Yes, maybe they think less people are willing to volunteer and yes maybe there are people who indeed decide to not volunteer. But that is how a license works, it’s nothing new. Licenses come in all shapes and sizes. I mean look at anime/manga. Quite a few things are now out of print or are not published anymore due license experiment and it’s also licensed for a certain region. And some series seems to hop from one publisher to the next because when the license of company A. expires company B. buys one.
Yes I’m sad that the licenses are about to expire but I’m more annoyed about the fact Viki is not open about it and doesn’t provide a list. Not everyone uses the follow option (so they get notifications) or has a good network of Viki friends who tell them about this. Also on some licensed channels the regions are not listed so you don’t know.
Like you said, it’s different from your regular job. On our regular jobs, we just get paid for what we are supposed to do and even if our projects fall though, well, then so be it. We just move on to the next project and we get paid for the work we do, whether it gets “published” or not.
I sub not for Viki or for myself but for other viewers out there who enjoy watching Korean dramas. In the case of Jewel in the Palace, I can understand why Viki may not want to keep paying for a 10 year old drama but the Channel manager approached Viki less than a year ago to to update and improve the existing translation which was pretty horrendous. At that point, they should have made it known to us that the license is about to expire soon, rather than just giving us a blessing to work on it. There were very few people working on this rework and it took months to complete the work. I don’t have much time to sub or watch TV in general so I had to give up watching some of the shows I enjoy in order to complete this project. Since it’s such a classic, I thought many people would enjoy watching it for years to come. Had I known that all the work would be lost in the matter of few months, I would have never spent all that time perfecting the translation.
Like dudie said, what’s infuriating me most is not so much that license is expiring but that there is no transparency about it and that our time and efforts are taken for granted and wasted. There was no information about when each of the drama will expire and how long the subs will be available. And even if license for the drama does expire, I would think Viki would value the translations (not just in English but into so many different languages) and would archive the work somehow and make it available somehow, even if the video itself is not.
I also enjoy writing subtitles and I do meet interesting people and I appreciate the community. But I would like to know all the facts before I commit myself to a project. I do a lot of research to bring the most accurate translation with explanations and terms. But if the drama will be available for only short period of time, then maybe I would also spend less time and just provide a loose translation, like other sites, rather than spending extra time explaining terms and giving the exact correct words for every single sentence.
Well, I probably will continue to sub for a while but I will definitely spend less time on it. All the work will be lost sooner or later and it’s not like I’m getting paid for it anyway.
Your not the only one thinking like that.
It actually should be posted in the blog or newsletter too. Also they need to inform us about our channels especially all the team members.
I also think that it should be in discussions as well. Its need that the community members know what is going on in viki.
Damo and Dong Yi are classics. Really close to the heart to me. they were one of the first for me. Your right they need to inform us right when they give us licenses. Also I was thinking the same I wonder if the other sites lose license as well. I remember mysojo went gone and same with DC and KD i wonder if viki will be next. well they need to seriously do some damage repair to keep this community going strong, especially when volunteers come to find out their favs are being deleted from this site.
Hello there!
I am a little upset myself and it doesn’t help, that not to long ago the TERMS OF USE changed. Why I am using BIG letters, because viki is using them a lot. I didn’t want to add to the fire. But I have to get it out of my system, so maybe this comment might come across like a rant, but I really try to keep it clean.
TERMS OF USE for those who want to get a fresh idea about what is going on. http://www.viki.com/terms_of_use
In earlier years I found them written adjusted to the community, Like there are many people with different language knowledges. After reading the new one, I felt like maybe I should find me a lawyer …
This is not the only thing that kind of bugged me. Why does a “store”, where things are sold needs to be added at the “corner” of the community. Only viewers will have more and more the idea of volunteers being insiders and have contacts and knowledge the normal audience has not. Why did they not put the Viki Pass section and the shop together??? Viki pass is it only the fault of one contracting party that makes them think, they are buying drama episodes with subtitles the minute they are uploaded and in HD add free?
