Viki Blog

A VERY BIG THANK YOU to our amazing volunteer community, who has helped us surpass an incredible 400 million words subtitled in 163 languages. Amazingly, that's equal to 10,000 novels worth of crowdsourced translations.

Our mission has always been to break down language and culture barriers through popular entertainment. We couldn't have done this without the fans. Thank you!

If you want to learn how to subtitle or segment, check out Viki U.

What’s spookier than than a young woman who sees ghosts every day? Two women who see ghosts every day! The stories of two upcoming K-dramas, “Who Are You” and “Master’s Sun,” both revolve around spirits with unfinished business; and we can’t wait to see how the main heroines handle their supernatural situations.

Who Are You is available to the Americas and QCs

“Who Are You” stars So Yi Hyun (“Cheongdam-dong Alice,” “Assorted Gems”) and 2PM’s Ok Taecyeon (“Dream High”) as police officers assigned to the lost-and-found center. The female protagonist is haunted by the spirit of her ex-boyfriend, a former police officer who died in the line of duty, but will he stop her from falling in love again? Watch the trailer below, and catch the first episode on Monday in the “Who Are You” Viki channel.

Is it only a coincidence that So Ji Sub’s last drama was called “Ghost”? Maybe so, but we’re excited to see him take on a more animated “rich bad boy” role in “Master’s Sun.” Licensed for viewers in the Americas and QCs worldwide, the show premieres on August 7th, so follow the channel for trailers and updates.

“Master’s Sun,” the latest drama from the celebrated Hong sisters writing duo, brings a refreshing taste of romantic comedy to a story about seeing ghosts. Talented actress Gong Hyo Jin plays an anxious, hermit-like woman who can’t live a normal life because of all of the scary ghosts she encounters every day. She works for a a wealthy, arrogant department store executive (played by So Ji Sub), and the rest is history. Let’s see how this unlikely pair come to love each other in this quirky and haunted story!

It’s rarely enough just to have talent these days. Not only do you have to know how to sing — while doing intricate dance choreography — but you also have to ooze sex appeal to gain attention and popularity in the music scene!

Today, there's an abundance of female music artists from all over the globe who have the total package, and they enjoy worldwide fame and success because they can do it all and have the looks to back it up. Here’s who made our list this year — who do you think are some of the sexiest global female music artists?

HyunA

The word “sexy” is synonymous with the K-pop singer HyunA. Best known for her appearance in Psy’s “Gangnam Style” music video, HyunA has been active as both a solo singer and as a member of the girl group 4Minute. See her latest solo hit song, “Ice Cream.”

Rihanna

From the exotic island of Barbados, Rihanna started her music career at the age of 16 and is commonly referred to as a “bubblegum queen.” Today, she’s one of the world’s most successful and versatile pop and R&B artists who has been named to the “100 Sexiest Women in the World” for the last seven years.

Taken from her “Good Girl Gone Bad” album, here’s a music video titled “Rehab” featuring the oh-so-sexy Justin Timberlake.

Lady Gaga

Known for her outrageous fashion sense, make-up and music style, Lady Gaga is the quintessential example of everything taken to the extreme. Her more recent decision to quit Twitter “temporarily” continues to leave fans shocked. She is one uniquely sexy artist that we had to include in our list.

Still not convinced? Catch Gaga in a hot bikini during her vacation to Mexico earlier in June

Ga In

Ga In gained international attention for her collaboration with Psy in his “Gentleman” music video. Since Brown Eyed Girls released “Abracadabra” in 2009, Ga In continued expressing her sexuality in her 2010 tango-inspired single “Irreversible” and more recently, “Bloom.”

Jennifer Lopez

Who would have guessed Jennifer Lopez, aka J.Lo, is 43 years old and a mother of two - just look at her amazing body! But her talents span singing, acting, modeling, producing and entrepreneurship. With her experience, incredible fashion sense and versatility, it’s no wonder she’s one of the world’s sexiest and most glamorous divas.

Do you agree with our list? If not, tell us who should have made the cut!

Note: Some videos are only available to users in Southeast Asia. However, QCs (Qualified Contributors) get to enjoy free access to all of these videos. Find out how you can become a QC!

We’re so excited to announce that more of our most popular Korean dramas will soon be available to viewers in Europe, starting with the 7 listed below, which are available now!

See the tantalizing posters and teasers for these now-available dramas for our Europe-based Viki users!

