Goodbye Viki 😔

[justine_desmoulins]

For 6 years, I’ve been contributing on Viki, and using it for almost double that. I’ve seen all there was to see, experienced many things, and discovered contributors. Both marvelous and horrific. I’ve translated more episodes than I could count. I tried almost every existing role on Viki, so as to be the most useful possible. I created cover pages,managed channels, moderated, edited, translated. And on top of that, I decided to create a French Academy that was dormant for years. With @piranna and @anna79_9 , we created a great amount of documents that would be useful for the community.

Despite lots of conflicts in the French community, lots of rivalry, lots of misunderstanding, lots of hypocrisy and jealousy, we kept moving forward, because we took pleasure in working for Viki.

That is not the case anymore. What I took to heart and appreciated was creating subtitles for non-english speakers with my own capacity. Not dealing with an incompetent staff who cannot even answer a message correctly,. And even threaten you. For more than a year, I tried rectifying what was wrong with the French community on Viki, through the help center, through private messages, through discussion, but hopelessly. Viki, you’ve made me lose all trust in you, and I only feel disgusted.

But I’m probably not the only one. Slowly, you’ll start to lose what you had best, your contributors. And be replaced by other Giants platforms.

I feel really sorry for dramas that I started without ever being able to finish. Eternal Love @about n which I’ve worked on both seasons but won’t be able to finish the third. On Bad prosecutor @luvidal that I just started and looked promising. On Nokdu flower @sohwakhaeng

where I fell in love with the poetry of every scene. Channel managers, I know you will probably be disappointed, you trusted me and I will let you down…And for that I’m sincerely sorry. Qualified contributors, you deserve better than what you have. You are amazing, you made everything possible, without you, Viki wouldn’t have ever been Viki. Don’t let them forget that.

[justine_desmoulins]

I feel really sorry for the French Academy, that will cease to exist anna79_9, @gwadaelle, @nymearia, @valalem13, @tiiva and for every contributor who enlisted and trusted us to help them. I’m sorry for every contributor who took time in their schedule and are still following the French academy. marina_xae, sophilo, @elo_d inavikidrama_624, dramaenfolis, @chihayafuru, @marie_, louthy.

This has been a long and tiring journey, crossing swords with the one opponent you thought you could trust. The one who could fix everything.

@vikicommunity, do know our latest message is what pushed me to stop. Explaining has been done, but you’re always misunderstanding on purpose. How can you focus on a detail (French vs dialect) when we’re talking about the use of Google translation… How can you inform someone nothing has been reported when you clearly know I’ve been ranting all this time? How can you not do anything when you recognize they used multiple accounts?

Since you like to send guidelines to threaten, let me also send you your own :

This is an extract from your term of use found in https://www.viki.com/legal/terms_of_use?locale=en

•“Registration of an account with Us for access to the Rakuten Viki Service (“Account”) must be made using your own email address or your own account with Third-Party Services authorised by Us. An individual may only create one Account.”

“We are aware she has created multiple user accounts in the past, which we do not allow.” is what you said. Even giving this user primordial roles on Viki such as Channel Manager.

• You agree not to engage in, authorise or enable personally or through third parties, any or all of the following prohibited conduct (each a “Prohibited Conduct”) unless and to the extent expressly permitted under the Service Agreement: post, publish, upload or otherwise submit any content (including any User Generated Content or Subtitle Submissions) that is confidential, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, false, unlawful, misleading, fraudulent, threatening, abusive, harassing, libellous, defamatory, discriminatory, obscene, inciteful, scandalous, pornographic, indecent or profane;

Let me remind you of a specific post on Viki where I’ve been harassed, defamed and that account is still here…

Before “threatening me” with those guidelines that you never apply or only apply when that’s in your interest, you should have thought twice. Not only will you lose one contributor, but you will lose one academy due to your incapacity.

Thank you for all these years,

Justine

[elo_d]

Bonjour @justine_desmoulins ,

Je suis vraiment désolée d’apprendre que tu t’en vas. Merci infiniment pour le temps que tu as passé à me former, j’ai beaucoup appris.
J’espère que l’on se recroisera en de meilleures occasions. N’hésite pas à me faire un coucou sur discord si le cœur t’en dit.

Bien à toi.
@elo_d

[sheli]

Congratulations Viki, on losing an excellent contributor in favor of abusers.

It’s a shame they can’t acknowledge your efforts and distinguish between right and wrong. I’m really sorry to see you leaving, you’ll be truly missed.

I wish you all the best in your life,
Sheli

[sonmachinima]

It’s quite sad, although I’m not really surprised that more (and more) translators who’ve been here for years are leaving this environment.

I wish you all the best and that you’ll find a more relaxing hobby/place.

[natmacedo]

Hello @justine_desmoulins!

I am Natália! I know VIKI since 2013, I just left in 2018 but now I am back.

