So as of May 4, 2015 MBC America will no longer subtitle it’s dramas. I was very shocked and surprised when all of a sudden some the dramas I watch from this network (cable subscriber) disappeared on me. MBC America, has only offered the following solution, which is transfer my cable provider to Verizon and get the Korean package, which will continue to carry subtitled shows, or Direct TV or Time Warner who will begin broadcasting the network in August 2015. So basically the networks claim that the vast majority of their viewers complained they desired to see the show air the same time the dramas aired in South Korea, was a lie, it’s all about money.
If you say, you are ending subtitles in or to broadcast the shows for people the same time they air in South Korea, but then say a few sentences down in your statement, that subtitles will be available under other cable providers, what is a consumer of Korean dramas like me, whose native tongue isn’t Korean suppose to think. Oh yeah, I’m an AT&T U-Verse customer. And a lot of us AT&T U-Verse customers are left with no solution.
It would be nice if Viki had a fulltime staff that uploaded all dramas and tv-novel from South Korea with subtitles in all languages. I’d be willing pay more in subscription fee…the same amount I pay for MBC America under my cable provider right now would be fair.
Anyone else out there, including Viki staff have a comment on this…please post, I’d love to hear your thoughts. I only wish I learned other languages when I was a kid, that’s the only bad thing about America, they don’t teach other languages in school…while other countries teach English from young to older aged students or at least that what Americans believe. K-drama fan, who is trying to listen and learn the language, but still hasn’t managed to succeed…maybe, I’m too old.
No you are not too old. It’s not easy I’ve tried without success, am fine with French, Spanish and Italian but can’t grasp the Korean. Some actors are easier to understand than others but the casual or informal escapes me completely. So like you I need the subs. Ah well that’s life a few hills to climb.
Now that I think about it, the expiring licenses in May at Viki, is that the main point? Are all of the dramas from MBC, at least some are …
Sorry for the random note.
I don’t get MBC America except the app on Roku. I don’t use it much because of Viki and other sites. I wonder if this will have an effect on that, as well. I remember the same issue was happening with telenovelas a few years ago Univision did not have them and Telemundo did until Univision figured out their was a huge market they were missing out on and added subtitles to all their shows. This does sound like a money/business issue considering it is based on cable provider. I mean Viki looks at the bottom line hence the expiring liscenses issue in another post. I have to say this surprises me because it makes very little business sense to alienate viewers. It seem like the customer/audience is caught between cable provider and network. Hopefully, there is enough demand that your cable provider will change there mind in the near future.
I have to agree about your comment on languages. I really wish the States would consider a broad-based mutiple language curriculum beyond the junior/highschool level. I took Spanish in high school(forgot it all). Then entered college had a year of French and then took 2 years of Spanish again. I remember very little French and am getting rusty on my Spanish because I am not using it. I love languages and will be lifelong learner. I think some schools such as charter and private schools are including languages but no nearly enough of them.
What a shame. My husband and I are learning Korean language and drama. As Koreans say “Anh yo” for no don’t remove and please bring back the English subtitles. We are stateside and we love it by saying “Deh” meaning yes and add on to it “Kam sa mi da” meaning thanks for all the dramas we get via whatever means we can. Learning a language is crucial to international understanding and helps us understand the gap in cultures. We don’t need hackers interfering with these posts just learning to listen is enough! The privilege is there don’t destroy the bridge of understanding.
I always say that American students are really limited when it comes to foreign languages. Some schools are starting to teach Arabic and Mandarin. After watching the Korean drama Misaeng, I realized our children are deprived, seriously. My daughter is on her second year of Spanish and I asked her if she could speak it. She told me not really and we live in Texas.
I think that is the other side to it, too. Even when there is a language curriculum it is questionable as to how much is learned and retained for students. This was true in my case for French and Spanish. I mean if one is not using it, then it is hard to retain it once they leave the academic environment. Yet, I think there is so much more that needs to be done to incorporate language into the educational system.