“That Winter, The Wind Blows”

“Jang Ok Jeong, Lives in Love”

“City Hunter”

“To the Beautiful You”

“Secret Garden”

“The Great Doctor” aka “Faith”

“You’re Beautiful”

Look forward to even more K-dramas from SBS coming to Europe soon! We hope you’re as excited about this news as we are!

Last week, we announced that Viki is going to KCON 2013 in Los Angeles. We look forward to meeting K-Pop fans from around the world, giving away signed K-Pop CD's at our Viki booth, and moderating the Korean Drama panel discussion.

Come visit Panel Tent #2 at 11:30AM on Saturday, August 24th to see expert panelists discuss the latest K-Drama trends, including the awesome founders of Dramabeans! We're incredibly excited to have the first ladies of K-Drama blogging join our panel on Saturday, along with Korean-American actor Sean Richard Dulake: nephew of Lee Byung Hun, and cast member of Take Care of us, Captain and Feast of the Gods.

Dramabeans and actor Sean Richard will be our special guests at the KCON K-Drama panel

Viki's KCON Ticket Giveaway

Of course, the Viki experience at KCON would not be complete without our community! That's why we want to invite two lucky community members to join us at the conference and K-Pop concert. Here's how you can have a shot at a pair of KCON 2013 tickets!

Note: the prize is a pair of Tier 4 P6 tickets to KCON; transportation and hotel is NOT included.

Comment on this blog post or tweet @Viki, and include the following information:

Your Viki username
A link to a video on Viki that features someone who will be at KCON 2013
The name of the celebrity in the video

Example Post: catchlight http://www.viki.com/videos/1006632v-exo-wolf-drama-ver-korean-ver EXO #VikiKCON

Post multiple video links to increase your chances of being selected to receive a pair of tickets. We will accept responses until End of Day, Friday August 16th, PST. Best of luck and see you at KCON!

In order to be eligible to receive a pair of tickets, you must:

Be over 18 years of age
Live in the United States
Provide your own transportation to the LA Sports Arena
Have a registered Viki account

The most anticipated birth of the year occurred last week, when Kate Middleton, aka “Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge” and wife of Prince William, gave birth to their first baby!

With the much talked-about news, we are reminded of Middleton’s rise from an ordinary English schoolgirl to becoming the mother of the future King of England. The real-life Cinderella story has touched the hearts of girls around the globe who dream of going from an ordinary existence to marrying their very own Prince Charming someday.

This classic story line, of an average woman falling in love with a wealthy and powerful man, has been very popular in Asian dramas, but the audience is always eager for more.

Did you know that Viki has many popular versions of these Cinderella love stories from all over the world?

See for yourself and you’re guaranteed to get hooked on them!

“Love Contract” (Venezuela)

When a wealthy playboy has to get married before his 30th birthday in order to secure his inheritance, he places an ad in the newspaper, and a young woman who needs the money answers the ad.

Love Contract

“Fated to Love You” (Taiwan)

When a working-class girl plots to trap her handsome boyfriend into marriage, she accidentally has a one-night stand with a wealthy stranger, changing the course of her life forever.

Fated to Love You

“Boys Over Flowers” (Korea)

The daughter of a dry cleaner is admitted to an elite high school on a scholarship and confronts the attention of a group of wealthy, popular boys known as the F4.

Boys Over Flowers

“Cheongdam-dong Alice” (Korea)

An aspiring designer is determined to marry into the upper-crust society of the Cheongdam-dong area of Seoul’s elite Gangnam district.

Cheongdam-dong Alice

“Stand for Love” (Philippines)

When the daughter of a laundrywoman marries the son of an affluent family, their love has to withstand the pressures of the politically ambitious mother-in-law, who never thought her poor daughter-in-law was good enough for her son.

Stand For Love

Also check out the currently-airing Korean drama, “Goddess of Marriage,” where two of the main female characters who are from modest backgrounds must face the consequences of marrying into an uber-wealthy family.

You can find more dramas and films in the “Recommended for You” section of the Viki Homepage. Don’t wait! Your Cinderella story awaits you!

Admit it — when you watch your favorite drama series and the characters start eating, your mouth starts to water. Ours too! That’s why we’re excited (and hungry) to start a new series on our blog: Let’s Cook With Viki! In it, we’ll pick a food scene from a TV show and cook it, documenting every step. We hope that you’ll join us in cooking these delicious dishes from around the world!

