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Update: Screencaps, recaps, and Joo-won


Illustration by pumpkinattack

What a morning. So stuff happened. There was a lot of emotion. And we here at Dramabeans realized once again what an awesomely supportive and fiercely loyal readership we have. We love you. ♥ Really, it was surprising and touching to see how much people care about this site and what we do. We wouldn’t be here without you.

Here’s what happened: Sites that infringe on material covered by Dramafever’s licensing agreements have been shut down in the past. The company that Dramafever hired to handle these cases saw that we covered a show they licensed. They filed the DMCA notice with our webhost, who warned us to delete or be shut down. We deleted (and replaced with lovely stick figures. You’re welcome).

We have spoken with reps from Dramafever, who have issued their official statement. They retracted the DMCA notice and have informed us we can resume screencapping. We’re a little gun-shy about that at the moment (hence the stick figures. You’re welcome), but will try easing back into normal operating procedure and bringing back the pretty.

We have to admit that the recent shakeups in the drama fan community have us uneasy, from streaming site and torrent crackdowns to fan recap sites being taken offline, and we’re not quite sure how the landscape may change in the future. We’re grateful to still be here, and we’re committed to sticking around, even if that requires evolving with the shifting sands (and maybe learning how to draw better stick figures). So thank you again for all the love and support, which is what keeps us going. Y’all rock.

-javabeans and girlfriday

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Thank goodness for you guys.

In the meantime as someone who can't watch l7CS and especially ep 14 of L7CS because of the torrents take down... am NOT happy with DF fever and their aggressive methods.

This is bullying for all those poor bloggers out there.

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:o the torrents are being targeted as well??

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Yes. They are targeting the uploads. For people like me who keep episodes in their HD, it's terrible.

Currently, I can't watch L7CS on viki and DF as I am not living in the US.

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The ones I use... thanks for the link. I will have to have a few sites now to use. Just in case.

Mine were just K drama torrents sites.

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I usually google the torrents in Korean, i.e. "7급 공무원.E14". you get to quite many Korean sites that host the torrents. And at the moment, all of the seem to (still?!) work.

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:-) Just my luck to use the ones which were issued the notice.
I don't Google I usually go to the same few sites. Rather than use random sites just in case it is unsafe.

Thanks.

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you'll notice that there's 4 big Korean torrent sites (cherrylink, btzoa, torrentrg, torrentnara) - all of them seem fully reliable. I've never had any issues.

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torrentrg is one of the sites which had the upload warning notice. Thursday episodes are not there today.

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i also torrent to get my dramas (usually delete most episodes after a week or two, but keep whole series of ones i really love until i can get my hands on an official, "original" box set properly coded for US region... there are so many copies from china and hong kong!

i personally use torrentrg.com (quite reliable) and on the rare occasion that it's down, playzoa (aka btzoa) to download torrents. it's all organized into dramas and variety and films, including foreign, but you would need to know how to read korean to navigate efficiently :)

i used to check soompi threads for torrents, but checking the torrent sites is much faster!

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:-) torentrg is affected. Not torrentnara.
I keep the drama links as I prefer srt subs, which I can edit if it's bad and don't buy the boxed set. I keep whole series even if I don't love them as I have a few external HDs.

I read Hangul so it's okay. I found that boxed set subs are not as accurate. Prefer to hear accurate translation, Korean idioms and all, rather then hearing some missing words.

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:/ this is so heartwarming ... T.T

thank you everyone for just being here ....

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YAAAAY, I'm so glad you won in this matter <3 DB, fighting :)

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Yayyyyy! I'm glad they read everyone's letter and responded appropriately. BEANIES are a fearsome force :D

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Trust me, I don't come here for the screencaps! I know that this is more than just about screencaps but no matter how basic this place gets I would always come back because more than anything else, I come for your words and insight. For my tastes, there isn't anyone like you in the drama community. You have such wonderful musings, perspectives and thoughts that keep me invested in DB. AND no one can serve a DMCA on those things, so you really don't have anything to worry about. With much gratitude and admiration, your loyal fan.

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Your site is AWESOME, and anyone that threatens it is on my boycott list. DRAMAFEVER has been throwing its weight around WAY TOO MUCH for my liking. Your site and Viki.com are my favorites and when the monopolizing sites try to smother either one I won't stand for it.

