Viki has an amazing global community, full of countless stories that deserve to be shared. Here is one such story about an avid Viki user and contributor.
For Sonia, a 39-year-old mother of four living in Paron, a commune in the Burgundy region of France. Viki has been her crutch and lifeline for the past four years. Diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago, Sonia said she was looking online for Asian dramas and movies to help take her mind off her grueling treatment regimen. She came upon Viki by chance four years ago, and the rest, as they say, is history. Viki has become an important part of her daily life ever since, helping her to experience “normal,” uplifting interactions with people who don’t know about her illness. When she’s not busy working as a sports educator, tending to her husband of 22 years, or being a mother to her four children (ages 21, 19, 15 and 10), Sonia says she, on average, spends several hours a day on Viki and has been a Qualified Contributor for the past two years. Read her amazing story below.
What's your Viki username?
Guilitoy
What language(s) do you speak?
English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean
Which activities do you do often on Viki?
Subtitling, Moderating, Editing
How did you discover Viki?
I found Viki by chance four years ago. When I was going through cancer, I looked for Asian dramas and movies to get my mind off my cancer and preoccupy my mind during the difficult treatments. Since then, Viki has been an important part of my life.
What do you like most about Viki?
During my various hospitalizations [for breast cancer treatment], I would sometimes be in total isolation with only my PC and Internet access to keep me company. Being on Viki to track dramas that I like and participate in various projects, the days always marched very quickly. I did not have time to think about anything else. Psychological pain became nonexistent. Being able to communicate with others without revealing my illness was really liberating for me. I was able to connect with many people through the various projects, and share many exchanges where we talked about everything and nothing — giving the impression that I was just a normal person. So Viki has been a major support for me and continues to be.
Viki also has removed language barriers. I love the diversity of the shows offered on Viki. It helps people discover what exists in other countries and allows others to discover what exists in France. I’ve also met a lot of wonderful people through Viki, and I hope to meet many more.
Has Viki helped you to learn or practice another language?
Absolutely! For me and for my daughters, Viki has been the best English teacher. My daughters have made enormous progress in English and Spanish.
Have you made friends in the Viki community?
Yes, I have made friends. How? When working on the same projects, you connect with other people. We realize that we have the same tastes. We end up meeting each other. And sometimes, you end up meeting in person.
What’s your favorite genre on Viki?
Korean Dramas, Taiwanese Dramas, Japanese Dramas, Anime, Telenovelas (Spanish-language dramas), Thai Lakorns, Chinese/Hong Kong Dramas
What’s your favorite drama that you’re watching right now?
The last drama that I watched recently, just as the viewer, was three seasons of “God’s Quiz.” @Kobolt recommended it to me, so I started watching it and I loved the concept and the script. I think that to treat the subject of rare diseases through each episode changed many other police and medical dramas. And I discovered the actor Ryu Deok Hwan, whom I think was made for this role. But I also loved “Gu Family Book” just because of Lee Seung Gi and Choi Jin Hyuk!
