Hi,...
This time I'll keep it short and simple, unlike the usual lengthy explanation that I give every time prior to asking questions to you.
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With respect to BL Drama Series,...official YouTube Channels of the production companies are the official streaming platform through which international fans can easily access the content,...unless one lives in North Korea. [Like for example: GMMTV, Studio Wabi-Sabi, Mandee (Former Domundi), Wayu Film Productions, AIS Play etc,..etc,...]
Then,...when it comes to paid OTT Platforms for BL Dramas,...we have Viki, GagaOOLala, iQIYI, and NETFLIX.
AIS Play App is not accessible to international audience, so I've ruled that out, because only Thai fans can access it...and I'm not sure if there are any other Apps in particular which broadcasts BL dramas from only certain specific countries like,...Apps catering to only South Korea BLs, or Taiwanese BLs.
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So,...my question to you are as follows:
Apart from the ones mentioned above, which are the other OTT Platforms, in which BL Drama Series are aired officially?
Does each country prefer a certain OTT platform that they're comfortable with? Like for e.g: South Korean BLs are easily available on Viki, Filipino & Japanese BLs are exclusively only available on GagaOOLala, Thai BLs are available on iQIYI?
Which OTT platform according to you is the best and worth subscribing to for a longer time period? (I know this is a very specific question with a subjective answer,...but still your opinion will add value to what the larger BL audience prefer.)
Some OTT Platforms like GagaOOLala offers subscription on a comparatively cheaper rate if one subscribes for an entire year via their credit card. What is your opinion on this, and do you think it's worth it given that GagaOOLala only offers BL and LGBTQ content unlike other OTT Platforms?
Is their any BL Drama Series available on "MUBI",...which is a streaming platform with quite a good LGBTQ content?
Where are most of the LINE TV content available right now? Which means,...where can one watch "TharnType" Season-1 & 2, "Why R U!?" The Series, since LINE TV is shut down?
The BL audience would be extremely grateful to you,...if you can share a chart as to where can one watch all the BL Drama Series that are aired so far? (For e.g: "Don't Say No" on GagaOOLala, "KinnPorsche" on iQIYI, "Triage" on AIS Play, "Your Name Engraved Herein" on NETFLIX...etc,...etc,...)
I've some more technical questions with respect to the OTT platforms that I'd like to ask,...but I'll keep that for another post.
Thanks!
xoxo
Arjuna
This isn't my precise field. I've only ever worked with one side or the other of this equation (studio or distributor), not with how the two negotiate with each other or construct contracts or anything. But I'll answer what I can.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, which are the other OTT Platforms, in which BL Drama Series are aired officially?
I think you pretty much named them all.
OTT Platforms for BL Dramas:
Viki (Japanese parent corp Rakutan)
GagaOOLala (Taiwanese corp)
iQIYI (Chinese parent corp Baidu)
NETFLIX (American corp) - technically the biggest in the world (by global eyeballs, not revenue) if you don’t count...
YouTube (American parent corp Alphabet) as an OTT (I do)
Hullu (American) seems to be getting into the game, but slowly.
Other OTTs with large market share and profitability but little to no BL: Disney+ (AKA Hotstar), Jio TV, and Amazon Prime. (These were actually at the very top in 2020, and are some of the biggest revenue generators). (Here’s a decent analysis and trend report.)
Okay, here we go. Put aside the BL aspect for a moment?
I’d like you to look at the list above and notice that the country with the fastest growing market share in the entertainment industry as a creator/producer right now (in drama series) isn’t listed as holding a market share in OTT.
What’s that country?
South Korea
Oh and they know it. Many of us have been waiting for them to make serious inroads in this arena. I mean why create all the content and then farm all the eyeballs out to other countries’ corps? I, for one, am outright SHOCKED Kakao doesn’t have a global OTT. SHOCKED.
Oh and they noticed, big time. CHINA has 21% of the Kdrama market share. China! South Korea is not gonna be entirely happy about that (shall we say?).
So in 2021 this happened:
Leading South Korean OTT Platform Content Wavve CEO Talks $900M International Roll-Out (April 2021)
Kakao joins OTT race with INISOFT acquisition (May 2021)
Korean OTT platform TVing to go abroad with Naver's LINE (Oct 2021)
Kakao is the big guns and, I think, the one to watch. But it’s a race now.