Our first dish is a K-drama staple: jja jang myun (noodles in black bean sauce). Who can ever forget Go Eun Chan delivering these noodles to Choi Han Kyul, who’s sitting on his couch in a towel, in “Coffee Prince”? Or how Joo PD from “King of Dramas” was always eating it?

Jja jang myun is a stir-fry noodle dish made with vegetables, meat and, of course, black beans. But don’t let the name fool you; these noodles are actually really easy to make. And the best part is, the recipe makes a lot of noodles so it’s the perfect dish to share with friends — or maybe a boy in a towel?

First things first! Always remember to clean your hands and your workspace. ...

... done with that? Then let’s start cooking!

The first thing is to collect all your ingredients:

1 medium Korean radish (daikon), diced into small cubes
2 medium Russet potatoes (or 4 small potatoes of your choice), peeled and diced into small cubes
1 1/2 large yellow onions, peeled and diced into small pieces
2 medium zucchinis, peeled and diced into small cubes
1/2 pound pork belly, cut into small pieces
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
1 package of jja jang noodles (or other Asian flour-based noodles)
3/4 cup of black bean sauce (available in most Asian grocery stores)*

This will serve 4 people.

* Can’t find black bean sauce? No worries — here’s a recipe to make your own!

2 Tbsp peanut oil
2 Tbsp fermented black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup of chicken broth (add more or less depending on how thick you want the sauce)
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp of rice wine (use dry white wine as a substitute if you’d like)
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Next, stir fry the black beans and garlic in the peanut oil for about half a minute. Add other ingredients and stir fry until sauce thickens.

Makes about 3/4 cups sauce.

Next, chop up all your veggies and meat into bite-sized cubes — and if you’re not too into vegetables, cut them into really small pieces. They’ll cook down and be hardly noticeable in the final product. It’s a good trick to get the young (and young at heart) into eating veggies, am I right?

Heat up a nice big wok, preferably one that’s non-stick. Otherwise you’ll be scraping vegetable bits off the bottom for ages, and that’s the last thing you want to do. First, stir fry your meat in a small amount of oil. Take your time, making sure that it’s browned evenly and is a crispy, golden brown. And watch out as the fat from the meat and oil required for stir frying tend to “pop” and spray everywhere.

Once the meat is done, add all your veggies. Cook the veggies until they’re nearly translucent, then add the black bean sauce. Let that simmer for about 10 minutes — but beware! Letting the sauce reduce too much enhances the naturally bitter flavor of the Korean radishes, so keep a close watch.

While you’re waiting for the sauce to simmer, go ahead and boil your noodles. I used fresh Korean flour noodles that I boiled and then rinsed in cold water, but any type of Asian flour or egg noodle works! :-)

After you’ve rinsed your noodles, go ahead and pour the sauce on top. Garnish with the cucumbers cut into matchsticks, and serve up your freshly made jja jang myun to your friends! Enjoy!

Jja Jang Myun (Black Bean Noodles)

Do you have ideas on what we should cover for our next installment of Let’s Cook With Viki? Let us know!

This month’s International Music Artist of the Month is none other than the “crazy and colorful” Nicki Minaj. Known to some as the black “Lady Gaga,” Minaj has attracted much attention for her incredibly outlandish fashion style —with loud colors, heavy makeup, colorful hair and wigs, and revealing clothes that accentuate her curvaceous figure.

Probably one of the most followed rapper in the world, Minaj made waves on the Billboard charts after the launch of her 2010 breakthrough album, “Pink Friday.” The platinum-selling album opened doors for her other successful collaborations and product endorsements.

Nicki’s colorful and outspoken character isn’t only demonstrated through her musical works but also as a judge in the long-running singing competition “American Idol.” During Season 12, the public feud between Minaj and fellow judge Mariah Carey almost overshadowed the contestants on the show. After the season ended, both Minaj and Carey left the show.

Minaj’s biggest musical influences are Lil’ Wayne, Jay-Z, Janet Jackson and Madonna. Watch the music videos of her best-known worldwide hits below:

The Boys (Featuring Cassie)

Starships

Right By My Side (Featuring Chris Brown)

High School (Featuring Lil’ Wayne)

*Music videos are available in most of Southeast Asia and Korea, and to Qualified Contributors worldwide.

To celebrate the Colombian and Venezuelan telenovelas that have come to Viki, we’re holding a Telenovela-thon subtitling/segmenting event for the month of August!

The way it works is simple: Just segment or subtitle on any of the Colombian or Venezuelan telenovela channels, listed below, and the top segmenter and top subtitler for the month of August will each receive a bag of special Viki goodies. You may work on more than one show.

