iQIYI 2026 National Day Holiday Snapshot: Premium Titles Drive Daily Viewing Time Up Over 12%, Big Screens Lead with Nearly 60% Share

BEIJING, Oct. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, has announced an increase in audience engagement across its ecosystem during the National Day holiday from October 1 to 7. Driven by a robust content slate and the rising popularity of multi-terminal viewing, average daily viewing time grew by more than 12% compared to the pre-holiday period.

TV screens remained the primary viewing platform, accounting for nearly 60% of average daily viewing time. In-car viewing also saw a notable year-over-year increase of nearly 60%, reflecting the growing role of premium content as a travel companion during the holiday.

Premium Content Dominates Rankings

iQIYI's diverse slate of dramas, movies, and variety shows served as the primary traffic driver throughout the week:

Dramas: The Suspense Theater production "The Old Story of Yu Hong" emerged as a breakout success, reaching iQIYI's content popularity index of 8,414, a measure of audience engagement on the platform. Its market dominance was further reflected in data from Enlightent, a leading Chinese entertainment data provider, which reported a peak market share of 63.4%. Other key titles, including "A Prophet", "Spring of the Blade", and "Shadow Punisher", maintained a consistent presence within the top five of iQIYI's drama charts.

Movies: Renowned filmmaker Stephen Chow's latest production "Kung Fu Soccer" began streaming on iQIYI on October 3 and instantly topped the film heat index. Additionally, the AIGC internet feature film "The Ferry Man: The Dream of the Princess" performed strongly, with the cumulative revenue-sharing box office from "The Ferry Man" AIGC series - a model where production partners share earnings with iQIYI based on viewership - surpassing RMB 10 million (US$1.5 million) by October 3.

Variety Shows: "Two Stars, One Boss" continued its success, capturing a peak market share of 51.4% on Enlightent's new variety show rankings.

Innovation in AI and Short-Form Content

Engagement beyond simple viewing also rose significantly. Interaction time in Taodou World, iQIYI's virtual community where users can interact in real time with more than 1,000 AI-powered characters from its titles, increased by over 40% during the holiday.

The period also saw a notable rise in the consumption of micro animation and children's content. Average daily viewing time for micro animation surged by 57% during the holiday. For children's content, two major new releases occupied the top two spots on the platform's children's content popularity charts. 

IP Engagement Extends to Offline Experiences

iQIYI LAND Yangzhou recorded strong visitor traffic, with families and cross-generational groups representing more than 80% of total guests. The park attracted visitors from across eastern China, including Jiangsu and neighbouring provinces and municipalities such as Zhejiang, Anhui, Shanghai, and Shandong.

Looking ahead, iQIYI remains committed to refining its content strategy and leveraging AIGC to enhance storytelling, ensuring that premium entertainment remains accessible to users whether they are "at home" or "on the road".

Contact:
iQIYI Press
[email protected] 

SOURCE iQIYI