(China Daily) iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, announced on Wednesday the upcoming release of over 300 new titles across diverse genres over 2025 at its iJOY Conference in Shanghai.
The company rolled out an exciting slate of upcoming dramas spanning various genres, including a sequel to Tales of the Tang Dynasty, which is in production, underscoring its commitment to increasing the value of its existing original dramas. Similarly, iQIYI's popular original variety shows like Become a Farmerare set to return for new seasons. Furthermore, iQIYI looks to strengthen its comprehensive content matrix by diversifying its offerings in documentaries, films, animation, kids' content, and sports.
The conference highlighted the entertainment powerhouse's expansion into short dramas, launching "Micro-Drama Theater" and "Short-Drama Theater," exclusively available to paid subscribers. A response to the growing demand for concise storytelling and short-form content, the strategic initiative looks to replicate the success of iQIYI's acclaimed "Light on Theater"— an expanding collection of nail-biting suspense series.
"These offerings are not just low-budget online series; they continue to reflect our dedication to premium production and creativity," stated Gong Yu, iQIYI's founder and CEO, adding that his company plans to collaborate with industry partners to drive further innovation.
The "Micro-Drama Theater" will debut two new titles weekly, targeting a diverse audience, including younger and older demographics, with mobile-optimized vertical dramas lasting between 1 to 5 minutes. The "Short-Drama Theater" will introduce a new title weekly across various genres, featuring episodes that range from five to 20 minutes in a horizontal format.
iQIYI is confident in integrating short dramas into its content system by leveraging its established strengths in long-form video content production and promotion, according to Wang Xiaohui, iQIYI's chief content officer.
Wu Gang, iQIYI's senior vice president, said the company's short drama strategy would also unlock new commercial opportunities for brand marketing. He stated that iQIYI would ensure effective brand messaging through tailored content that resonates with viewers.
The Shanghai event also brought attention to the worldwide surge in appetite for Chinese dramas or C-dramas. In Southeast Asia, C-dramas are fast becoming the top choice for local viewers, according to the latest Q1 2024 data from AMPD, the digital measurement platform owned and operated by Media Partners Asia (MPA).
Noting the trend, Gong urged content creators to prioritize developing offerings tailored to audiences in overseas markets.
According to the company, half of the content on iQIYI International consists of Chinese mainland productions, supplemented by dramas from Thailand, Japan, and Korea, along with local productions for markets including Malaysia.
The CEO also shared that iQIYI is developing its intelligent assistant, Taodou 2.0, which integrates advanced language model technology with recommendations, search, and customer support features. Users can converse with fictional characters via Taodou 1.0 within the iQIYI app.
Aside from leveraging AI technology to enhance its online user experience, the company has also been ramping up efforts to boost offline user experience by fusing premium content with cultural tourism. Wang highlighted the positive market response to iQIYI's VR immersive theaters that meet the evolving demand for diverse entertainment experiences.
The company also announced that it would host its annual Scream Night on December 7 at the Galaxy Macau, celebrating major milestones in the film and television industry while honoring outstanding creators and their works.
Source: chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2024-09-27 16:22
