Service Overview
Q. What is 'KBSWORLDi'?
A. 'KBSWORLDi.com' managed by KBS America provides high quality ‘VOD’ (Video On Demand) and DVD retail service of KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)’s TV programs in North America. It is the only legal provider of all KBS created content in North America. It serves Korean Americans with the latest dramas and shows on its Korean website and is rapidly expanding its service into English speaking audiences through its English website that provides English subtitles for selected programs.
Q. What is VOD?
A. VOD (Video On Demand) service enables users to watch their favorite shows whenever they want by using the internet unlike traditional TV service which you have no control over concerning when and where to watch those shows. In general, VOD service is provided through either streaming or downloading the shows but the shows on KBSWORLDi.com can be watched through streaming only.
Q. What do I need to watch the VODs?
A. You need 1) a computer and 2) the internet connection to take advantage of the KBSWORLDi service.
1) Your computer should have the following software installed to watch the VOD’s online.
- Internet Explorer 6.0 or above, Firefox 1.5 or above, or Safari 2.0 or above
- JavaScript and Cookies must also be enabled
- Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124.0. or above
- Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows Vista, Macintosh OS X or Linux
2) It is strongly recommended that you get a high-speed internet service of at least 1.5Mbps to enjoy the shows without buffering as most of the videos on KBSWORLDi.com are encoded at either 300Kbps or 1Mbps. You can check your internet speed by visiting www.speedtest.net or www.speakeasy.net/speedtest. For further information about the internet connection, please contact your local internet service providers such as Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner and Cox Communications.
Q. Is the service free?
A. Becoming a member of KBSWORLDi.com is free. KBSWORLDi service is consisted of both free services (Culture, Kids, News) and paid services (Drama, Entertainment, Premium Documentary). The latter provides the best resolution with 1Mbps videos while the former provides high quality videos with 300Kbps. For fees and point system, please refer to 'Billing & Rate' section.
Q. Can I record the shows while I am watching them?
A. All the shows on KBSWORLDi.com are copyright protected. Therefore, recording and/or capturing of images and their distribution are strictly prohibited.
Q. Do you provide English subtitles?
A. KBSWORLDi.com provides English subtitles for some of the latest shows. The shows with English subtitles have a blue ‘cc’ icon right next to the title of the show under the thumbnails. The list of the shows with English subtitles is also updated in Announcement section and KBSWORLDi’s facebook page. Please note that the latest episodes might not have English subtitles as it takes time to prepare English subtitles after the original showings.
Q. What is ‘Package’?
A. Some of the shows on KBSWORLDI.com are provided as ‘Package’. You can get discount for those shows if you pay for the entire season in advance. Please refer to the Package introduction page for more detail. You can always find the list of Package offering by visiting Package List page.
Q. Is the service available in South America as well?
A. All the VOD services on KBSWORLDi.com are provided by KBS America with VOD servers in major cities throughout the United States. Therefore, you can watch all the shows on the website but you might experience some quality problems in places outside the United States.
Q. What is EOR?
A. EOR (Episode On Request) is a new service where you can purchase selected episodes of KBS’s popular content rather than buy a complete DVD set. As most of EOR programs are not available on DVD as a complete set and the copies of each episode are made to order, you cannot find these EOR products anywhere else. Please visit KBSWORLDi’s e-store for more detail.
Program
Q. What programs are available on KBSWORLDi.com?
A. Most of the programs on KBSWORLDi.com are the latest hits by KBS in Seoul and more shows that are no longer on-air are being added to the selection. You can e-mail us at info@kbsworldi.com if you cannot find the shows you are interested in. Please note that we cannot accommodate all your demands as some of the shows might have copyright issues.
How can I locate the shows I want to watch on KBSWORLDi.com?
A. You can find your favorite programs using a menu bar located at the top of each page. All the programs provided are classified as any one the following categories: Drama, Entertainment, Premium Documentary, Culture, Kids and news. You can also use a search box right next to the menu bar.
Q. Can I watch the latest shows as well?
A. KBSWORLDi is doing its best to provide KBS programs to the US based audience within 12 hours after they were broadcasted in Korea.
Q. Do all the programs have English subtitles?
A. Currently, not all programs are available with English subtitles. We are trying our best to provide English subtitles for most of the latest dramas and are expanding its list gradually. Please note that the latest episodes might not have English subtitles as it takes time to prepare English subtitles after the original showings.
