BEIJING, Aug. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, is pleased to announce that its high-quality content has been released in large quantities in the North America, Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and other major markets as the Company continues to exports its premium content to international markets.
To date, the Company has distributed more than 3,000 episodes from over 100 original series as well as over 200 films to overseas markets. The content spans multiple genres including suspense, costume and period pieces, and includes titles such as "The Bad Kids", "The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty", "In a Class of Her Own" and "The Eight". With a growing presence in many countries and regions, the Company makes it possible for Chinese-made content reach a wider overseas audience.
Since the second quarter of 2020, iQIYI has added 20 newly-released series with a total of about 600 episodes to its overseas distribution list, cementing the Company's position as one of the leading suppliers of Chinese content to international markets.
In addition to being released on the iQIYI International platform, two of iQIYI's original dramas, "The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty" and "In a Class of Her Own", have also been widely distributed on local platforms and channels in the Malaysia, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, America, Singapore, Cambodia, Myanmar and Taiwan markets. "The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty" has been made in Thai-language version and released in Thailand by the local major multi-media group TRUE GROUP, which recently acquired the rights to the drama. This marks the first time the group's TV station and the China's mainland have simultaneously broadcasted a drama. Thanks to its widespread popularity following its domestic launch, the rights of iQIYI's notable original suspense series "The Bad Kids" have been sold for Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Macau, also attracting tremendous attention from overseas partners who have shown strong interest in remaking the drama series in foreign languages.
In 2019, iQIYI formed a strategic partnership with Astro, Malaysia's leading media brand to set up iQIYI HD channel. Through the TV channel, iQIYI has brought the Company's various kinds of dramas, variety shows and even documentaries to Malaysian audiences. iQIYI has so far exported over 1,000 episodes of content to Astro. Among them, newly released dramas such as "And the Winner Is Love" and "The Eight" are simultaneously broadcast on Astro's iQIYI HD channel. With regards to content tailored to particular regions, "The Little Nyonya", an iQIYI series that is set in Southeast Asia, has been well received by viewers in Malaysia, receiving high ratings.
In addition to its growing demand in the Southeast Asia and Greater China (Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) regions, iQIYI's original content has also achieved initial success in South Korea and Japan. In South Korea, iQIYI's content distribution in the year to date has a strong increase in terms of volume compared to 2019, with channels such as AsiaN channel, CJ E&M Chunghwa TV, Channel CHING and CNTV serving as the main broadcasting platforms. In Japan, the amount of content iQIYI has distributed so far in the year increased significantly. Following the debut of iQIYI's original drama "Burning Ice" on local satellite channels BS TwellV and HULU last year, the Company's content continues to be aired on local Asian channels, such as WOWOW, BS TwellV, DATV, Lala TV, Asia Dramatic TV and Cable Theater.
Many of iQIYI's premium original series, such as "Sword Dynasty", "The Mystic Nine Tetralogy", "With You", "Tientsin Mystic" and "Burning Ice", have been released overseas and have generated much enthusiasm among local users. Through continuous content innovation and its focus on quality, iQIYI has won recognition from an increasing number of overseas content buyers as it continues to exports its premium content to international markets.
About iQIYI, Inc.
iQIYI, Inc. is an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China. Its corporate DNA combines creative talent with technology, fostering an environment for continuous innovation and the production of blockbuster content. iQIYI's platform features highly popular original content, as well as a comprehensive library of other professionally-produced content, partner-generated content and user generated content. The Company distinguishes itself in the online entertainment industry by its leading technology platform powered by advanced AI, big data analytics and other core proprietary technologies. iQIYI attracts a massive user base with tremendous user engagement, and has developed a diversified monetization model including membership services, online advertising services, content distribution, live broadcasting, online games, IP licensing, online literature and e-commerce.