I am like others here not a “to English” but a “from English” translator. I don’t have much time to do it. actually I am translating MY NAME IS KIM SAM SOON into my first language, I think, I am working on it for more than a year now. First the translation wasn’t all good and a few months ago it was supervised and cgwm, took over with a team to adjust the subtitles and segments as well. Of all my prior work I had to re-edit a lot. And now I am getting to the point, where I am finally starting the last episodes that are still not subbed. And if I hadn’t promised it, I would probably just let it go. But I will finish it anyway, as disappointing as it may be. But I have so far, translated or helped translate several dramas who “vanished” into thin air. And Viki coaxed (now I would say made a hollow promise) that one should subtitle licensed dramas since subtitles are safe there, and we all know to well that fan-channels can be deleted just like that.
So I don’t know what to do know, I seriously don’t. And this feeling of being left in the dark by Viki doesn’t help feeding my motivation at all.
Maybe I will just sub, as I did before, go to less popular channels, where it doesn’t matter, if I am the only one subbing. Because, I seriously don’t have the wish to edit someone’s translation, who only does it for the “numbers”.
I don’t understand what Viki does not understand about the community they created, this is solely based on volunteerism unlike DF. So if people decide not to volunteer then in essence Viki changes or loses what is important. Do you think this has to do with the company changes last year? My understanding is Viki was bought or merged with another company in 2013? Correct me if I am wrong. Plus, I have to agree with all of you who keep saying that it is not just about the English translations. Viki boasts that they are even translating in some ‘endangered’ languages. If people feel their effort is wasted then they may stop translating in these much needed languages. I just found Viki a few months ago, and I would hate to see it change drastically because they were not diligent about who keeps this site going.
It has already effected how I do things. I certainly learned from this experience. I have stopped updating efforts and am only working on one on-air show. I would stop that too but I promised to work on it.
Just for reference, the total amount of work performed on updating Jewel of the Palace was many tens of thousands of subtitles and segment timing adjustments, involving multiple languages. But, I guess since it didn’t cost Viki anything, they place a low value on it.
@umno You forget something very important. Those sites you mention Mysoju, KD ad DC where illegal sites who stole from the legal sites,the broadcaster/content owner itself (like KBS World, MBC’s English translations) and fansub groups.
@ajumma2 Yes I also remember getting a PM about Jewel in the Palace not so long ago about reviving the channel. I don’t remember if it was from Viki staff or not but they could at least have told you all like „listen the license might expire next year but we are working on an extension". There is no way they could have not known because when buying a license it should state for how long, which regions, which subs are allowed next to other things Viki and the content owner have agreed on.
And yes I’m getting so annoyed of people who buy VikiPass, don’t read what it’s for, and expect things that have nothing to do with VikiPass at all. And instead of taking it to Viki to complain they complain towards volunteers because some also don’t know how Viki works and think we volunteers are staff and get paid.
Personally if I know a license still lasts 2-3 years or more I would still help out but if I know a license will expire within a year I would choose an other project to work on.
I don’t work on fan channels because you never know when they are removed, links stop working etc.
Related to this: I know a few Japanese subbers stopped subbing after their completed subs where removed from a few Kdrama since the content owner did request it. And one time I wanted to rewatch some parts of Mimi and all subs where hidden, now they are back if they are not taken down again.
So… does this mean that eventually all of the dramas will be gone? I mean… Bridal Mask was from 2012… so the channel has been on Viki for 2 years. If most of the dramas have a license for 2 years or sth, many people might decide not to volunteer…
I’m really sorry to hear this news. I was shocked when I received the info about the expiration and read the titles on it. We all know how contracts work. There’s a beginning and an end. But as you have just stated it should be transparent for the teams working on the dramas as well as the viewers. As a team member, I probably wouldn’t have put in so much time helping with the updating of a project, like Jewel, had I known it was only going to be available for 6 more months. And as it was mentioned here, I hope that they are able to archive the work already done so it can be used again if possible in the future.