Remember, you can earn the Colombian or Venezuelan telenovela badges by completing 300 segments/subtitles. Complete 1,000 segments/subtitles on Colombian or Venezuelan telenovelas to earn the general Telenovela badge. Contact the Help Center to request your badge.

‘Passion of the Heart’ (‘Corazon Apasionado’)

Venezuelan Telenovelas (Available Worldwide):

Colombian Telenovelas (May not be available in some regions):

Warning: We’ll be reviewing the contributions for quality and any spammers will be disqualified.

Good luck! Now, get segmenting and subtitling!

Hurray! After months of anticipation, we are proud to announce that the Korean drama series “Heirs: He Who Wears the Crown Must Bear Its Weight,” starring Lee Min Ho and Park Shin Hye, is coming to Viki. The drama will be available to viewers in the Americas, Europe and QCs worldwide!

Follow the “Heirs” channel, and tune in for the series premiere on October 9th!

The handsome leading men of ‘Heirs’: Kim Woo Bin, Lee Min Ho and Choi Jin Hyuk

Last week in our blog, we shared information about the October drama’s star-studded cast, which not only includes the king of Hallyu, Lee Min Ho, but also Park Shin Hye from “Flower Boy Next Door,” Choi Jin Hyuk from “Gu Family Book,” and Kim Woo Bin from “School 2013.” Who are you most excited to see in this “Gossip Girl”-themed show about wealthy high school students?

Can't wait until October for your LMH fix? Revisit these classics:

City Hunter

Personal Taste

Faith: The Great Doctor

Selamat Hari Raya to all our Muslim friends. Hari Raya is celebrated at the end of Ramadan by Muslims all over the world in more than 25 countries. During this festive time, we wanted to help put you in the right frame of mind by taking you to some of the most beautiful locations around the world that have been highlighted in TV shows, movies and music videos.

Where will we go? Take a look below.

The Catskill Mountains in Fall Out Boy's MV

Our first destination is the Catskill Mountains in New York, where Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down” music video was shot. Known to be a great nesting spot for budding artists, this area boasts luscious foliage that is sure to inspire you.

Next stop, Miami! From the scenes in “Passion of the Heart,” you’ll see the enticing Southwest Ranches in Florida. Makes you want to ride a horse and go wild!

The beautiful falls of Canaima, Venezuela

We continue our journey to South America with the “Latin Angels,” visiting Canaima National Park in Venezuela. Home to one of the world’s highest waterfalls, the amazing landscape makes every snapshot perfect.

On location in Episode 1 of ‘Dyesebel’

Now head to a part of the world with similar climates: South East Asia. Sangiang Island in Indonesia, where “Bride’s Waterfall” was filmed, is known for its beautiful beaches juxtaposed against mangrove forests. Busuanga Island in the Philippines, where “Dyesebel” was filmed, is a famous diving spot with several shipwrecks since World War II.

Heading north, we arrive at Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s second most populous city with numerous tourist attractions from sky towers to pagodas and night markets. There’s never a dull moment. This is the city where the movie, “Island Etude” was shot.

Finally, we arrive in the Land of the Rising Sun. Lake Tazawa in Akita and Sunset Beach in Okinawa, Japan, are where Korean dramas “IRIS” and “Scent of a Woman” were filmed.

Lake Tazawa, the deepest lake in Japan, was the location where the memorable scene of Lee Byung Hyun embracing Kim Tae Hee was shot.

Lee Byung Hyun and Kim Tae Hee at Lake Tazawa in ‘IRIS’

Sunset Beach in Okinawa is a popular beach destination for families and where “Scent of a Woman” actors Lee Dong Wook and Kim Sun Ah fall in love.

Lee Dong Wook and Kim Sun Ah have fun at Sunset Beach in ‘Scent of a Woman’

Did you have fun so far? If you think that wasn’t enough, we have one more stop.

Yes! Outer space. Yukari in “Rocket Girls” did exactly that. She embarks on a journey in search of her father and unexpectedly ends up in outer space. Now that’s what we call an adventure!

So, what’s your favorite celebratory destination?

Crank up the K-pop, because Viki has prepared some very special at-con exclusives for everyone attending KCON 2013, including raffles, KCON exclusives, and a panel all about K-drama!! See all the exciting things we have planned in the list below!