Troubleshooting
Q. I have a problem in the internet connection.
A. First of all, please check if the internet line is connected with your computer, modem and routers correctly. If you don’t find any problem in the connection, please turn off both modem and router and wait for about 30 seconds before you turn them on again to see if you have your internet connection. If the problem persists, please contact your internet service provider (Verizon, AT&T, Time Warner, Cox, etc) for further help.
Q. The shows stop and resume every so often. (Buffering problem)
A. This is most likely to happen when the speed of your internet connection is not fast enough or your internet connection has a problem. Please make sure you have at least 1.5 Mbps speed of the internet connection to enjoy the shows without buffering. Even with the fast internet subscription, however, the speed may vary depending on the type of service (DSL, HFC, Dedicated Line, etc), location, and the time of the day. You can check your internet speed by visiting www.speedtest.net or www.speakeasy.net/speedtest. You can also improve your viewership experience by stopping transferring big size files on the same network that you share a router with.
Q. I cannot play the video when I was told the points have been deducted.
A. Please make sure you have the following software programs installed in your computer.
- Internet Explorer 6.0 or above, Firefox 1.5 or above, or Safari 2.0 or above
- JavaScript and Cookies must also be enabled
- Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124.0. or above
- Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows Vista, Macintosh OS X or Linux
If the problem persists, you might need codecs from the following websites: K-Lite Codec, AC3filter
Also, you will need additional points to watch the same show if you want to watch it more than five hours after you started your first playback.
Billing & Rate
Q. How much does it cost to watch the programs?
A. You can watch free content (Culture, Kids, News) for free while you have to pay for dramas and entertainment shows. You have to purchase KBSWORLDi Points before watching dramas and entertainment shows and each episode costs you 10 points. You can watch the same show again within five hours after you first start playing it. Please note ‘Package’ and premium documentary may have a different point policy.
Q. How can I purchase points?
A. You can purchase points either by using your credit/debit cards or by paypal. Points are not refundable. We currently accept credit/debit cards issued in the US and Canada only. You cannot use credit/debit cards issued in Korea or any other countries.
Q. Transaction went thorough but no points were added.
A. When you use your credit/debit cards issued outside the US/Canada, you will see the transaction go through without adding points to your KBSWORLDi account at first. Unfortunately, that transaction was in fact declined but you have to wait a few days to see it corrected on your account. Please make sure you use credit/debit cards issued in the US and Canada only to avoid such a problem.
Q. Can I check the record of point purchase and usage (VOD viewership) online?
A. You can easily review your record of point transaction on My Account page after logging-in.
Q. Do KBSWORLDi Points expire?
A. Points do not have expiration date. However, they are not refundable once you purchase them.
Q. Is the transaction at KBSWORLDi safe?
A. KBSWORLDi is providing safe transaction service through Authorize.net, a market leader in online payment gateway service.
Q. Can I give KBSWORLDi Points to other members?
A. Members can purchase points for themselves and transfer them to other members. Points transfer menu (‘Give Points to Friend’) can be found under ‘My Account’ menu.
Q. Can I purchase DVD/EOR with KBSWORLDi points?
A. KBSWORLDi points are used only for watching VOD’s on KBSWORLDi.com. KBSWORLDi points cannot be used for DVD/EOR purchase.
Account
Q. Registration
A. You must be a registered member of KBSWORLDi.com to watch any shows at KBSWORLDi.com and you have to be logged-in at the time when any video is being played. You can purchase points, watch VODs (both free and paid), review your viewership history and participate in various events only for registered members.
You can register at KBSWORLDi.com once you fill out a simple online application form and confirm your e-mail.
Detailed registration instructions are available here - [Korean] [English]
Q. Change your account information
A. You can change your account information on My Account page after you log in. You cannot, however, change your ID.
Q. If you forgot your password, then…
A. If you do not recall your password, you can get an e-mail containing temporary password by visiting 'Forgot Password' page and providing your ID and the correct answer to your security question. You can log in and change your password once you are logged in through the link in the e-mail you received.
Q. Cancellation
A. You may cancel your membership of KBSWORLDi by sending your ID, name and phone number to info@kbsworldi.com. Your request will be processed once we verify your information. Please understand that your KBSWORLDi Points and viewership history will not be available any longer once your account is cancelled.