As a viewer, knowing the expiration info would be helpful in picking what I would like to watch next. If it’s expiring soon I would want to know before I started it so I can either marathon it or spend my time on another drama before it suddenly disappeared. Perhaps, that is why they sent out this list to CMs so they could write the info on the community wall and let viewers know.
My suggestion would be Viki should add the expiration date as well as the regions the channel is available to the top of the community wall where they now have other info given about Broadcast Period, Genre etc. This should come from Viki, and be part of the standard info from the beginning.
I agree with you of course, but just like our experience has shown, even though it is now on the channels’ homepages, after they are gone there will be people whining here “where did the show go”. Just like those that ask on every show, “why can’t I watch it” and “why are there no subtitles”.
I also sent a message to those that “favorited” the shows.
I suddenly remember something that might be relevant to this discussions.
One of my past projects on Viki was 49 Days, made a Dutch coverpage, subbed the first 4 or 5 eps in Dutch all by myself. It was completely done in English and some other languages. And suddenly it was deleted without any notice. The channel was supposed to be located here: http://www.viki.com/channels/2770-49-days (yes link doesn’t work since the channel is removed) but recently I found out there is a new fanchannel for it: http://www.viki.com/tv/24315c-49-days
Now that makes me wonder why there is a new fanchannel for it, it’s useless if they never get a license for it again. And if they are looking into getting a license again why not bring the old channel back? I wonder what will happen when that channel get’s a license again, will the subs and everything put back or are they lost forever and have to be redone?
I totally agree. this is what i totally think viki thinks. I would love to see how much the “staff” have contributed to viki.
I remember when they went to korea and they boasted about it in facebook and in viki. But did they go all crazy when it come to licenses??? at that time we were just wanting a license for a turkish drama. Viki why you gotta be so rude!
I didn’t know actually at the time i used those sites that they were illegal. Actually i use to use mysuju before viki ever came to place. but its after i came into viki i knew about all the legal works. ( eye opener now)
Omg @Dudie Your totally right! I was looking for that channel and noticed only that channel. I knew i watched it in Viki i remember when it was on air too. I knew i wasnt just imagining it, That channel is deleted. Totally odd. I seen others like that as well too!
@lutra what can i say the terms of use… I wish viki went back to viikii.net i miss it!
That was the time when everything was nice no worries about license and everything was uploaded and worked on by users. Even though it was hard with downloading the resources from forums it was worth the wait. Now even though they get licenses i’d rather have mine a fanchannel than a licensed channel. at least i know when it will be deleted from viki.
I SO DISLIKE THIS!!!
Come on Vikiiiii… after all the effort and hard work of your volunteers, you will let go of these dramas???
This is SO discouraging!
I wonder if those of you who are channel managers (in general, not just for these dramas), send a notification about this? Sort of to get the word out.
Now you mention it, let’s send the list as a notification to followers of my channels. I didn’t receive much notifications about it so I don’t think everyone knows.
Isn’t it possible to somehow create a big archive of the translated shows and movies on Viki? If it’s possible to create maybe a site or something that contains transcripts of the subtitles in every language of the soon-to-be-deleted dramas, people who need subtitles can still watch the drama somehow somewhere else and then read the transcripts of Viki’s subs to understand what was going on if they don’t understand a certain part very well.
Just like that, the cover page can be saved too, to show what the dramas are about (I’ve seen a lot of amazing cover pages and it’d be a shame if they’re just lost). And it would even be possible to create a comment page or something to talk about funny moments in the drama or to store some of the comments that were written here.
I don’t know a lot about computers or websites, but I’m sure there’ll be someone here on Viki who does. And if so, it’d take quite some time and effort to create something like this, but that would be volunteering too and at least the efforts won’t be wasted…
I don’t know if it’d be possible, but I think it’d be cool if it is…
Thanks in advance!