Ever since Viki came up with their rating/review section I’ve been relying on it in order to see which new drama I should watch next. However, I’ve become extremely disappointed and upset by the amount of bogus reviews and rating on this website and I know I’m not the only one. I’m not just talking about a few, I’m talking about hundreds of fake reviews/comments. For instance, Lee Min Ho’s upcoming drama Legend of the Blue Sea has a 9.6 stars. There are almost 100 bogus ratings/reviews and mind you the show hasn’t even aired yet. You’ll see a bunch of comments like “Can’t wait to watch it!” 10 star, “I hope it’s going to be good” 10 stars, or “It’s not available in my region.” 1 star. Like seriously, this is what the comment section is for and why would these people even rate or review something that they’ve never seen. They are defeating the whole purpose of the rating/review section. Viki shouldn’t allow people to rate/review before the show airs. What do you guys think should be done about this issue?
I agree!
I recently started “The Man Living in Our House” and as much as I enjoyed the first 2 episodes, I found that NOTHING happens in episode 3. So I checked the review section to see if maybe things get better (since the show has a 9.6 star rating) and most reviews are similar to the ones you mentioned. It’s absolute garbage.
The worst part is that most people don’t even go back to update them later. I was considering watching “Shopping King Louie” which ended this week, yet most of the reviews were written before the show aired (or after the first week, at the latest).
There have been a few threads about this previously. Asking viki to disable reviews until the show finishes. And also put a couple of lines below the Review category, saying “A review is for writing your opinion of the show after you watched it. Don’t base your ratings on hopes and liking the main cast, or on the video being available or not in your country”.
But… nothing! For now, let’s all go and put a thumb now and then flag the review for “inappropriate content” (although does not describe the problem well, it’s the closest one may choose). I make it a point of doing it regularly. Let’s all do it.
I’ve been doing that as well. I thumb them down. I think most of these people know very well what this section is for but they decide to write their bogus reviews anyways.So if viki did put what you said under the review section, they would ignore it. On the other hand, I’ve seen some really good reviews on this site. I’m always happy to those.
This topic has been few times addressed here in discussions, I thought that feature can be removed, not sure who has access to it, but the bogus reviews are a killer. I think these people do NOT understand the point or the idea of “Ratings”. Perhaps this feature should be renamed to “Reviews” (only after viewing). But perhaps there will be always weird/bad apples who don’t read instructions.
But this is a big problem that needs to change!!
@anon27228197 what can be done about this?
Hey @simi11 ~
We are aware of this issue, and have been in communication with cross functioning teams to better address the “bad apples” and enhance the overall review/ratings system. It’s definitely going to take some time, since we will have to revisit the platform design itself in making any changes necessary for a better user experience.
Will keep you all posted - but it’s definitely one of the many ongoing projects we have.
Please feel free to PM me directly if you have any suggestions and/or comments.
Thanks, everyone! 
Thank You, much appreciated, we’ll wait patiently!
I’m happy that it’s on your list of things to do.
For now, even before changing the platform or anything, a nice little message on top would be helpful for some of those people.
Or giving the power to the CM to block the reviews until the series has finished airing.
imrar, that was my suggestion too…a short message at the Review section header should be simple enough to add.
Why not keep the Review/Ratings section unavailable for comments until the full series has ended. Comments under each episode could be open for those watching it as it first airs.
We have already suggested that a looong time ago… but nobody listened to us!!!
Friends, let’s all go and downvote and flag for “inappropriate content” all reviews on dramas not yet aired. For instance on this one.
https://www.viki.com/tv/33538c-while-you-were-sleeping#modal-review-all
Here:
LOL @irmar I admire your energy, I really gave up on it that option, I don’t care much about it anyway.
I don’t do it on every single show. I consistently did it on Legend of the Blue Sea, because it was really too much (and I was too tired for any more productive job). This drama too seems to be the same case. I do hope it is not as disappointing as Blue Sea.
@irmar
Well, I don’t think it will be as dark as the movie “Dream” by Kim Ki Duk, but still only the thought makes me want to pass it.
Oh, you mean the KBS Drama Special “The Dreamer”? Yes, that was very well-made but really depressing.
Naah, Lee Jung Seok surely knows how to choose his projects, there will surely be lots of romance as well.
@irmar No KBS special, it’s a movie with Lee Na Young.
I don’t think the drama will be anything like this movie, there is just no appeal for me to watch. I am not the biggest fan of Lee Jong Suk either, I watched “only” 5 dramas he played in. I guess that is not even half of what he did.
OFF TOPIC
Ah, because there is a KBS special with exactly the same premise! And the development is extremely interesting, the finale a shock.
https://www.viki.com/videos/1087445v-unexpected-life-drama-specials-dreaming-man-episode-2
I do like Lee Jong Suk a lot as an actor - although his last drama, W, was not his best interpretation by far.
I think he’s at a very difficult and crucial age right now, as the face and build and persona he chose for himself (especially that nose, and the vomit-inducing aegyo) won’t be compatible with a man in his 30s. Right now he’s making the transition and let’s see how successful that will be. It’s like the “passage” notes for a singer.
I think reviews similiar to MyDramalist would help to get rid of these unnecessary ratings. The rating is divided into several parts like Story, Music, Acting… With this maybe some people think twice what the actual function of the reviews/ratings is. Also MDL nicely has a guideline for writing reviews that I totally agree with. It can’t be too hard to add several lines like others have already suggested.
I don’t think we’d get any better results with more divisions to rate with. The biggest failure is user error, for the problem is people fail to use the ratings box ONLY for a drama they have seen or quit viewing, to make their opinion known.
Still can’t believe a drama that has yet to air has 300 ratings …ridiculous.
Too much to hope for an overlord patrol on a regular basis to remove the worst of these “ratings” and spam, and insults.
Wuming