Warner Bros. kills Asian streaming haven DramaFever
Let me just get a Kleenex.
DramaFever bade its subscribers adieu after nine years.
It's a sad day for Korean drama fans.
Warner Bros has axed its streaming service DramaFever with immediate effect, it announced on its website Tuesday. The service was best known for making Kdramas accessible to its subscribers, though Chinese and Japanese content were also available on the site.
The company confirmed the closure to CNET in an email: "Today, Warner Bros. Digital Networks will be closing its DramaFever OTT service due to business reasons and in light of the rapidly changing marketplace for K-drama content, a staple of the service's programming. Warner Bros. Digital Labs, which encompasses more than two-thirds of the DramaFever workforce, will continue operating, serving as the tech engine behind many of WBDN's operations," said a spokesperson.
In a note, DramaFever thanked its subscribers for "nine great years" and attributed the closure to "a variety of business reasons." It added that refunds will be issued and subscribers can expect an email with details in the coming days. It didn't soothe any heartbreaks on Twitter though:
i just woke up and i read dramafever is being shut down. ok what a way to shatter my heart thank you so much
— 𝐤 (@jaesthick) October 17, 2018
they shut down dramafever?! more like they shut down my heart :’( <\3
— debbie 🎃🍂💛 (@debbieagtarap) October 17, 2018
I know im not subscriber of DF but i really like their sub. Thank you for your hard work for the pas nine years @dramafever
— noctiluca (@DOL_JAE) October 17, 2018
Crushed about @dramafever shutting down 😭😭 Guess I’m signing up for @Viki you guys better not be going anywhere!
— Michelle White (@MichelleF1215) October 17, 2018
What’s the reason behind the shut down of #DramaFever ? 🤔😩😭
— Jervz Naval (@iamjmnav) October 17, 2018
DramaFever advised its subscribers that new episodes of currently airing dramas would be "postponed until a later date" before going silent on its social media platforms in the days before the announcement, Forbes reported. Everything on its YouTube channel, which has almost 4.3 million subscribers, has been removed.
The move comes as news that AT&T is planning a HBO-based streaming service bundling content from its other properties such as Turner and Warner Bros. surfaced last week. The company had only recently acquired Time Warner for $85 billion.
Meanwhile, if you want to get into Kdramas but don't know where to start, we have a few suggestions.
First published Oct.17, 4:07 a.m. PT.
Update, 6:50 p.m. PT: Adds comment from Warner Bros.
