viki.com
It seems as if every day a new premium streaming service is released. Nowadays, every TV network and movie studio wants a piece of the pie. Sooner or later, I can't help but wonder if the allure of premium streaming services might be fading. It is starting to feel less like a good deal, like it did back when you only had to worry about paying for Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. These days, with everyone starting their own premium streaming sites, it just seems like cable, but more expensive.
This is why any and every free streaming site that I come across these days is a blessing. Fortunately, for every new premium movie streaming service, there is at least one free movie streaming site currently in development. Whether these free movie streaming sites are ad-supported or offer freemium tiered memberships, I warmly welcome free movie streaming services into the fold like Viki.
There is no other streaming site that I have seen that is as unique as Viki. From their business model to their content focus, this site follows an old Silicon Valley philosophy of disruption to a tee while also meeting growing niche demand for Asian content around the world.
Viki, though headquartered in the United States, does not specialize in anime content. It provides primarily South Korean and Chinese dramas, which are both free to watch. The company is in a great position to become the best Asian streaming service on the market.
Viki's full name is Rakuten Viki, nodding to the free streaming service's parent company, the Japanese tech giant, Rakuten. So, to call this strictly, an American company would not be entirely accurate. Viki is one of those companies that is made up of a diverse range of cultures, all of which are represented in the service and its audience. In addition to its US headquarters, Viki also has offices in Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, and Japan.
What makes Viki such a unique free movie and TV streaming site is that its name alludes to the use of volunteers when it comes to content management. This unique system allows viewers more control over their streaming experience and could pave the way for more interactive and hands-on streaming in the future.
At the core of Viki, their approach to acquiring and distributing content is not unique. Their premium syndication can be compared to that of Hulu?s. The difference lies in what happens to that content once it is licensed; first, a show or movie is added to one of the site?s channels. From there, the content can be subtitled by community volunteers. Viki is the first freemium streaming site to provide real-time subtitling and community content editing; there are 200 subtitle languages available on Viki, and approximately 50 of them are endangered or vulnerable languages.
History
Viki is a social network founded in 2007 by entrepreneurs Razmig Havaghiman, Changseong Ho, and Jiwon Moon. The initial round of funding for the company came from a Singapore startup, Neoteny Labs. This money was also funded by Joichi Ito and the co-founder of Linked In, Reid Hoffman.
After one year of deliberation, the company made a strategic decision to relocate its business to Singapore in order to take advantage of generous government subsidies and its prime location as a rich and bustling Pan-Asian hub. After successfully developing and fundraising for three years, Viki released their official streaming service to the general public in 2010.
In September of 2013, the company announced that it was to be acquired by its new parent company, Rakuten. The acquisition was reportedly valued at $200 million.
Design
Viki offers a fairly straightforward approach to the design of their streaming site. One thing that I really enjoy about Viki is how easy and instant it is to begin streaming free TV shows and movies. There is nothing to it! All you have to do is browse the library, choose a show and episode or movie, and click play. Voila, no signup required. The HD stream begins with little to no delay whatsoever. It's not every day that you find a free streaming site that is this intuitive and simplified.
The viewing interface is effective, everything is streamlined and smooth, convenient to browse other episodes and seasons of a given series while still watching a given episode, alter and customize your viewing experience with in-depth subtitling tools and options, and cast via Chrome Cast with just the click of a button.
The library browsing layout of Viki is generally standard. You can browse by genre, topic, or channel with a side-scrolling layout. If you have ever used Netflix or Hulu, the layout and browsing features of Viki will be immediately recognizable and intuitive.
Content and Features
The many unique and interesting features on Viki include the uncommon approach to community and volunteer subtitling as well as built-in timed comments that users can toggle on or off. This presents an unprecedented level of the community for a streaming site of this magnitude, being able to watch and comment along with others. This is an ingenious additional feature that helps to further set Viki apart from other movie and TV series streaming sites.
Viki offers its users a variety of popular Korean and Chinese dramas, as well as some great original content. Certain shows and movies are only available to Viki Pass users, making the service more exclusive.
Viki is without a doubt, one of the best streaming sites for Asian dramas. It's also one of the best free TV and movie streaming sites on the web. Their innovative approach is sure to resonate throughout the rest of the industry.
Mobile and Desktop Experience
The Viki mobile app is excellent and user-friendly. Available on a wide range of devices, the app offers a smooth, intuitive, and user-friendly viewing experience no matter where you are.
Fans of Viki will have no trouble keeping up with their favorite shows and movies on mobile streaming apps. The average user rating for the Viki app is 4.8 stars, which gives you a good idea of the quality of Viki's app design.
Pricing and Plans
Viki Pass allows users to access all of the content on the platform, including shows and movies that are only available to paid subscribers. Viki Pass Plus, on the other hand, grants users access to additional features and benefits, such as ad-free viewing and faster loading times.
The Viki Pass provides subscribers with a discounted rate of $4.99/month for unlimited access to all of the Viki streaming services.
with a Membership
-Access to all Standard content is available with a Membership.
-Will be available to users on the app and website
Active: Users will have access to Viki exclusive interviews, originals, movies, and global dramas on the app and website.
, 5 hours of content
HD streaming, no ads, for five hours of content.
The Viki Pass Plus is a monthly subscription service that offers access to premium content from Viki. It costs $9.99 per month and offers access to a variety of content, including movies, TV shows, and music.
Unlock all Plus shows and movies.
for a one-time payment of $19.99
Unlock all Standard shows and movies for a one-time payment of $19.99.
with your subscription
-The Viki Pass Standard subscription includes all the features that come with the Viki Pass premium subscription.
Additional hours of Korean television were included by various broadcasters.
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Both the standard and student versions of Viki Pass come with a 7-day free trial, as well as a 20% discount for the standard version.
Conclusion
If you love watching Korean and Chinese TV shows and movies, then Viki is a streaming site that you should definitely know about. If you are a serious Asian entertainment fan, I highly recommend subscribing as a premium user. This is a high-quality streaming service with innovative approaches to community features and content editing.
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