[HanCinema's On Site Report] Viki brings Korean and Asian content to international fans

Viki content development manager Courtney McLachlan

For fans of Korean and Asian content, Rakuten Viki is one of the go-to sources for content that includes, but isn't limited to, television, film, fan communities, original content, and short form content. You'll often see links in HanCinema reviews to the episodes of your favorite dramas that are licensed by Rakuten Viki for your viewing pleasure. At the 12th Asian TV Drama Conference, we got to learn more about this company and the services it provides in presentations by senior director, Moon Gyeong Min, and content development manager, Courtney McLachlan.

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One of the most salient aspects of both presentations was the fact that Rakuten Viki and brand Soompi are international fan-focused. They are powered by and made for the fans, directly sensitive to fan needs. To make this happen, Viki and Soompi partner with top content publishers from all over the world, tap into fan talent for subtitling and growing fan communities, and continue to expand original content like Viki's "Dramaworld" and Soompi's "Rising Legends".

Professor Baek Seongi of the Journalism and Mass Communication Department

While Korean content is the most popular on Viki and Soompi, both are expanding to include content from the rest of Asia. Chinese content in particular is experiencing a rise in popularity. In the panel discussion following the presentations moderdated by professor Baek Seongi and a few one-on-one sessions with HanCinema, director of programming & acquisitions Estefania Arteaga discussed content from Indonesia and other Asian countries and the possibilities of sharing that content with Viki viewership. Global reach of Asian content is longer than ever and Viki strives to bring that to its international fans according to data-based research of their content needs and desires.

Viki senior director Moon Gyeong Min

As for trends in dramas, webtoon and manga adaptations are hot, which we can see in the content available on Viki such as "Cheese in the Trap". Platforms such as Viki allow for a unique and tailored user discovery experience because of its niche market in Asian content. For Hallyu fans like us, this means we don't have to sift through thousands of shows on platforms like Netflix or Hulu in order to find genre-specific shows. And that's a good thing. We need less search time and more watch time.

In the future, Viki is looking to the European market, which is quite exciting as it is the home for many HanCinema and drama lovers.

Thank you to the Viki representatives who spoke at The 12th Asian TV Drama Conference and who took time to chat with HanCinema about their vision.

Written by: Lisa Espinosa AKA Raine from 'Raine's Dichotomy'