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wow..i'm a DramaFever premium member too.

if they continued their a-holeness...that would not have sat well with me. luckily, all is well now. :-)

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Dramafever trying to shut you down is stupid. They should realize that sites like yours make fans *more* likely to view on dramafever, not less! That is certainly true for me, anyway. As a European-American with a limited circle of friends interested in K-dramas, knowing I have a place to read about and discuss current K-dramas makes me more likely to watch them as they air rather than wait for DVDs, etc.

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Hwaiting!

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I was so angry this morning to read this disappointing news ... how dare they Dramafever ...after all the support you have given them! I have noticed over the months their heavy handedness behind so many changes in the kdrama landscape... hate this kind of monopoly.

Here in Australia we rely on your website to keep us up to date with what's going on in kdrama land ... I love your commentaries and insight which help me understand just that little bit better what Koreans are like ... compared to western culture. Very interesting.

I have emailed Dramafever with a very stinging complaint ... I am soooooooo disappointed by their actions and their inability to see past the $$$$$. Their service to Australia is appalling ...and their replies to my complaints are equally negative. As their service to Australia is non existent - we have no choice but to find other sources ... when I raised this with them their response was that Australia is not a big enough market for them - read $$$$! So what alternative do we have?

I watch these dramas and movies to get a better insight into korean culture ...and yes I know there is an element of exaggeration to fit the storyline but there is some truth and it helps me understand the culture that is my son's and not mine.

If you decide on a petition let me know ... I will be the first to sign up!!!!

Thank you for all your tremendous efforts and dedication over the years ... I could not survive without you!!!

Love the stick figures!

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Oh pooey! Civil Servant w/ Joo-Won is my favorite right now. : (
We need to see Joo-Won's expressions! Grrrr...

Dramafever does not have my support anymore.

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That is wonderful news!! I'm glad that utter headache was resolved quickly. (Though I have to admit, I was looking forward to the stick figure recaps, so I'm glad they are going to stick around for a bit.)

I think I'm safe to say on behalf of all of us, that even as the sands shifts, we'll shift with you, no matter what form Dramabeans might have to take in the future. It's your thoughts and opinions and the way you just play off of each other so perfectly that keep us coming back and no third party can come along and claim copyright on that!

And to join the chorus... We love you, Javabeans and Girl Friday!!! (And HeadsNo2, gummimochi and kaedejun too!)

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What a relief!

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I also sent an email and got a quick response. Regardless I'm never going back to DF. I like Viki better.

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Yay! I'm still unhappy about all the little sites getting picked on, but in the interest of focusing on the positive, I just wanted to say that Dramabeans will always have my love and support. Thank you so much for all you do! <3

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I'm one of those DB readers who never posts a comment. Gonna break my silence for a minute to say how sorry I am that that site gave you any grief. I totally commented on their press release page to the effect that I will still never return to DF, their subs aren't that great anyway, &c. I will continue to be on DB everyday. Thank you so much for being such clever people with such a great site! All the best -- FIGHTING!!

P.S. Your podcasts rule!

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You're the best!
Dra-Ma-Bi-nze Sa-Rang-He-Yo <3 <3 <3

I lurked around ur site for what's been forever now but I need to shout my love in this times *getting emotional*

U guys are AWESOME... AJA AJA ^^

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There is no doubt that the only reason you've been spared this time is because Dramabeans is an institution in the drama fan community, with many of us being paying members of dramfever, and we all voice our opinion. However all the smaller fish won't be so lucky, even though dramafever is only available in North America.

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I've never posted a comment here before, but I thought it'd be nice to show you my support. You guys make my day better every single day. I choose the shows I'll watch based on what you're watching, and reading your recaps is like talking to someone who likes these shows as much as I do. If you are gone, the only people who I can talk about my passion will be gone too! So be strong! You're not alone! s2

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Oh I was going to have a heart attack just thinking this through , my home page will be ruined without Dramabeans , so no thank you for every thing , I don't know what place I might be in getting good quality, interesting , specific along side with amazing sidecommented recaps like here ! Pls if its not for you , it's for millions of visitors , stay the way u r and accept our great appreciation

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glad it's sorted out - with a half-assed apology. my Dramafever subscription was already paid for this year but i may no longer renew next year - especially after reading about what they've done to other blogs and fansubbing communities.

