I know that dramas for the Big Three Networks (MBC, KBS, SBS) are licensed by Kocowa and restricted (for some period) for anyone who isn’t on a Viki Plus platform in the US. I understand that and am fine with it. However, I’m curious because it seems that other than Kocowa dramas, Viki seems to only be licensing tVN dramas and the occasional dramas from MBN or TV Chosun. Are the jTBC and OCN kdramas too expensive for Viki to license? Just curious. I live in the US, so with DF no longer around to serve as a back up, I’m feeling the loss of not being able to watch the very compelling and interesting dramas on these two cable networks.
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Viki formerly had more dramas from both networks.
The offerings seemed to slim down considerably after 2017.
https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Category:JTBC
MOST RECENTLY ON VIKI (I may have missed some)
JTBC
Just Between Lovers which concluded in January 2018
Untouchable which concluded in January 2018
Sketch which concluded July 2018 is [I believe] the most recent which Viki made available.
OCN
https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Category:OCN
Viki had Tunnel in 2017
Voice in early 2017 and Voice 2 ended in September 2018
Player which ended in November 2018 is the latest drama Viki licensed
I think Viki is now going after JTBC and OCN dramas. Those are the other options they have.
Since several POPULAR JTBC and OCN dramas are not licensed anywhere elsee…
Let’s wait to hear good news soon hopefully!
Fingers crossed - I really hope so! it’s been a while. They have so many good dramas, it’s a shame that Viki hasn’t carried any of them in a while.
Netflix has signed with JTBC.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/netflix-inks-multi-title-licensing-deal-south-koreas-jtbc-997072
The only coming soons I see seem to have reality format. The only drama appears to be Tower of Babel a Viki Original, that shows what Viki really wants to become. They want to make their own stand.
By now I have to say with most story lines in their productions, the pace is off. Most would do better, if they would be compressed by 2-4 episodes, then they would have a better flow and the lack of the sound tracks would not surface that much. Sound and music background in a drama are doing wonders to the mood of the viewership. Watching the Viki Originals at the moment gets me more to the point of suffering with the actors and not with the characters, that got nothing to do with the skill of the actor but more with going for mediocre, but if that is the number Viki is going after, to first getting small numbers, well nothing we can criticize about, because after all it’s business.
I have definitely noticed this as well. I think that Viki is also slowing down on it’s TvN dramas, too. I can think of 3 recent dramas with a decent fan following that Viki is not airing. I can only guess it is perhaps budgeting issues? Not enough money to go around for all the dramas so they are trying to be safe and stick with the 3 biggest companies?
Just a guess, though.
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@lutra Tower of Babel is a TV Chosun drama, not a JTBC one.
Does Viki label dramas which they invest in their production as “Viki Original”? My understanding is that Viki Originals are dramas which subscribers to the Viki Standard plan can watch. But then, there are dramas such as Encounter that are not labelled as Viki Original that are availalbe to Viki Standard subscribers so I’m a little confused to how they use the term.
@cherrypie94 I’m aware of the deal Netflix has with JTBC, but my understanding is that the exclusive deal has expired since the conditions were met and is no longer valid for 2019. I say this because for the longest time DramaFever couldn’t get content from JTBC but shortly before they were shut down, they were able to acquire the rights to show such dramas as “Misty”, “My ID is Gangam beauty”, “Pretty Noona who buys me food” and a few others.
Viki Originals to my understanding are drama that Viki partly funds/sponsors. Those dramas are also aired on the smaller channels like TV chosun dramax etc.
But there are also other non Viki originals where Viki is in the credits like Lawless Lawyer. So no idea what exactly is the difference between mentioned originals and the ones that just have Viki in the credits but are not originals.
And too bad Netflix has a deal with Jtbc… Now there is nothing much left.
@yinks
https://www.linkedin.com/company/viki
This is probably the only thing that is left where Viki is commenting on drama investment.
It doesn’t matter who the broadcaster is, btw. I never mentioned any JTBC drama, cause there is none in the near future as it seems.
They use the term “Viki Original” for dramas they put investment in.
For dramas like Encounter “only on Viki” would be that Viki is the only license holder of streaming rights.
For the differences of the pass types, there is this post, it should help.
https://support.viki.com/hc/en-us/articles/115009725447-Plan-benefits-for-Viki-Pass-Standard-Plus-and-Basic
What are you talking about? Out of the “coming soon” shows, most are from JTBC:
Miss Hammurabi
Misty
Welcome to Waikiki
The Third Charm
uploaded not too long ago, or in the process
https://www.viki.com/tv/36424c-my-id-is-gangnam-beauty
https://www.viki.com/tv/36421c-beauty-inside
https://www.viki.com/tv/36415c-radiant
https://www.viki.com/tv/36413c-legal-high
https://www.viki.com/tv/35868c-mistress
https://www.viki.com/tv/35747c-clean-with-passion-for-now
https://www.viki.com/tv/36348c-sky-castle
To be fair at the beginning of January there was nothing much to see from those channels …
I’m very surprised that it has taken them this long to get these. I watched all of them before dramafever was bought out. You would think that Viki would be getting a lot more dramas and subbers since everyone from dramafever switched to Viki.