What is the Difference Between Viki and Kocowa?

Kocowa and Viki are top East Asian video streaming services that offer an international audience of over forty million active users.

Different companies own both Viki and Kocowa. While Viki provides some Kocowa content, Kocowa does not reciprocate. Additionally, their pricing is different, with different subscription plans and supported devices.

In this article, we will highlight the differences between Viki and Kocowa that will help you pick the best option for your needs. Keep reading for more detailed information.

Is Viki the Same as Kocowa?

Viki and Kocowa are not the same things, but they offer similar services.

Kocowa Overview

Kocowa is an American service that was launched as a joint venture by the three largest broadcasting networks;

• Korean broadcasting system (KBS)
• Seoul broadcasting system (SBS
• Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC)

With Kocowa, you can watch all your favorite K-dramas, K-pop, K-variety, and K-reality from SBS, MBC, KBS, and other content partners. Its service is available only in South America and North America.

Subscriber Benefits

Kocowa provides the following benefits to subscribers:

• Full HD video quality
• Unrestricted and unlimited TV Shows and Dramas
• No Ads
• Compatibility with other streaming devices, such as Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, etc.

Subscription fees are typically not too expensive either, which is a great bonus.

Viki

Viki, on the other hand, is an American streaming service owned by the Japanese Rakuten. It is based in California.

With Viki, you can watch all your favorite subtitled Asian dramas, TV shows, and top movies from Japan, Mainland China, Thailand, Taiwan, and Korea.

You can stream movies and TV shows for free or subscribe to Viki pass for a completely ad-free and fantastic HD experience.

Viki also has Kocowa content, including Chinese shows and dramas. However, you will need to pay an extra subscription fee to access these services and features.

What is the Difference Between Viki and Kocowa?

Here are some of the key differences between Viki and Kocowa:

Difference	Viki	Kocowa
Supported devices	•Android phones and tablets •Chromebooks •iPhone and iPad •Google TV •Apple TV HD •Roku •Amazon Fire TV •Chromecast •Xbox 360 •Nook •Windows Phone •Firefox OS •Amazon Kindle Fire •Playback via HDMI •Samsung Smart TV	•Google TV •Android •Google Chromecast •Roku •Apple TV •iPhone and iPad •Web browser
Subscriptions	•Basic •Standard •Plus1	•Daily •Monthly •Annual
Available Countries	•Korea •Mainland China •Taiwan •Japan •The United States	•The United States •Brazil •Puerto Rico •Canada •Mexico
Services	•TV shows from Japan, Korea, and China •Korean dramas and TV series •Chinese dramas and TV series •Movies from Japan, Mainland China, Thailand, Taiwan, and Korea •It also offers more content via its partnership with Kocowa. •However, you will be required to pay extra subscription money to access these additional content and services.	•Korean programs •K-pop music programs •Live Streams
Ownership	•Japanese Rakuten	•Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) •Korean broadcasting system (KBS) •Seoul broadcasting system (SBS)

Each website offers the current pricing and any special promotions currently happening.

Other Differences Between Viki and Kocowa

Here are some further differences between the two streaming services:

• Viki’s catalog is relatively larger compared to Kocowa’s. This is because Viki offers extra Dramas from Kocowa.
• Kocowa releases the subtitles faster compared to Viki. For instance, you do not need to wait 2-3 days for subtitles on Kocowa.
• Kocowa does not have any Viki dramas. However, it offers some extra K-dramas to Viki. On the other hand, Viki has some Kocowa dramas but does not provide any dramas to Kocowa. It is vital to note that Viki subscribers interested in watching extra Kocowa dramas need to pay extra subscription money.

Additionally, there are some minor differences between their subscription plans.

Viki

Here are a few details for Viki’s subscription services:

Plan	Details
Viki Pass Basic Plan	•The cheapest option; provides fewest features and available shows. •Provides non-exclusive content in HD and without ads. •Available only in some selected countries.
Viki Pass Standard Plan	•Has over 38 movies and 55 shows available. •You can watch Viki originals, Viki exclusives, and some selected movies. •You can explore shows in HD and without ads.
Viki Pass Plus Plan	•The most expensive option but has the most features. •Only available in Central, South, and North America. •Only supports Chromecast, Roku, Android, iOS, and Web.

Viki tends to be cheaper overall than Kocowa, but does not offer daily use subscriptions. There are a few exclusives on here.

Kocowa

Here are a few details for Kocowa’s subscription services:

Plan	Details
Daily Membership Plan	•The cheapest option; provides fewest features and available shows. Offers unlimited TV shows and Dramas for 24 hours. •Offers unlimited TV shows and Dramas for 24 hours.
Monthly Membership Plan	•Has no commitments •Provides unlimited TV shows and Dramas for a month •Has a one-month free trial •Has no commitments and no ads
Annual Membership	•The most expensive option but has the most features   •Provides unlimited TV shows and Dramas for a year •Has two-month discounts •Has no ads

Kocowa even has a partnership with Viki so that the other service can stream a few of them as well.

Final Thoughts

Kocowa and Viki are both online streaming services for East Asian shows and dramas. While they do have some similarities, there are some differences as well.

Viki provides some Kocowa content, but Kocowa does not have any Viki content. Additionally, their pricing is different with different subscription plans and supported devices.