RAFFLE GIVEAWAY

We’re going to be giving away some of the biggest and best K-pop CDs at our booth! Stop by our booth to enter the raffle for a chance to receive:

Signed Albums: Brown Eyed Girls, PSY, Lunafly and 2NE1
Albums: Super Junior, 4Minute, B.A.P
Viki Exclusives: Headphones, tote bags, iPad stands

Wanna know what to do for a chance to win these Viki KCON prizes? Here’s how:

Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter (@Viki)
Follow us on Tumblr
Follow us on Instagram (@vikiinc)

Download our mobile apps.

Once you’ve done any one of the above, show us proof that you’re following or downloading, and we’ll hand you a ticket for a chance to win in our KCON raffle!

Now that you’ve entered, let’s find out how you can win:

We’ll announce two winners, twice a day. (This means four winners a day!)

You need to be present at our booth during the announcement times in order to win your prize, so plan to show up at least 5 minutes before the actual drawings!

KCON-ONLY VIKI GOODS

We’ll also be selling some pretty sweet exclusive KCON goodies:

“I Love K-Drama” canvas tote bags
Viki headphones

Buying any of Viki’s unique KCON goodies ensures you an entry into Viki’s KCON raffle for free! And who doesn’t like getting more Hallyu goodies?

SPECIAL KCON PANEL

In addition to selling exclusive KCON goods, Viki also is hosting a panel with Dramabeans and a very special guest: Sean Richard Dulake, nephew of “IRIS” star Lee Byung Hun.

Wanna see ’em? Stop by:

The World of K-Drama

Panel Tent #2

Saturday, August 24th

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

We’re going to discuss the world of K-drama with our special guests and get the inside scoop on our favorite dramas. Remember! The only place you’ll get to see this panel live is at KCON 2013!

Hope to see you there!

Remember when Yang Tai (“Terry”) told Da Hua in “Princess’ Stand In” that one of his favorite foods was the octopus hotdogs often eaten by Taiwanese children? Hotdogs are generally associated with a summer barbecue food, so we thought we’d kick off the month of August by re-creating the octopus hotdogs from the drama!

Check out the trailer for the Taiwanese romantic drama below:

Now, let’s get cooking! As always, remember to keep your workspace clean and wash your hands!

Great, ready to go? There’s a very long list of ingredients and complex tools required to create octopus hotdogs. See the following:

1 package of all-beef hotdogs

Just kidding! Seriously, all you need is a package of all-beef hotdogs, a very sharp knife, and a cutting board.

First, cut your hotdogs in half, either straight down the middle, or you can cut them at a slight angle. Personally, I prefer cutting them straight down the middle, but cutting them at an angle is fine, too.

After cutting them in half, you need to cut your hotdog halves so that you can form the octopus legs. Start by first cutting a slit down the middle of the hotdog, then turn it to the other side and cut another slit. At this point, the half of the hotdog should be cut in fourths. Cut each fourth in half, and now you should have eight octopus legs!

If you decided to cut your hotdogs at an angle, simply make four to six slits on the front side of the longer end of the hotdog.

Next, we need to cook our hotdogs! You can do this by either pan frying them for about 2 minutes, or you can boil them in hot water for about a minute. (Note, angled hotdogs will need to be boiled instead of panfried.)

After cooking them all, I chose to serve mine with classic mac-n-cheese (a bit of East meets West, if you will), but you can easily serve this dish with ramen noodles, dress up a salad, or even make a fun lunch for kids by serving it with ketchup and mustard!

Got an idea for our next Let’s Cook With Viki blog? Let us know!

After our previous blog introducing the various forms of pop music, this time we bring you Ballads, which are less taxing on your ears! Here’s a quick overview of the most common types of ballads that many people can’t get enough of.

Ballads started from Poetry & Song which became widespread in various parts of Europe, Americas and Africa. It became commercialized as popular slow love songs in the 19th century.

Gu Family Book ballad

Note: Some of the videos below are only available to Viki users in Southeast Asia. However, Qualified Contributors (QCs) get to enjoy free access to all of these videos. Find out how you canbecome a QC!

Power Ballads

Lovers of strong vocals would enjoy this type of ballad, which has powerful choruses backed by drums, electric guitars and occasional choirs. Artists famous for pulling this type of ballad off effortlessly include 4Men, Baek Ji Young, Demi Lovato and Liang Wen Yin.

Pop Ballads

If a chorus plays itself over and over again in your head, then you are most definitely addicted to a pop ballad! Joining Mariah Carey in this category include IU, Taylor Swift and Sunny Hill.

