WTF

[dangermousie]

Apparently aja-aja shut down its downloads to non-members because people keep reposting the download links?

Fine, whatever.

Also, fine, whatever on having to pay to join. I pay for my premium megaupload and I pay for my premium photobucket etc etc so what's one more paid site.

ONLY!

They say you can donate however much you want but admission is at the discretion of the mods? So it means you can waste your money and still not get in? WTF.

I repeat, WTF!

Why would I "donate" (and it's not a donation when it's mandatory, it's a payment) for a service I may or may not get?

That's insane!

I don't need their vip/720p dls anyway as I don't do subless raws, so their $50/$100 guideline doesn't matter to me - but the bizarre lack of structure does.

How much should the donation be? And for what period is it considered enough (i.e. how long a membership does it buy you?) and what's the guarantee it won't get 'restructured?' Not to mention a guarantee I'd get in even if I pay?

That is so freaking useless and demented.

I guess I'll have to get my raws elsewhere as I object to this weird 'pay and maybe you'll get in' set-up on principle.

Comments

[mishane.livejournal.com]

THAT is what pisses me off!! I don't mind paying at all, I mean, FINE, I'll pay your damn $50 if you really want me to...AJA is where I get all my DL's so it's worth it. BUT I'll only do it if you guarantee me a spot. No guarantee is a friggin rip off and it's ridiculous.

ARGH I'M STILL SO MAD ABOUT THIS.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

This is so silly - how many people will take them up? You've got to be both desperate and stupid to do so, honest.

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

This is so stupid. "Throw some money at us and we might let you join lol!" Just wtf?
If you find another site with good raws, please let me know. I used to get most of my stuff aja-aja.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

If you go to soompi, most threads will have links to raws for that drama.

dorama_raw and asian_doramas and jdramas etc all have raws.

[sodahands.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[darkeyedwolf.livejournal.com]

What burns me up is that their links aren't even on their own servers. IT'S ALL MEGAUPLOAD. They're basically charging for the privilege to download from a free site.

[lesbiassparrow.livejournal.com]

Now, that's cheeky.

And $50? Is that just a once off? Or every few months? Because if it is, then it's rather expensive even if they are guaranteeing you admission.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

They don't say - there is no guarantee, they could change their minds tomorrow and require $200 more. Or you can pay $50 and still not get in.

*rolls eyes*

back to clubbox for me :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

And for a drama which they did not make and whose subs they didn't make either. *rolls eyes*

[prismatic-star.livejournal.com]

I don't really get that. It gets me all riled up when sites start asking for 'donations' in order to access the videos. Why should you pay to join? They don't own exclusive rights to the videos. We're just fans who just want to see some dramas for entertainment, that's all. It's just so strange.

Grrr, whatever. There is no way am I giving money to these sites unless they're the actual licensed distributors.

[eraeos.livejournal.com]

There is no way am I giving money to these sites unless they're the actual licensed distributors.
Someone brought up a similar point on soompi forums, where I occasionally lurk:

"The Aja Aja ladies have gotten wayyyy out of control with their power trips. I totally understand that they're upset that people are stealing their links; but on the other hand, none of the videos actually belong to them to begin with. All videos belong to their respected Korean networks."

And a good question to the people over at Aja-aja, especially since an invite isn't a guarantee EVEN AFTER PAYING:

"I love the aja-aja site, but I mean, I feel bad for them that they don't get credit for the great work they do in sharing kdrama with people, but really...are you in it for the credit or just because you love the drama and want to spread the good stuff? I dunno, no offence."

[prismatic-star.livejournal.com]

I can understand that it might piss the ladies off when your links are being shared around when you spend hours trying to capture video, then convert it and then upload it... trust me, I've done it once and it's painful. But I'm just glad to expose people to new videos. They should come to accept that the net isn't exactly a place where you can keep control over things. Mostly anything you post on the net will be shared.

[eraeos.livejournal.com]

your links are being shared around when you spend hours trying to capture video, then convert it and then upload it... trust me, I've done it once and it's painful.
I can understand that too, because I've done it a few times as well. And you're right, it is painful and takes up a lot of your time. But the thing is, they don't own the videos and they're not licensed distributors like, say, Apple. It's one thing to make people pay for videos they don't hold rights to and neither are officially licensed to distribute (and, as you pointed out, that grey line is crossed a lot on the net and hard to control), but it's another thing to say, "Oh, if you pay, MAYBE you'll be able to and maybe not."

