With the rise of K-pop groups on the world stage, TheEast Asian film productions were not far behind. They have been gaining more and more space in the world of series and in the lives of many viewers, with their somewhat eccentric stories and plots beyond dramatic.
For lovers of the genre, accessing subscription services that have this type of content has never been an easy task, since the vast majority depended on the famous “fansubs” to be able to watch the productions.
With the increase in popularity, South Korean, Japanese and Chinese dramas – also known as “doramas” – have already conquered streaming platforms in Brazil, such as sViki Rakuten and Kocowa subscription services, in addition to the traditional Netflixwhich has implemented major Asian productions in its catalogue.
But at the end of the day, what is the best streaming service in the business? Check it out below so you don’t have any doubts when choosing!
Viki Rakuten
Viki Rakuten
Conceptualized as one of the most famous Asian content streams in the world, Viki Rakuten has in its catalog productions Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Taiwanese, such as the hit Boys Love, as well as offering its subscribers access to highly successful K-pop shows and Asian reality shows.
The platform has two subscription plan options, the STANDARDwhich costs $4.99/month, and has a more limited range of content, and the PLUSfor U$9.99/month, which may vary according to the dollar exchange rate.
In this last, more complete option, streaming also includes KOCOWA shows, live content, exclusive movies, and more.
Even though it is one of the streams with the greatest diversity in dramas, a big disadvantage of Viki is the restriction on access to regional content and limitation to elements that are only released for more expensive plans, in addition to the delay in the availability of PT-BR subtitles, which depend on the contribution of external collaborators, and will not always be available immediately.
- See too: Lee Jung Jae: 7 dramas for you to watch with the Round 6 actor
Kocowa
Kocowa
KOCOWA — acronym for Koren Content Wave (Korean Content Wave) — is a platform that features an exclusive catalog of Korean soap opera-style series, and is made available through a monthly subscription or daily plan, available for PC, Android and iOS.
Streaming is very similar to others in the industry, offering a range of Korean series with Portuguese subtitles. However, it has a very limited interface compared to its direct competitors, without expansive options with information about the content, which can make accessing a bit confusing.
Despite having arrived in Brazil recently, Kocowa has some very interesting differences. The first is the price, compared to Viki and Netflix platforms, it is the lowest, delivering a monthly plan of R$ 19.99.
Unlike Viki, where dramas take a long time to translate and have frequent errors, Kocowa has a competent translation team that delivers subtitles in a very short time.
Netflix
Netflix
Among the options mentioned, perhaps Netflix is the platform with the fewest dramas, as the genre is not exclusive to its catalog. However, with the growth of the industry, the streaming has invested heavily in Asian productionswhich is proved by the launch of works such as An Extraordinary Lawyer, Vincenzo and landing in love – original hit series from the platform.
Although streaming is not the most suitable for those looking for quantity and variety in Korean works, Netflix dramas are undoubtedly of great quality, bringing renowned casts and excellent productions.
As it is an established platform, launches are always punctual and without delays, a fact that leaves something to be desired in smaller platforms such as Kocowa.
In addition, Netflix stands out for offering access to various content, paying only a monthly fee. That is, in addition to the dramas, the user you can also enjoy productions from other genressuch as reality shows, series, movies and TV shows.
Which platform is more worth it?
Nowadays, there is no shortage of drama options for you to marathon and delve a little deeper into this Asian universe.
Each of the aforementioned platforms has its peculiarities, some more focused on varieties – such as Viki – and others, on large productions – as in the case of Netflix.
- See too: Netflix: plan with ads costs R$ 18.90 and has a limited catalog
Therefore, it is up to the user himself to analyze the pros and cons of each one, and make his choice according to what makes the most sense for his profile.
