I’m doing some kind of research now and I would like to have some info about Viki itself. Like how and when it was founded, how it was in the beginning, what major changes have taken place in all the years until now etc.
I found some info on Wikipedia already, but I was wondering if there is any of that available on this site itself. I only found a link to ‘About Rakuten’ and it doesn’t say anything about Viki.
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It used to be on Viki but I’m not sure if it still is. All I know is that Viikii (later they dropped the extra “i” ) was a project of a group of students who wanted to build a platform where people could subtitle content more easily if I’m not mistaken. And eventually it became more popular and more known that it was turned into a real company. At the beginning people could create channels themselves and upload video’s from Youtube and Dailymotion so they and others could sub it and eventually they had more licensed content and people couldn’t add videos to Viki anymore.
When I signed up the color theme was grey with a neonish green and there was a donation program where you could donate to Viki and then you received a special donation ribbon on your profile. But they stopped with that eventually and later they came up with VikiPass. The very first collaboration between Viki and a Korean broadcaster was MBC’s Playful Kiss Youtube edition (unless I missed something). It was a HUGE thing back then and it’s still on Youtube.
No I’m not VikiStaff but I just had my 11th anniversary on Viki last week so I really saw it grow into what it is today 
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Some interviews with one of the founders:
They are old but you will learn something about the history.
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I am no Viki Staff either but have spent a decade here as well.
About Razmig Haghimian there is info at Wikipedia as well
I only recall that they were working with Group 8 for K-dramas.
Here at the “Press Room” you can find some links.
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Be careful with the techinasia links they only offer two pages off free content per month, chose well.
https://www.techinasia.com/viki-founder-razmig-hovaghimians-winning-bet
https://www.techinasia.com/story-of-viki-and-razmig-hovaghimian
https://www.techinasia.com/why-rakuten-acquired-viki
Some random links about Viki and Rakuten, maybe there is something in the mix for you.
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I saw I was confused with an other big company that started as a project with students from various uni’s so I changed that. And wow @lutra you found quite a lot. It would be nice if there was more information about Viki’s history on Viki. Maybe that gives people a better understanding and view how Viki works and how it all started.
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@dudie I think there was more information, but it seems the internet does actually forget …
Over the years you learn to search better haha
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