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, where on soompi? I am interested to read it.

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

Found it here: http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=259955&st=2660&p=14596545&#entry14596545

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

And post #2678

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[eraeos.livejournal.com]

Yup, ladysaotome got it. I'm a little behind on watching QSD because of work. Gah!

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Exactly. They don't own the rights, they didn't add value (like subbers) so wtf?

[popaddict.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I was willing to donate too but the idea that it depends on the flip of a coin is ridiculous. If I pay (make no mistake I'm paying for a service) then I damn well better see some links at the end.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Exactly - it's not a donation if it's mandatory, it's a payment. And for that, I better get services in exchange.

[enkiae.livejournal.com]

That really sucks. Aja aja was the only place I knew with downloads for sitcoms :\ They'd better send that email...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I wonder if soompi will have links to those within the threads?

[ambergold.livejournal.com]

what the frell? seriously? I download 90% of my videos from them!! :(:( I just went off to check and apparently the site is down? but either way that method of letting people use it is idiotic beyond words. SIGH. it looks like I will either be driven to actually using clubbox, or fall back on relying on Dramafever...neither of which appeals to me:(

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I've used clubbox before and it's not bad - a bit slower but not bad. Let me know if you need a user's guide for it.

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

Aren't they going to open themselves up to even more serious liability doing that? I remember all this fuss about the new Korean television laws & I would think them trying to make money off sharing downloads is like asking to be hassled?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. Lawsuitlawsuitlawsuit happyland is basically there.

[outof-focus.livejournal.com]

alarm bells rang in my head when i read the note on their site [before they closed to non-members] that donations don't equal access.

i love their site but i'm certainly not donating now.
first, they don't even host the videos on their own servers so it's unlikely that they need a lot of $ to keep the site running. they use online file hosting like MU!
second, they don't own the videos. the second has a lot of other issues involved w/c i don't really want to discuss. but a lot of us kdrama viewers rely heavily on downloads so... i hope other people offer raws again for non-clubbox users.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

that donations don't equal access

Exactly. Forget it - it's one thing to have a complicated and uncertain joining process like the stormy_team has for its subs - if you apply, you might or might not get in depending on a variety of factors, but it's not as if you waste your money - it's free. But to make you pay for the "privilege?" That's insane.

And yes, you do not need that much $$$ to run their site. Certainly not to charge $50 off each person.

Ehhh, I used to dl before they came along, I am sure I will after.

[bodea.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, I'm not too hung up on the links they provide. I don't even mind that they ask for a "donation", but if I'm sending money your way, I need more than a maybe. I get that they put in work with the uploading and encoding, but I think it's all going to their heads a bit. You gotta know once you put something on the net the way it's used is out of your hands. You can ask politely, but there's no garuntee anyone will listen.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Exactly - the thought that you may pay however much and not get anything for it? That's insane. I can afford $50 or even $100 for a membership but I refuse to pay without knowing I'll get in - I have better things to spend my money on.

Also, ooooh, I've uploaded a drama to jdramas comm - I spent my time and bandwidth - does it mean i should charge someone $1 every time they dl?

[ladysaotome.livejournal.com]

Someone at d-addicts posted explaining a bit & I guess you don't have to donate that much to get a normal account. "Apparently, you did not read the statement closely enough. $50 is for access to the 720p files... and there is the option of providing or sharing links with them instead of paying that amount. If you want the basic access that all their free users had before, there is no specific amount required." (It's ironic the user deleted herself & her post shortly afterwards - but she got quoted so her comment is still around. aja-aja afraid to show their face?)It's still bull, though.

http://www.d-addicts.com/forum/viewtopic_78381_0.htm

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Yeah - the statement makes no sense though - there is no guarantee you'll get in whether you pay $5 or $200. That's my problem.

Also, making money off material copyrighted by others? Distributing it for free is illegal enough but for money makes it automatically much more so.

[uhmbrr.livejournal.com]

I wonder if the Korean torrents that they get their stuff from did the same thing, what will happen?

I do understand when people whine about subs, because that's A LOT of hard work, time, and effort.

but really they are just getting it from megaupload and the very first posts from daum/DCGall who provide the links.

It's a bit understandable if they just want donations and you will get access, but all the conditions are just iffy.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I get subs thing more - they spent hours doing it and they added value. But reuploading? Come on. *rolls eyes* I used to use clubbox (and a pain it was, as I don't read Korean :P) but I guess back to it, it is :)