Defunct video on demand services Sony Pictures Entertainment Warner Bros.