Featured MEdia
Supply Chains

Warner Bros.
Sony Pictures
SBS
StudioCanal
WildBrain
ABC
The Walt Disney Company
RAI
NHK Enterprises Japan
Yash Raj Films
CJ ENM Co
Globo Group
Know more
Entertainment

Rakuten Viki Content Acquisition 2025 | Unraveling the Streaming Giant’s Strategy | Vitrina AI

Share
Rakuten Viki content acquisition
Rakuten In Development Projects
Share
Rakuten Viki content acquisition

 Introduction

Rakuten Viki is a global streaming platform known for its vast collection of Asian dramas, films, and variety shows, catering to audiences worldwide. Unlike traditional OTT platforms, Viki’s unique crowdsourced subtitle model allows it to reach non-Asian-speaking viewers, making it one of the most accessible and culturally diverse streaming services.

A major factor behind Viki’s success is its strategic content acquisition approach, which focuses on securing premium titles from South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and beyond. With the growing popularity of K-dramas and Asian entertainment, securing the right content at the right time has become a critical challenge.

Project tracker 1

Curious how Vitrina can help you? Try it out today!
Trusted by global entertainment leaders to grow business, acquire high-demand content, promote projects and services, and track every Film + TV production worldwide

Table of content

  1. Introduction
  2. Rakuten Viki’s Content Strategy & Key Focus Areas
  3. Licensing Models: How Rakuten Viki Acquires Content
  4. Challenges in Content Acquisition for Rakuten Viki
  5. How Vitrina Supports Content Acquisition for Rakuten Viki & Partners
  6. Conclusion
  7. FAQs

Rakuten Viki’s Content Strategy & Key Focus Areas

Rakuten Viki’s content strategy revolves around:

1. Licensing Exclusive & Premium Asian Dramas

Viki targets high-performing content from major networks such as SBS, KBS, tvN, JTBC (Korea), iQIYI, Tencent (China), Fuji TV (Japan), and more. By securing exclusive licensing rights, Viki differentiates itself from mainstream platforms like Netflix and Disney+.

2. Emphasis on Community Engagement

Viki’s “Learn Mode” and volunteer subtitle community allow the platform to distribute content across multiple regions without heavy investment in localization services, making it an attractive partner for production houses.

3. Expanding into Original Productions & Co-Productions

Following the footsteps of global streamers, Viki has explored original productions and co-productions to create unique content tailored to its audience.

4. Genre & Regional Expansion

While K-dramas dominate, Chinese, Thai, and Japanese content is gaining traction on Viki. The platform constantly scouts for new genres, including fantasy, thriller, and BL (Boys’ Love) dramas, to cater to evolving audience preferences.

Licensing Models: How Rakuten Viki Acquires Content

Rakuten Viki employs multiple licensing models to secure content:

1. Exclusive Licensing Agreements

  • Content is licensed exclusively for Viki’s platform, preventing competitors from streaming the same titles.
  • High-profile titles with global demand are often secured under this model.

2. Non-Exclusive Licensing

  • Content is available on multiple platforms, allowing broader distribution.
  • Used for older titles or niche content with smaller but dedicated audiences.

3. Revenue-Share Partnerships

  • Instead of upfront licensing fees, revenue is shared between Viki and content owners based on views, subscriptions, or ads.
  • Attractive for independent production houses and smaller studios.

4. Co-Productions & Original Content Development

  • Viki collaborates with production companies to co-produce dramas tailored for global audiences.
  • This model helps in creating exclusive IPs that increase long-term engagement.

Challenges in Content Acquisition for Rakuten Viki

1. Rising Content Licensing Costs

With the global demand for K-dramas and Asian content surging, licensing costs have skyrocketed, making it difficult to secure premium titles.

2. Competition from Global Streamers

Netflix, Disney+, and Prime Video are aggressively expanding their Asian content libraries, posing a direct challenge to Viki’s acquisition efforts.

3. Regional Content Restrictions & Regulations

Different countries have content censorship laws, making licensing more complex, especially in China and certain Southeast Asian markets.

4. Identifying Emerging Content Trends

Staying ahead of audience preferences and acquiring the right mix of genres before competitors is a constant challenge.

Vitrina Business Network: Connecting 72,000 Industry Leaders Across 100 Countries in the Video Entertainment Supply-Chain.

Vitrina Business Network connects entertainment companies globally. Content Acquirers with Distributors. Production, Post, Localization customers to specialist vendors.

Unlock Data-Driven Content Decisions

Leverage competitive intelligence to secure the best content deals.
OTT Streamers 3

How Vitrina Supports Content Acquisition for Rakuten Viki & Partners

Navigating content acquisition challenges requires data-driven insights and strategic partnerships. This is where Vitrina plays a critical role:

1. Discovering High-Potential Content

Vitrina’s Global Film+TV Projects Tracker helps streaming platforms like Viki identify upcoming content in development, production, or post-production stages.

2. Connecting with Content Owners & Distributors

With access to 72,000+ entertainment executives and companies, Vitrina enables direct outreach to content owners, helping Viki secure licensing deals faster.

3. Competitive Intelligence on Content Trends

By analyzing what rival streaming platforms are acquiring, Vitrina provides valuable insights that help Viki refine its content acquisition strategy.

4. Streamlining Regional Expansion

For platforms looking to expand into new content markets like Indonesia, India, or the Middle East, Vitrina provides deep metadata and market intelligence to identify potential partners.

Trusted by Execs and Leaders From

Conclusion

Rakuten Viki’s content acquisition strategy is evolving rapidly to stay competitive in the global streaming landscape. By leveraging exclusive licensing, revenue-sharing, and co-productions, Viki continues to expand its content library. However, challenges like rising licensing costs and increasing competition require a data-driven approach to content sourcing.

Platforms like Vitrina empower content buyers with actionable insights, real-time project tracking, and direct access to decision-makers. By streamlining content discovery and acquisition, Vitrina ensures that platforms like Viki can secure the right content at the right time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Viki licenses content through exclusive deals, non-exclusive agreements, revenue-share partnerships, and co-productions.

Key challenges include rising licensing costs, competition from global streamers, and regional content regulations.

Vitrina provides real-time project tracking, competitive intelligence, and direct access to content owners to streamline acquisitions.

Previous Post
Why the Middle East is Becoming a Key Audience for Hong Kong Cinema
Next Post
Space42 Launches Thuraya 4 Telecommunications Satellite
Dust to Dust
Previous

Why the Middle East is Becoming a Key Audience for Hong Kong Cinema
Next

Space42 Launches Thuraya 4 Telecommunications Satellite

Thuraya 4

Related Articles