I am so sad to hear it from you. I am so impressed that this kind of thing would be happening right here. I just would like to thank you for all of your effort and commitment. While reading your topic I saw and felt the sadness for all this years you’ve been around.

I remember you from some projects! I hope you just can rest and try to go back. You are one of the best French Academy’s Sensei that I remember! Don’t let this things affect you but at the same time don’t let this pass it away.

I don’t know exactly what to say to you, but I am sure you’ll be taking your time to think about things that happened all this years. All of us, I guess, still persist because we love VIKI and we don’t want to lose the best, “love”.

All I can say to confort you it is, “Thank you, for all! Thank you for your time, thank you for your commitment and above all, thank you so much for always been so kind. I wish you the best and I wish things get back to how it was!”

Love u,
Hope to see you again!
Nat ^^

[lutra]

So sad to hear, but wishing you all the best!

Remember that whenever you come back here, contributing or not, we will be happy to see you around. I once was fed up too about Viki, but that was way before … And I took a 7 months leave you could say, without knowing beforehand how long I would stay away. Before the break, I contributed at current K-dramas, just like you from a simple subber to moderator, and helping here and there. Watching appreciated contributors leaving over the years, some with saying goodbye, others just vanishing from one day to the other … It hurts the community, but it is by no means surprising. So now I am subbing on my own, an abandoned project, with no haste to get it all done, since it is a long one, sometimes I can do it for some hours and other times only minutes before real life is knocking on my door. Now my ambition is only to keep my English fluent and maybe widen my knowledge if possible, and nothing else.
I can relate to your decision. Therefore, have lots of fun “in the outside-world”.

[gwadaelle]

Dear Justine

I’m so so sad ! What a loss for me, for Viki !

Thanks to you and @anna79_9 I met wonderful girls who wished to defend the french language and always researched the best translation to give some credit and recognition to viki french subtitles because you cherish our language and the viewers. I totally approved your point of view and agreed to be part of the french academy to help achieve this goal. Thanks to your advice, notes, documents, I have improved myself in french language (so many grammar rules, difficult orthography even for french people…) and translation. And what a wonderful experience to give advice to french contributors who want to improve their translations, to see their progress, their motivation.
But I saw et realized how difficult it was, how many time you, Justine, spent on monitoring the academy, adding new documents and above all proving and reporting the rotten apples which harm all the work done by the academy.

I’m so so sad that a wonderful girl like you so funny, so bright, so honest, so nice leave us. But I UNDERSTAND ! I hope that a break will be good for you and that you’ll want later share again those unforgettable moments spent all together on projects or on the academy !

Take care of you ! Hope see you as soon as possible. I miss you already !

Edit : It’s a shame that Viki doesn’t recognize and support its good people…

[anna79_9]

With great sadness, I decided to quit too.

Registered in 2013, with approximately 650,000 contributions, more than 120 projects, I believe that a new page must be turn for me. I realize that it is many years, many investments in a life.

I would like to thank all the people I have met on viki since the beginning, I have met many beautiful people who have then become incredible friends. I also learned a lot from all of you and did my best to teach others, whether for the French language or through the NSSA.

Despite our differences, our uniqueness, we have managed to create a great community. Even despite the quarrels… But, for several years, I have seen our beautiful community wither away more and more. Certainly for various reasons… but it is more and more difficult for me to find my way around, find the meaning here too.

I have been seriously considering this for several months. I often said to myself that I was going to take a break and come back, which I have already done several times. But I think we have to end it definitively to really move on.

Of course, Justine’s departure affects me greatly. The management of viki is becoming absurd and the staff members (@vikicommunity), you guys should be ashamed of yourselves. I’m not going to go further on my opinion from pressure to absurd others things, but now you can enjoy what you have put in place yourselves, without me. I don’t want to take part in it anymore. Well, I guess other people will replace me anyway

Out of respect for the dramas I took responsibility for and the teams, I will finish my two dramas You are my Glory & Autumn Ballad. I will take care of the last 4 students of the NSSA.

If some of you wish to keep in touch with me, I will do so with pleasure. We can chat privately, I also have a Discord account.

@bjohnsonwong @shms @jadecloud88 @irmar @cgwm808 @somejuwels frenchcommunity AllLanguagesCommunities (Well, I have so many guys to tags, I will stop here, as I can tag only 10 persons) @giant_sean @amm11 @fsl_viki

I guess I’ll finally be able to take the time to do lots of other nice things. I’m going to start by getting back to the sport ^^

Best,
Anna Penguin

[gwadaelle]

I’m shoked ! I’m crying…

Edit : I already knew that it would be impossible for you to continue without Justine. Anna - Justine, Justine - Anna, what an amazing, wonderful pair ! You share the same motivation, honesty, integrity. I understand but it’s hard…

I don’t know if Viki staff realize the earthquake they caused in the french community ! Two pillars of it are leaving… A new age has come ! I doubt it will be better…

[irmar]

This is devastating.
But I fully understand, because I often feel like you too.
Be well, my dear friends, wherever you are, whatever you do.
Adieu.

