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Subject Leads Convergence of Wireless Internet and TV Broadcasting Date 2002.01.09
- COWON participates in a TV Quiz program for the national broadcasting by utilizing mobile phones for the first time in South Korea

- All the major wireless-Internet network companies in Korea such as SK Telecom, KTF, LG Telecom, participated in the event

- Developing new business models through the ground-wave broadcasting stations and wireless Internet services

- In partnership with wireless Internet service operators, Cowon is at the forefront of the digital content market

Seoul on January 9, 2002 -- COWON SYSTEMS, Inc. (CEO: Park Nam-gyu, www.cowon.com) will participate in producing `Who's the SBS Mobile Quiz Master?' which is a large-scale program for the convergence of wireless Internet and broadcasting. South Korea's major mobile carriers also join the program along with SBSi (CEO: Yoon Seok-min, www.sbs.co.kr).

COWON and SBSi starts the elimination-type contest, titled 'Millennium Special Quiz Show' in celebration of the 10th Anniversary for Korean-Chinese Amity through the three local wireless service operators on January 10th. The services are SK Telecom's Nate, KTF's magicN, LG Telecom's ez-I.

Following an elimination-type contest, the main contest and the final contest of the first wireless-cum-Internet TV program in the country, `Who's the SBS Mobile Quiz Master?' will be broadcast in Korea and China on March 1.

Prize money worth 30 million won is prepared for the program, and 30 contestants who pass the main contest will be given travel tickets for 6-day-5-nights tour of Shanghai, China and the final Mobil Quiz Master who passes the final contest will receive Lavita from Hyundai Motors as the prize.

`Who's the SBS Mobile Quiz Master?' has the significance of being the first Quiz program in the country that will be broadcast nationwide as people participate by using their cellular phones. Korea has more than 30 million mobile phone users.

It is expected to contribute to the convergence of local wireless and Internet networks as the quiz show introduces the elimination contest method by using cellular phones that have never been used for broadcasting stations.

Notably, this wireless Internet broadcast project attracts keen attention in the market since it is the first time that all the mobile carriers (SK Telecom, KTF, LG Telecom) participate in a single event.

Park Nam-gyu, CEO of COWON said, 'The convergence of the wireless Internet and broadcast will open a new chapter to the ground-wave broadcasting programs in that all the people in the country can participate in the same program with no restriction of time and space.

Park also said, 'With this SBS Mobile Quiz Master program as a start, the ground-wave broadcasting stations will be able to use the wireless Internet technology to produce programs, and also the wireless-Internet service companies will be positioned to produce broadcasting content that will fit in with the wireless Internet services.'

COWON and SBS will co-produce the communications-oriented mobile quiz show related to the World cup following the Millennium special quiz show in celebration of the 10th anniversary of Korean-Chinese Amity.

Any mobile phone users who want to join `Who's the SBS Mobile Quiz Master?' can connect to the mobile wireless Internet service such as SK Telecom's Nate, KTF magicN and LG Telecom ez-I. Users can access the SBS wireless Internet quiz menu and then just answer questions.

Users can also check their current ranking and detailed information about a number of prizes and gifts by visiting SBS Internet quiz site (quiz.sbs.co.kr), and the homepages of SKT, KTF, LGT, and Cowon.

Process of `Who's the SBS Mobile Quiz Master?'

The first elimination contest (Jan. 10 ~ Feb. 3, 2002 Wireless-Internet Quiz)
From 10th of this month to 3rd of next month, 1000 contestants among all mobile phone users will be selected in the elimination-based contest for the first-ever SBS mobile quiz show. To pass the first elimination contest, a user should answer as many questions as possible through the wireless-Internet service menu of 011, 016, 017, 018, and 019 any time and anywhere.

And the questions will be 10000 multiple-choice questions including 3000 questions related to China. After answering questions, users can check the number of correct answers and rank through cellular phones or SBS Web site, and those who pass the elimination contest will be selected from rank 1 to 1000 for the final ranking on Feb. 3. The elimination contest will be conducted in the three categories: `singles', `groups', and `Catch the Good Luck'.

The main contest (Feb. 9th, 2002 SBS Public Hall)
The main contest, which popular entertainers and super models will join, is set to be held and recorded at the same time in the SBS Dungchon-dong Public Hall on Feb. 8th. In the main contest, 1000 passers in the elimination contest will use cellular phones when they give questions and present correct answers as well as right/wrong quiz. Also the program will use the special effects for a better and colorful event.

In the main contest, final 30 contenders will be selected and all of them will compete each other in the final contest in China.

The final contest (Feb. 18 ~ Feb. 24, 2002 China)
In the final contest, 30 passers from the main contest will compete each other during 6 days and 5 nights trip in China. In the final contest, the Mobile Quiz Master will be selected. For this final winner, an automobile will be provided as a prize.