BEIJING, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 20, iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, released its 2025 Global Trending Content for its international version. Over the past year, iQIYI International recorded a remarkable 114.5% year-on-year increase in global views, fueled by strong demand for Chinese content and Thai dramas. Viewership preferences showed distinct differences across regions, including Southeast Asia, North America, East Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa.
Starting January 20, iQIYI International also launches new charts ranking global content across six categories, covering both Chinese and non-Chinese language dramas, films, and animation. These weekly and all-time rankings give users and partners a clear view of what's trending worldwide.
Dramas and Original Content Lead Growth
Dramas remain the platform's growth standouts. In 2025, nine out of the top 10 Chinese language series were iQIYI self-presented, including the chart-topping romance drama "The Best Thing," which successfully integrated traditional Chinese medicines into a contemporary narrative. Meanwhile, the romance drama "Speed and Love" under iQIYI's Heartbeat Theater climbed to No. 10 on the annual rankings just 20 days after its release.
Thai content also dominated non-Chinese language charts, led by the supernatural drama "Khemjira". Long-running iQIYI dramas, such as "KinnPorsche The Series La Forte" maintained high engagement throughout the year, reflecting the enduring impact of high-quality Thai productions.
Breakout success in Animation and Film
Chinese animation saw a breakout year, with eight of the top 10 titles featuring fantasy-adventure themes. Beyond traditional world-building, titles like "Urban Miracle Doctor" and "Super Cube" successfully introduced modern elements to global fans. In film, the "Ne Zha" franchise claimed the top three spots on the Chinese-language movie charts. While adaptations of legendary stories, such as "The Legend of the Condor Heroes: What Is Love" and "Monkey King Fights Lion Camel," also compelled audiences, further underscoring the worldwide appeal of Chinese mythology.
Localized Strategies for Global Tastes
Regional preferences remained distinct across iQIYI International's global footprint. Southeast Asian audiences prioritized localized and dubbed content, while North American viewers enjoyed a broad selection, from Chinese and Thai dramas to animation and music reality shows. East Asia views gravitated towards suspense and detective genres, while audiences in the Middle East and North Africa preferred Chinese content with military themes.
Looking Ahead to 2026
In 2025, iQIYI's overseas business saw rapid growth, emerging as the company's second growth engine. By integrating standout Chinese content with localized productions, iQIYI International effectively expanded its global presence and reached record average daily subscribers according to its Q3 2025 financial report.
Looking ahead, iQIYI International will deepen its investment in Asian content production, deliver high-quality content that connects with global audiences, and support creative talent worldwide.
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