Some people don’t have access to licensed content in their areas, ok. Some platforms don’t have a specific drama made available in their region, ok. But why in the world are some people using unregulated websites for PIRATED drama content as their MAIN go-to when they have a licensed option. Not just that, but torrenting. We have to go to this extreme. I understand that it’s not the fault of the viewer if a website is posting this content for viewing depending on where you live, but why are some people on here so determined to stay away from the legal and paid options? Especially having discussions about it on this website? Watching on illegal platforms hurts the tv and entertainment industry, not to mention these websites are ruthless in stealing from peoples hard earned work and time subbing some of these shows in a legal manner.
Money, convenience and connection. I have a subscription to some licensed options but not all of them. Sometimes it's easier to go to one source that has everything rather than looking up if the drama is still licensed on a platform you have a subscription to and if it's licensed in your region. When I started watching dramas there was no licensed options in my area so instead I turned to pirated options. Options that might not be my first choice anymore but that I have a past history and trust with. I'm not defending it and your points are valid but... just giving you a look from a different perspective.
Not trying to defend it in anyway (you make very good points btw), but here's my understanding/TED talk on this matter...
In a weird way, the roots of this hobby are quite intertwined with piracy. When I first started watching dramas, there was no way to legal watch them. Everything was subtitled by fans and hosted on various third-party sites - even Viki (or ViiKii as it was first called) was originally a third-party platform. Even today, there's a lot of Thai and Japanese dramas that can only be enjoyed with fansubs. So for some, it's a habit - something they've always been doing (in some capacity) and something they feel relatively OK about doing (in some capacity).
While nowadays streaming services are pretty convenient, there's no one go-to service that will have everything you want. You got iQiyi, Youku, Tencent, Viki, Netflix, Viu, Kocowa, Disney+ as of late, and others that I'm definitely forgetting. The third-party aggregators collect things from all these platforms (plus fansubs too sometimes) and give you one spot to watch every drama for free. So for some, it's hard to resist that siren song, especially for younger drama-watchers and those who can't afford to subscribe. And of course, there's the people who simply just straight-up don't want to pay regardless lol.
Honestly thank you so much for your page. I’ve perused all kinds of topics on your channel, and I always thoroughly enjoy all of your content. Donkey Kong