Rock Ballads

Rock Ballads will remind you of soft rock, alike in the musical arrangement and the sentimental lyrics. Hoobastank, Maroon 5 and Soda Green are the perfect examples of rock ballad singers.

Sentimental Ballads

Lovers of teary drama plots can expect to shed a tear or two with the overflowing emotions in these tunes. Besides IU, other ballad singers known for their sentimental ballads include 2AM, Fish Leong and Taylor Swift.

What’s your favorite type of ballad? Tell us in the comments below!

While we’re busy getting ready for KCON 2013, we’ve also been listening to Kpop in order to prepare ourselves for the second annual Worldwide KPOP Day, a fan-driven Kpop recognition day that is set for August 13th! From classics like BIGBANG and 2NE1 to newbies like EXO, TEEN TOP and NU’EST, Viki’s got you covered to help you celebrate this special day that highlights the growing popularity of Kpop music around the globe!

Need some helpful pointers on what should definitely be on your playlist for your very own celebration of Worldwide KPOP Day? Then take a look at our list, guaranteed to make any fanmeet, party or flashmob more exciting!

TIME TO WARM UP!

We found some perfect intro songs to start off your Kpop meetup, as well as some shoutouts to some old Kpop favorites!

BIGBANG — “Fantastic Baby”

We say “boom” and you say “shakalaka.” If this doesn’t get your Kpop senses going, we don’t know what else will!

2NE1 — “I Am the Best”

2NE1 is easily one of the most iconic Kpop groups, and “I Am the Best” is the perfect song to pump up your meetup!

2AM — “You Wouldn’t Answer My Calls”

2AM is a quartet boy group specializing in ballads, and this song is perfect when you’re trying to call that one friend who’s late to the Kpop meetup!

HEY, LADIES...

Brown Eyed Girls — “Abracadabra”

The B.E.G. members show that they don’t always need a man to be strong independent women! Also, check out their exclusive shoutout to Viki fans!

Ailee — “I Will Show You”

Ailee’s back and ready to show the world that she’s a force to be reckoned with!

IU — “Last Fantasy”

Watch IU explore the streets of Korea in this dreamy video!

HEY, FELLAS...

BtoB — “Insane”

Watch BtoB sing and dance in this video about a girl who’s driving them all crazy!

Block B — “Nilili Mambo”

Watch Block B try to pull off a bank heist as they tear up the streets of Vietnam in this heart-pounding video! (Bonus points if you can catch the chicken!)

Nu’est — “FACE”

With a comeback just around the corner, Nu’est takes down some school bullies in this exciting music video to its popular song!

LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!

Super Junior — “Sexy, Free and Single”

It’s always a little awkward when you’re the one single person at that party, but the boys of Super Junior have got you covered in this sexy video!

EXO — “Wolf”

Can’t wait to get out tonight and prowl the streets? Why not crank up EXO’s “Wolf”? Did we also mention that there’s two versions — one in Chinese and one in Korean?

100% — “Want U Back”

Watch newcomers 100% in its newest video, “Want U Back,” which is filled with the perfect club beats to keep the night going!

Jay Park — “I Like to Party”

If this doesn’t say “party” we don’t know what else will. Also with neon everywhere, need we say more?

LC9 — “MaMa Beat (Dance Ver)”

Check out some sweet dance moves in newcomer LC9’s “MaMa Beat”! Check out the members’ video shoutout to Viki fans, too!

BONUS: Psy — “Gangnam Style”

This year’s observance of Worldwide KPOP Day will focus on Psy’s global hit song, “Gangnam Style.” So be sure to give this song lots of play at your Kpop celebration!

Ready for Worldwide Kpop Day now? Let us know what Kpop songs are your favorite and what you’re going to do to celebrate!

Want to subtitle and watch dramas and movies that aren’t available in your region? Are you looking for ways to get more involved in the community? Do you like profile badges and exclusive prizes? Become a QC (Qualified Contributor) and get all these perks and more.

QC status is given to the most passionate, active and supportive members of the Viki community. Our QCs are amazing; they ensure the fastest, highest-quality subtitles found anywhere. To apply, contact the Help Center once you complete 3,000 subtitles or 2,000 segments (note: approval also is based on quality contributions).

Perks of Being a QC:

Global video viewing: Most shows aren’t available globally due to license restrictions; however, QCs are able to contribute to and watch most videos, regardless of regional availability.