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Love you girls :) Don't stop posting!

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Do not bite the hand that feeds you, Dramafever! What the Eff. At least they retracted their threat (yeah I call it a threat) and issued an apology. Although I am loving the stick drawing as well, pumpkinattack!

DB FIGHTING!!

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Glad things worked out and you don't have to go about hiring a lawyer and stuff.

As I stated before, I don't think what they did was correct as your posts can be protected under fair use laws.

But I'm happy that at least the drama is over... for now...

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I still can't believe what happened....

Love your site.... love your witty recaps... love your podcasts... love you two (and your minions :--) )

Stay above the shifting sands... and stay long with us!

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Oh man....I was stuck in the work-hole and came home to see a wut! and a wuuut.....its good now?

Whew. That was quite a shake up. Dramabeans FIGHTING!

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That was the whole point of watching 7th Grade Civil Servant... to see Joo-Won's face! What'll we do without his face??!! This is so wrong.

DB fighting!

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Yay good work everyone. So proud. See angry emails and tweets do make a difference. I still don't like you though DF.

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I'm so relieved DF backed off. A while ago I made the switch to Viki because of eng sub turnaround time, quality of subs and less glitches. It's no wonder DF has their legal teams going after everything under the sun they see as "infringement". They must feel threatened by other sites that are providing better content!

It's unfortunate a monopoly has formed around kdramas; it's even more unfortunate for those outside Canada/USA. My friend in New Zealand is constantly saying "it's the ~internet~, it has no borders". If only that were true!

I never comment on the site, but I enjoy reading every single post. The content richly enhances my kdrama viewing experience. Thank you for sticking around!

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I might not like Dramafever, but one thing I find nice of them, now all their drama are available to America.

So I'm from Brazil and can watch most of their dramas (just some still aren't available)

but I like Viki better because if you work there (sub one drama or segment) you gain 'QC' status and then you'll be able to watch other dramas not available to normal viewers.

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You rock!!! Fighting!!

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Wait, so my career as a level 7 sketch artist is over??? ;) Yay~

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Never mind, I think I'll keep drawing. It's way too much fun. ;D

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i love your drawing :)

& phewww that everything's ok now !! jb & gf fighting !! i'm fan of your recaps :)

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Thank you pumpkinattack for the drawing. I see you managed to eliminate the age difference between the two leads.

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HA!!!! Yes, it was the airbrushing. ;)

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omg you're too cute

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YOU GUYS rock! I'll take stick figures if they mean I'll still get your recaps/thoughts/write-ups :)

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nice drawing, i like it!

i enjoy reading your recaps and your comments, even if there are images or not

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well at least it appears all this was initiated by a third party, not directly by dramafever. that's good? it wasn't personal? i don't know what your relationship is/was with them before this debacle, or what goes on in the blogosphere actually. i've bookmarked the original announcement to read the comments more carefully and see what else has happened before to make you guys nervous!

something i'd always been a bit dubious about was your posting mp3 files in recaps. i personally like the practice, but with a site as popular as this, is it (legally) safe to do? i thought it wasn't legal to distribute music files unless it's for personal use (like home sharing in itunes). only curious!

oh, before i saw this post, i'd been reading the comments in the announcement and growing increasingly indignant. i was seriously about to do my part by removing the DF bookmark from my browser (LOL, lame, yes) and see if there was a function to close my account on the site. admittedly, i rarely watch through DF (too many ads, last time i checked) but it's definitely a fabulously comprehensive drama-viewing resource. i only hope they begin adding the older hit dramas from the early to mid nineties too. i'm glad they seemed to have worked fast to make nice with you guys, although i'm sure it's been a stressful enough, long enough ordeal!

i do love reading this site, and appreciate the quality of the writing as a fellow writer and avid drama fan. television can be an casual, intellectually lazy activity—an escape for busy minds where they can turn off their brains and just enjoy themselves. and there's nothing wrong with that. but what i love about this place is that, although i don't always agree with your opinions or views or the shows you currently love most, is that you not only recap, you dissect and provoke discourse and thoughts. i love that you really make me DIGEST what i've just watched—drama-watching becomes a mentally active, intelligent activity with you guys! through you, i've experienced a major shift in the way i view television in general.

i hope you never go away! i am pretty majorly impressed, actually, in the at least 4 years that i've been a regular reader, that there have been virtually no prolonged absences. as much as i can remember, posting has gone on every single darn day, and that must take some major dedication and love for blogging!

