BEIJING, Dec. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, is pleased to announce that it has recently entered into agreements with TV networks in South Korea and Australia to broadcast the suspense thriller "The Bad Kids", a series from iQIYI's Mist Theater content library. The suspense series was aired on CHANNEL A, a South Korean mainstream TV network, in December, making it the first Chinese modern drama to be shown on the channel.
iQIYI's ‘Mist Theater’ Goes Global, to Be Aired in South Korea, Australia and Vietnam
"The Bad Kids" is also scheduled to air on SBS Viceland, an Australian free-to-air TV network, and SBS On Demand in 2021. The agreements mark major milestones for iQIYI and Mist Theater, further raising the expectations for Chinese suspense drama series in the overseas markets following its successful overseas debut in multiple markets.
To date, Mist Theater has been successfully distributed to overseas market such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as Hong Kong and Macao. In addition, distribution rights of multiple dramas under Mist Theater have been sold for Japan. "The Bad Kids" was acquired by WOWOW, Japan's first private satellite pay-TV network while "The Long Night" was purchased by NHK Enterprises. The remaining two titles, "Crimson River" and "Sisyphus", will be aired on local channels.
In Southeast Asia, Singapore's pay-TV network Singtel has aired "Kidnapping Game," "Sisyphus" and "The Long Night." Meanwhile, all five Mist Theater titles are currently airing on the iQIYI HD channel on Astro, Malaysia's top media brand. Vietnam's premium pay-TV network VSTV has acquired the entire Mist Theater series and plans to promote and broadcast the series under specific time-belt on K+ channels. NOW TV, a mainstream pay-TV network in Hong Kong and Macao SARs of China, acquired three titles, namely "Kidnapping Game," "The Bad Kids" and "The Long Night."
As Mist Theater goes global and becomes more widely received in overseas markets, it is transforming perceptions of original Chinese content and further increasing their influence. This sets a milestone for Chinese suspense thrillers as they expand into new overseas markets and for Chinese media companies exploring the global operation and distribution.
Mist Theater has received widespread acclaim from critics and viewers alike, both in China and in overseas markets. The Guardian, The Economist, South China Morning Post, Content Commerce Insider and other overseas media have applauded the superb quality of Mist Theater, recognizing it as a trailblazer in Chinese original content creation for its higher quality episodes, innovative storylines and outstanding performances. "The Bad Kids" recently became the first Chinese TV series to win the "Best Creative" award at the 2nd Asia Contents Awards under Busan International Film Festival 2020.
