Youku

The Android application Youku enables eager audiences to enjoy thousands of Chinese dramas, films, variety shows, and anime.

It is a portable service suited for a mobile-first generation. Further, it offers Netflix-style curation, combined with the depth of cataloguing of YouTube. The app was built as an OTT service by one of the largest video networks in China. Its focus is addressing a specific problem. It helps you locate and binge-watch high-quality Chinese entertainment OTT service content. All without going on to hunt across platforms, or resorting to low-quality torrents.

The freemium model gives you immediate access to a rotating selection of free episodes and movies. VIP subscription members get access exclusives, new releases, and an ad-lite experience. Whether you’re keen to follow the latest C-drama craze or documentaries and music videos, Youku calls itself the one-stop solution for Mandarin long-form video.

Instant access to Chinese dramas.

The library of the app has a heavy slant towards Chinese produced series, reality formats and films, just what fans of C-drama app Android content is looking for. Use the genre section to find your show, search by title or actor, and let the recommendation engine show you trending shows based on your viewing history.

You do not have to read Chinese once the app is downloaded. The home screen shows new and popular releases. Therefore, you can still discover the content quickly.

The international version of most shows comes with multilingual subtitle tracks, but reviews always criticise the timing and the translation quality of the English subtitles as hit-or-miss. For many flows, the interface itself is Chinese centric and non-speakers may need to rely on icons and trial and error. VIP payments in China have always been favorable to Alipay and WeChat which onboard overseas users with friction if they don’t have a Chinese wallet.

There is no watchlist here. Users will remember the names of the films they watched but won’t find them. They can check viewing history. Further, auto-play features come into effect when video starts playing as soon as you tap on the thumbnail. Since there is no Western or worldwide licensed content, it will be Chinese originals and co-productions.

Download shows for offline binge.

The offline function of Youku makes it distinctive among apps. You can download all non-VIP videos right to your device for offline viewing, making them great for trips or commutes. After caching the episodes, you can play them at speeds of up to 2.0× to speed up recap scenes and subtitle dialogue.

Content you download lives in a library within the app that you can still get to when your connection drops. The catch is that certain exclusives in VIP tier cannot be downloaded, which means that you can only stream them or upgrade your tier.

Smooth HD playback on any connection.

The player provides HD and UHD video playback that uses adaptive bitrate switching to modify the resolution by monitoring network speed in real-time. On Wi-Fi, it streams in ultra-high-def quality; on cellular, the app drops to lower resolutions to avoid buffering, but still watchable.

The UI elements onscreen are resized as per device screen size due to the responsive layout. The platform also features interactive polls, links to products in videos, and tools for advertisers that connect merchandise to their shows, allowing you to shop props or fashion from your favorite shows without ever leaving the app.

5 Quick Tips:

• Turn on multilingual subtitles for dramas in playback settings before clicking to start a new series so you don’t have to hunt mid-episode.
• To make sure you won’t go over your data limit while you’re on-the-go, pre-download shows over Wi-Fi for anime and film streaming quality.
• Use the speed toggle in the player controls to speed through slow scenes or recap portion during binges.
• Search by actor names or show names in English as much as possible. The app understands romanized queries for popular dramas.
• Make sure to check your viewing history regularly, you can think of this as your watchlist at the moment. Until Youku adds a favorites feature, of course.

Youku for Android offers a huge library of videos. You can get access to the first Chinese video catalog. It delivers great adaptive streaming. Moreover, you can also download videos offline. You will find dramas here that are rarely available on other platforms worldwide. The entry point to freemium and VIP pricing is at least competitive for fans that value C-Content depth over multilingual polish. If you are looking for the latest hit Chinese series or a one-stop-shop for variety shows and documentaries, the mobile version of Youku delivers.

Users trouble finding Western titles, perfect subs or whole eye-appealing interface shouldn’t bother.