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Well said. :) Reading the recaps is like doing your reading/homework before going to class. You DO get so much more out of it!

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I don't normally post on your site , or that of Dramafever, but had to send them an email this morning to protest their actions. Glad all worked out for now. I really value your site, and would feel the loss if it was to shut down. Thanks for all your hard work. It is appreciated.

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I really don't understand what's Dramafever legal problem with posting a few pictures that must represent like about 1% of the show, and that are probably not even taken from their own videos (since there's never any subtitles on Dramabean's screenshots). Fair use or not in the US, the complaint should come from some Korean companies if complaint there is, shouldn't it?

I don't understand everything about copyright issues (especially because I come from a country with author's right) but their claim seem kinda crazy. I could probably understand if Dramabeans recaps had too many screenshots (to such an extent it'd feel like watching the video on mute) or even videos.

But what I do understand is that those (il)legal issues are getting out of hand and yet nothing is done to make things easier like for the kdrama viewers accross the world in this case. Even though it's always about the money... and if they actually solved that they could earn more.

Hang in there girls and don't be scared! That was a weak public message for the beanies, but apparently you were given more explanations and a proper apology so I guess you're the only ones who should feel wronged or alright.

And you should keep the stick figures on Level 7 Civil Servant as a souvenir! (you know, souvenir of how you got scared by tyrants... and because they're cute in a rushed kinda way.)

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No really we should be the ones thanking you.
This site has everything I would ever need for dramas, and without it, I would have lost a home for my kdrama needs

thanks so much jb and gf, and the other subbers!

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No really we should be the ones thanking you.

Absofuckinlutely! Thanks for saying that we rock, but the truth is that you rock waywayway more!

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You know for the first time I'm sending an email that curse, and it is for dramafever. And I'm unsubscribe from their site. My love for dramabeans is beyond screencap. Although, DF already apologized but rice has turn into porridge, and that porridge does taste bad.

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Btw, pumpkin attack I love your illustration. Those evil eyes of our joo won...lol

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Heehee, thanks. :)

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I'm so glad. I wouldn't know what to do without the humor that is javabeans, girlfriday, and the other recappers.

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Phewww, thank goodness u guys are okay to screen cap now...

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Glad this is resolved for now. This is the no 1 site for most kdrama fans. Beanuts unite!! :)

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We love you Dramabeans!

You're my number one visited page on chrome, maybe except Tumblr. Thank you for everything.

FIGHTING!

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Someone needs to make a header that says "Don't mess with dramabeans... we won't let it slide."

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So true. We've got your back! :)

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you can do it! With sticks figures!

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The stick figures = how much we love each other.
I really really really love you back, man.

I have to tell you guys that I actually had tears of relief at work reading that DF is retracting their take down notice.
I feel like all we want to do is enjoy each others company while we swoon, laugh, cry and shriek at our shows, and all they want to do is eff with us. Big guys with Big guns scare the sh^t out of me, because if it comes down to a fight, they win every time.

I worry that each step of legaleeze they take moves us all farther apart, and that makes me very sad.

Nothing ever lasts forever, I know, but that doesn't mean I can't hope that DB + us will last 4EVER!!

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<3

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You ladies rock! More power to you! I've been a follower of this site since 2007 or 2008, and will continue to be a loyal reader through and through!

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Wow, i'm glad this story was a "misunderstanding" .. I really thought of the worst when i read your posts earlier! =( I'm crossing my fingers, hoping that DF won't do more damage that they already did since last year. . Ugh. . what would my life be without you, Dramabeans?

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That's nice that they retracted, but I still wouldn't trust them. Stick with the hand-drawn pictures, maybe they told all those other recap blogs the same thing and where are they now.

I'm still done with them, I don't think they provide good service and they continue to show it's all about $$$ for them.

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Only something like this could get me out of years of lurking...
we wuv u jb & gf!
rock on, dramabeans!

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♥♡♥♡ to the DB team!

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