From "Story of Yanxi Palace" to "The Bad Kids", iQIYI's Hit Dramas Lead Progression of Chinese Drama Productions

BEIJING, July 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, recently released multiple blockbuster drama series, including The Bad Kids (the "Show"), an iQIYI original suspense series which has become a hit sensation in China for its strong story narrative and production quality. The Show is released as part of iQIYI's Mist Theater, a content section dedicated to original iQIYI suspense dramas, and tells the story of the consequences different families face after three children accidentally witness a murder. Aside from The Bad Kids, We are All Alone, Tientsin Mystic 2, and Kidnapping Game, are also the latest iQIYI original drama series to receive critical praise for their production quality, representing iQIYI's dedication to advancing the Chinese entertainment industry's production landscape.

Having received a rating of 9.0 on Douban, an influential Chinese social media platform known for its movie and TV show reviews, the Show represents the highest rated drama series produced in mainland China over the past 18 months. In addition to receiving critical acclaim, The Bad Kids has also sparked widespread discussion on Chinese social media. Hashtags related to the Show have appeared on Weibo's trending topics list 51 times, of which five hashtags have been ranked number one on the list. The Show also topped Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo's TV show ranking for a consecutive 23 days. In the last week, it ranked No.4 on iQIYI platform's trending list in the US and No.2 in Canada.

The Bad Kids and other series such as We are All Alone, Tientsin Mystic 2, and Kidnapping Game represent iQIYI's recent works that reflect the Company's commitment to focusing on the quality of its story narratives, diversification of its content categories and exchange of cultural values. For example, We are All Alone's storyline and characters have been praised for its authentic depiction of the entertainment industry; The production of Tientsin Mystic 2 represents iQIYI's determination to create high-quality IP franchise; Kidnapping Game is an adaptation of The Name of the Game is a Kidnapping, a mystery novel by the renowned Japanese author Higashino Keigo. This focus on high-quality production standards is the key driver behind not only the continuous success of iQIYI's original productions but also the overall progression of Chinese entertainment productions. 

"In recent years, iQIYI's original productions have sparked heated discussion amongst domestic and overseas users," said Wang Xiaohui, Chief Content Officer of iQIYI. "iQIYI has always valued the importance of having quality content and diversified content categories over elements such as the celebrity appeal of actors. We are glad to see that our adherence to this model has earned our brand the mark of great content that carries layers and meaning. We will continue to devote ourselves to these values and lead the way in letting the international community know that the Chinese entertainment industry is capable of producing world-class quality content."

The Bad Kids marks the most recent of a string of iQIYI original productions that have achieved remarkable domestic and international popularity and received widespread critical acclaim. During the past two years, iQIYI has also introduced a variety of blockbuster original dramas such as Story of Yanxi Palace and The Thunder. For example, the Qing dynasty-based period drama Story of Yanxi Palace, known for its accurate and detailed portrayal of traditional Chinese culture, was released in 2018 to significant popularity and became the most viewed Chinese drama series for 40 consecutive days during its run, receiving 700 million daily views at one point and eventually becoming the most google drama series of 2018. VIP-member-only early access to the series' finale attracted a total of 53 million views from iQIYI VIP members. The Thunder, an iQIYI original realism drama production that was released in 2019, topped China's national TV ratings ranking for 22 consecutive days upon its release and received a Douban rating of 8.5.

Regarded as milestones of Chinese TV production, these shows are representative of iQIYI's emphasis on its progression in producing high-quality and diversified content. Going forward, iQIYI will continue fulfilling its commitment of producing only content of the highest quality by placing narratives and values at the center of its productions, and continue to produce breakthrough content that leads the production standard of Chinese entertainment content. 

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.

SOURCE iQIYI, Inc.

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