[cgwm808]

Dear Anna, I will miss you and Justine so much. Viki has changed so much since I first joined in 2009. The sad thing is that viki apparently no longer values the gems crafted by fluent fans like you and Justine who put your heart and intellect into everything you did at viki.
Connie

[simi11]

It is so sad and incomprehensible that you had to resort to such decision after a discord on Viki’s part… it seems as the newer Viki staff doesn’t see the whole picture, it’s their loss, as if they do not care at all or aren’t well listening.

Wishing you a well deserved break and good luck with everything you do, hopefully your time vested will be more appreciated elsewhere! Come back if things will change
Farewell

[marykarmelina]

This is indeed very sad news that two well-known and respected pillars of the French community are leaving us. I am again disappointed at Viki staff for not dealing things properly when their requests and reports were actually supported by the most experienced vikiers. Are the veterans no longer important to this community?
Now I understand why all the long-time vikiers have left us, it is sad but a shocking reality that viki has changed a lot. DO NOT FORGET what the contributors gave you and are still trying their very best to give you ‘uniqueness’ which is being destroyed lately by bringing us already English subbed dramas. The moment you started uploading pre-subbed dramas, the moment you satisfied viewers but you made us (contributors) lose motivation and expectation. It is NOT THE SAME only editing and adjusting than actually starting everything from scratch. I can understand that you upload pre subbed dramas if they are already aired ones but the coming soon dramas? You can keep doing it, and you will see what the result will be in the end…

@justine_desmoulins, I am really sorry you had to go through a lot, I am a witness that you really tried your best to improve things here and not only in the French community but in the English community too. You tried every possible role available to help viki as much as you could and for doing that you already have our recognition and profound respect. Thank you for all your time, commitment, contributions and artworks to the community. I totally understand and respect your decision.
Stay strong and healthy ‍♀

[somejuwels]

Dear Justine, dear Anna!

I’m so shocked and yes, I’m crying right now! Although I don’t know what happened with the Viki staff and those abusers, it’s hard to see you both leaving Viki. I will miss you!

So, I wish you the best of all!
(Anna, we’ll stay in contact!)

[kakashiandme]

I just got your message and I’m still in utter shock. But like I said in the PM, you will be missed by many of us.

Viki of yore is gone. It’s telling that it won’t be long before it turns into DF.

[mahoula]

Take care my loved ones Anna and Justine. All the best with your life outside viki. As you already said viki has changed so much through the years that really is very hard to keep up. When all we asked aren;t heard at all by the staff. When we open tickets in the support for months with no answer at all this really can be extremely demotivating. A member since 2008 here and I am still here because more than 100 Greek volunteers prefer to continue volunteering here for their reasons and as their mentor, guide and friend I can’t abandon them. If there will be a day we decide all together to leave viki as a group then we will do so. I believe the only thing that keeps us here is that the subbing process is relatively easier than outside viki. I hope viki staff will understand some day before its too late. We will see.

[theparrot]

I think when a person and a master like you wish to stop, it’s a very bad sign for the Community and something is very wrong in Viki management. I will stay in touch with you with pleasure. A big hug (and a big tear!)

Monica

[mizcoffy]

Anna et Justine,
J’ai partagé de beaux moments avec vous deux. Et vous avez su vous efforcer de garder le niveau de qualité des sous-titres toujours dans le respect des oeuvres et des spectateurs. Je comprends votre décision mais je sais aussi combien elle vous est douloureuse. Je crois que nous avons tous connu nos moments de colères et d’incompréhension face aux décisions de Viki et/ou leur non réaction face à certains contributeurs abusifs. Moi qui vivais au quotidien en sous-titrant, j’ai dû aussi prendre du recul tout en revenant pour notre fabuleuse communauté. Chaque année, je me pose cette question et je ne reste qu’à cause d’un fil de plus en plus fin. Où sont nos fous rires du début en équipe, nos partages entre les différentes communauté, le plaisir de partager notre passion avec des non anglophones. Cela me manque. Viki, ce n’était pas qu’une plate-forme de sous-titrage. C’était une vrai communauté chaleureuse, où l’on riait, se soutenait, se retrouvait quand c’était possible dans la réalité. J’aimerai retrouver cette joie du partage qui nous définissait. Mais c’est toujours dur de voir des collaboratrices aussi précieuses que vous s’envoler vers des prairies où l’herbe est plus accueillante.
Je vous embrasse toutes les deux.

[teufelchen_netty_266]

Hello Anna,

I just saw the post, yes and I was quit shocked and also a bit surprised to get a PM from you.
I can totally understand your thoughs and why your leaving.
Thank you for your caring and lovely words and I wish you all the best and sure we can keep in touch. Always look forward to newer and better things and be your best self.