Friday, March 08, 2013

War of K-arrows

   
   Do you, fellow readers, remember those dark times when we waited a whole week or even more for subtitles? Some of you for sure, cause we're old, ahahaha!
With Hallyu sudden rise after 2010 we got a little more comfy with growing communities of fans translating vids fairly fast, like viki or DSC. Depending on the show, subs were even available the very same day (oh, hay Faith).
As everything in this world, going global has consequences.


   Viki website went official and restricted their videos to some regions, miraculously excluding Europe. Dramafever was never our friend as it's licensed only for US and Canada. The situation makes me think like dramas are made available for fans only in South East Asia and America. Fine, because as we know it, there is not a single fan in Europe, right? I don't demand monthly concerts, fanmeetings and other stuff like YOU have, SE Asia! Don't deny, you have the best place right now because I read all the damn time about something in Manila, Singapore, Philippines, Bangkok etc. 

   For us, living in this remote Narnia, websites that offer either streaming or subs are the only solution. But looks like Korea isn't even slightly interested in making shows available to watch online. Yes I know, some stations do but - all is in Korean, you have to register and pay. Not everyone reads Korean and usually they don't accept paypal. Cute, huh?

   Yesterday another war broke out, this time between Dramafever and Dramabeans. Our little world was shaken by this ridiculous situation and we united (oh the power of fandom!). Dramabeans got the DMCA notice to take down... (better sit) recaps of 7th Grade Civil ee... Joowon that feature screencaps taken from Dramafever. Yes, screencaps.The reasoning was lovely - bacause it violates the Dramafever copyrights. Now, if anyone follows this logic, one may assume that Dramafever PRODUCED this drama, therefore has full rights to it. But no, Dramafever just streamed the video. The level of absurdity in this case is so deep I'm afraid I may fall to Australia if I look there. 
After the hell broke loose, Dramafever released the statement with apologies and clarification. I didn't read it, and I don't have to do it to know that's just a smoke curtain, full of lies and cajoling. And you know what? I don't really f*cking care if people rip subs from Dramafever and distribute them. Hell, I'd encourage everyone to do so! DF is cracking down on every site that has done it, but we have our ways, and we can send a chain mails too, if it comes to insurgents' work! They went elitist blocking videos for the whole world, they promote themselves on every drama-related website and they make money. I couldn't care less about copyright infringement this time. They don't own the videos. Soon what, they will begin cracking down on bloggers' sites for using the titles of dramas?

   Looks like we entered difficult times for dramallama world.

But don't worry, we have back-up too^^



Pictures of Robin Hood are all over the internets, pic from the title from here. Yes, I used DF logo and if this blog goes off, you know who to blame.