Okay back to your questions:
Does each country prefer a certain OTT platform that they're comfortable with? Like for e.g: South Korean BLs are easily available on Viki, Filipino & Japanese BLs are exclusively only available on GagaOOLala, Thai BLs are available on iQIYI?
Yes. And I think it probubly has a LOT to do with existing studio contracts for distribution, as well as politics, and international relations. Let’s take KBL as an example. In very broad brush strokes, and despite history, Korea’s external market targets are going to be Japan, the US, and China. They might not like it, but there it is. However they have solid social (e.g. tourist) and business partnerships with places like Taiwan and Thailand. Just like they do politically, South Korea has a really narrow tightrope to walk entertainment industry-wise. Until recently they’ve been focused mainly on content creation, expansion, and growth specifically into the international market with Kpop, secondarily Kdramas. Now I think we will see Hallyu start to focus more on how that content is distributed with a nationalistic refocus on revenue. Which is another way of saying Korea has changed global taste and trends to their specifications, they now needs to reclaim ownership in terms of distributor revenue. It’s going to be interesting to watch them try.
Thailand is entirely different, they simply do not have the infrastructure for any kind of tech expansion (right now), all their SMS and other communication systems are non-native (Kakao, Line, etc...). It’s pretty evident from just their ET industry that they don’t have the trained talent or personnel in country. (I would suspect that, outside of the medical industry, Thailand has a human capital flight issue (AKA brain drain) especially around tech-heads, but this is not an area of research I study.) Still, it’s evident that, basically Thailand ET exists principally as creative entities without the capacity for distribution. AKA Thai BL studios must contract with other countries’s platforms to go wide, or go direct to YouTube.
But there’s ALSO status and prejudice strife between the East Asian countries and the rest of Asia to the north that ALSO impacts who they work/contract with.
Finally, Taiwan (socially liberal with marriage equality) and Japan (just hella kinky) are going to feel safest hosting and distributing higher heat and blatantly queer content, which is why GaGa and Viki lead for that content.
Which OTT platform according to you is the best and worth subscribing to for a longer time period? (I know this is a very specific question with a subjective answer,…but still your opinion will add value to what the larger BL audience prefer.)
I did a stats analysis for this one relatively recently. Which OTT platform are worth subscribing to for BL?
But a cost benefit analysis depends on your taste and how much the subscription costs in your country.
YT with the most content (and longest shows) at 42% of BL is free, but i hate ads and like to download for travel, so it’s worth it for me to pay for YT premium of $11.99.
Gaga actually has about 28% of market (in number of shows), and for me the cheapest price point, $6.99, but their stuff is mostly shorter, darker, and higher heat. And they don’t host a ton of new content.
Viki has about 13% but their quality is highest, IMHO, most of my favorite shows are there, and usually the best new stuff. Their sub is also $11.99, but since i watch a ton of other Kdramas and I like their interface, I consider them a necessity in my life. Also I like Rakutan’s corporate culture and attitude, if been to some of their conferences.
I’ve considered subbing WeTV just long enough to gank WBL season 2, but I don’t see myself sticking with them, so far they’ve never had anything else I couldn’t get elsewhere.
Some OTT Platforms like GagaOOLala offers subscription on a comparatively cheaper rate if one subscribes for an entire year via their credit card. What is your opinion on this, and do you think it's worth it given that GagaOOLala only offers BL and LGBTQ content unlike other OTT Platforms?
Yes. But I love GaGa and I want to support Taiwanese companies in general, so I’m in favor from an ethical standpoint. Also I am not as price sensitive as most.
Is their any BL Drama Series available on "MUBI",…which is a streaming platform with quite a good LGBTQ content?
I don’t know.
Where are most of the LINE TV content available right now? Which means,…where can one watch "TharnType" Season-1 & 2, "Why R U!?" The Series, since LINE TV is shut down?
Mostly Viki.
For these 5:
Brothers
Loveless Society
Love With Benefits
My Mate Match
The Yearbook
I don’t know. But why would you want to watch them?
The BL audience would be extremely grateful to you,…if you can share a chart as to where can one watch all the BL Drama Series that are aired so far?
I have 405 BLs in my spreadsheet. That’s a steep ask. Better to go by percentages:
YouTube 42%
Gaga 28%
Viki 13%
Grey/Nowhere legal 6%
Unknown 5%
Known Other (iqiyi, WeTV etc...) 2%
If you’re looking for a specific show, you can send me an ask or leave a comment anytime and I can usually tell you where I last found it.
(source)