Tickets to concerts and events: We often get tickets to special events, premieres and concerts; we give these to QCs in the event region, whenever possible.

Exclusive gifts, games and prizes: Receive occasional QC-only gifts and prizes and play games only available to QCs.

Official certification for students and professional translators: For those looking for experience to put on resumes and college entrance applications, we can provide an official certificate of your contributions to Viki.

Early access to information about shows, product updates and more: Receive a regular email newsletter and/or private messages that include information about upcoming titles, product releases and much more. You learn about it before anyone else does.

Many more perks coming soon!

Are you ready to get started and become a QC? Follow the steps below:

1. Watch the Viki U: Introduction to Subtitling video

2. Find a video to start segmenting or subtitling on. Practice on short Music or News videos.

¿Hablas español? Join our Telenovela-thon to help out with Latin American dramas and win prizes. You also can write to the Help Center for a recommendation of programs that can use your help.

3. When you reach 3,000 subtitles or 2,000 segments, write to the Help Center to apply for QC status.

We’ll review your contributions and let you know quickly whether you’ve been accepted! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Viki Help Center.

Great news for Korean drama fans: Fifteen additional K-dramas are now available to viewers in Europe, and more are still on the way. Enjoy these amazing dramas if you haven’t already!

Also, don’t forget to check out the initial list of 10 K-dramas for Europe that we announced last month.

Can’t decide which of these shows to watch first? We’ve included a few of the trailers here to give you some inspiration!

Shining Inheritance

King of Dramas

Do you live in a region where these shows are still unavailable? Read our blog post on Qualified Contributor (QC) status to learn how you can get access to these shows!

Are you ready to kick off KCON in Los Angeles with the Viki K-drama panel? Come to Panel Tent #2 on Saturday, August 24th, at 11:30 a.m. to get front-row seats. I’ll be your host as we get a behind-the-scenes look at the world of K-dramas, featuring special guest panelists Dramabeans and Sean Richard Dulake.

Before the panel, we wanted to give you some fun facts about our first panelist, Sean Richard! Read up, and send us your best question over Twitter or as a comment on this blog post. You might get to hear your question and your name at our KCON panel! Include your Viki username and the #VikiKCON hashtag in your tweet or comment, like this:

Example: What do actors and staff like to eat at late-night filming sessions? — catchlight #VikiKCON

Now, here are the top three things to know about this Korean American actor:

Fun Fact #1: Sean Richard Dulake is the cousin of top Korean actor, Lee Byung Hun. Do you see the resemblance?

Fun Fact #2: Sean has acted in four vastly different K-dramas: historical medical drama “Jejungwoon”; spy action thriller “Athena: Goddess of War”; a pilot’s romance “Take Care of Us, Captain”; and the food competition show “Feast of the Gods.”

Watch Sean Richard in Episode 10 of “Feast of the Gods”

Fun Fact #3: Last year’s Discovery Channel documentary, “Finding Hallyuwood,” about the rise of the Korean Wave and featuring interviews with top stars like Han Chae Young, Lee Byung Hun, Choi Si Won, and B.A.P, was directed by Sean Richard.

Don’t forget to send us your questions for Sean Richard over Twitter. See you at KCON on August 24th!

Ramen is an integral part of many Asian dramas — many have scenes in which the characters eat ramen, or in some cases, whole dramas that revolve around ramen noodles! Inspired by this, we decided to do our own take on traditional ramen.

We combined our love of ramen noodles with a new ramen burger craze that seems to be going around. What are ramen burgers, you ask? It’s similar to your traditional hamburger but with one catch: the bun is made out of ramen!

To put you in the right frame of mind for eating ramen, we suggest you watch the first episode of “Flower Boy Ramyun Shop”!

Salivating yet? Now, feel like making your own ramen burgers? Then let’s get cooking! Here’s what you will need:

1 onion, cut into quarters and then thinly sliced
1 lb of ground beef
2 large tomatoes, sliced into thin circles
3 packages of ramen noodles
4 bundles of arugula (approximately 16 oz)
2 stalks of green onions, finely diced
3 eggs

Note: This recipe will take about three hours due to chilling time, cooking time, etc.

First cook your ramen without the seasoning packets, then drain the noodles and rinse in cold water. After this, crack two eggs into a bowl, mix it to break up the yolk, and then combine it with the cooked ramen noodles — so that you have egg-coated cold ramen noodles. Divide the noodles into six portions so that you can make six “buns.”

Place one portion of the noodles at the bottom of a small bowl, and then place another bowl on top and press down to form the bun. Do that with the other portions of the noodles based on how many burgers you want to make. If you want to make all six “buns,” you'll need a total of 12 bowls. Place the bowls to chill in the fridge for about two hours while you prep your other ingredients.

While you’re letting the ramen buns chill, go ahead and form your hamburgers — I chose to season my burger meat with some bread crumbs and a little bit of soy sauce — just make sure that you don’t over mix your burgers, or the meat will become tough instead of tender. Portion the meat to make about three hamburger patties, or you can make smaller patties to make sliders! (That’s what we ended up doing.)

Pan fry your burgers until they are done. Then with the burger fat (also known as “brown bits”) left in the pan, go ahead and sauté your onions and green onions together in the fat for extra flavor!

Now take your ramen-buns out of the fridge and pop them out of the bowls (you may need a knife to help you out). Place the buns in a clean frying pan with a little bit of vegetable oil and fry them until golden brown on each side. We discovered that the best way to keep the “bun” shape was to simply let the the buns sit in the frying pan for a few minutes until it was time to flip them. Poking and prodding at them resulted in the bun falling apart.

Next, all you need to to do is plate your burgers! Put a ramen bun on the bottom, burger patty next, tomatoes, onion and green onion mixture, arugula, and then top it off with another ramen bun! Feel free to add ketchup, mustard or Sriracha sauce to spice up your burger!

So ... our verdict on this new ramen burger trend? It’s actually pretty good. It’s just tricky figuring out how to make the buns and how to eat the buns! Not to worry, though. If your ramen bun falls apart — this tastes pretty good as a ramen burger salad, too!

Hungry for more? Check out Ramen Walker and explore all the various themes and styles of ramen!

Got an idea for what we should make next? Let us know!

Guess whose birthday is August 18th? We are celebrating G-Dragon’s 25th birthday!

On stage, the rapper and singer (and part of the boy group Big Bang) is a leader who exudes confidence and charisma. Yet offstage, Kwon Ji Yong is just like any other ordinary 25-year-old who loves hanging out with his friends and playing with his pet dogs, Gaho and Jolie.

Having entered the entertainment industry at a tender age of 5, G-Dragon’s journey has not been an easy one. Let’s take a look:

Little Roora

When Kwon Ji Yong was 5, he debuted as a member of Little Roora, a kids’ version of the popular hip-hop and dance group. Although Little Roora did not go far, it still marked the first of many future performances for the budding entertainer. Check out this legendary group that inspired G-Dragon’s first appearance on screen.

Breakthrough Song: “Lies”

After debuting as part of Big Bang, G-Dragon singlehandedly composed “Lies,” and the song became one of the group’s biggest hits. With “Lies,” Big Bang won its first music award in 2007.

Acting Chops: “Haru Haru”

G-Dragon displayed his acting abilities alongside popular actress, Park Min Young (who appeared in “City Hunter,” “Glory Jane” and “Doctor Jin”), in this heartbreaking music video to “Haru Haru.” Big Bang won multiple awards with “Haru Haru,” and the hit helped the group win “Artist of the Year” at the 2008 MKMF Awards.

Check out this “SBS MTV Special,” which features G-Dragon.

Solo Debut: “Heartbreaker”

Making his solo debut with the dance track “Heartbreaker,” G-Dragon took away the grand award, “Best Album of the Year,” at the 2009 MAMA Awards.

GD & TOP: “High High”

Coming out as a rapper duo with TOP, G-Dragon released “High High,” which clinched a “Best Rap and Hip Hop Performance” at the 2011 Melon Music Awards. G-Dragon also wrote the lyrics for the song.

Comeback: “Tonight”

After a two-year hiatus, G-Dragon made a comeback with his group Big Bang, displaying extraordinary talent once again with the group’s song “Tonight.” The mini-album was well received by the public and critics commended on the improved quality of his music.

Get an insight into G-dragon through the variety show appearances he has made, including “Strong Heart” and “Incarnation.” He shares secrets and exclusive interviews that have never been released to the public. Find out more about his love life and dating habits or grab a tip or two from him on breakups.

** Interesting Fact: Do you know how G-Dragon got his name?

His birth name is Kwon Ji Yong.

용 = Yong = means “dragon” in Korean

So, G (Ji) + Dragon (Yong) = G-Dragon!

We look forward to seeing more good works from G-Dragon, and of course, Big Bang. Happy Birthday, GD!

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