iQIYI Exclusive Drama "A Love for Dilemma" Becomes Massive Hit, Content Popularity Index Reaching 9000

BEIJING, April 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI Inc. (NASDAQ: IQ) ("iQIYI" or the "Company"), an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, is pleased to announce that following the success of iQIYI-exclusive dramas My Best Friend's Story and My Heroic Husband, its exclusive drama A Love for Dilemma has become a massive hit, achieving a content popularity index of over 9000 since its premiere. iQIYI uses a proprietary index system that draws on a range of user behavioral data such as user interaction and shares on social media to evaluate content popularity.

A Love for Dilemma generated a total of 223 hashtags across social media platforms and remained the number one trending topic on multiple authoritative watch lists including Enlightent, Vlinkage, Guduo Data, Maoyan Hot List, and Detavin Film and Television Drama Boom Index List, making it the most popular drama in China for the second quarter of 2021.

A Love for Dilemma explores the issues of education and parent-child relationships through the lenses of ordinary Chinese families. The show portrays the sorrows, joys and evolution of three generations, as the children in the family move from elementary school to junior high school. On the iQIYI platform, scores of binge-watching viewers expressed their opinions by participating in interactive polls and posting 'bullet comments', text-based user reactions that are superimposed on the screen.  Currently, over four million viewers of the show have participated in the interactive poll. 85.22% of the polled believed that cram schools are indeed creating an atmosphere of anxiety while 58.71% said that if most of the children in their children's class take tutoring classes, they will follow suit.

Since its release, A Love for Dilemma has become a culture phenomenon. The show has generated nearly 6.75 million bullet comments so far, with creative viewers inventing a wide range of new Chinese buzz phrases based on the storyline. These buzz phrases render the binge-watching experience more interesting and engaging, boosting the viewership. As the plot unfolded, A Love for Dilemma also prompted the public to recognize and reflect on the Chinese method of education. A Love for Dilemma also attracted attention from people in the professional fields such as psychological, marriage and relationship counselling.

In recent years iQIYI has produced and released many quality dramas with various themes that have met the diversified demands of users while communicating positive values on thought-provoking, realistic topics. For example, Story of Yanxi Palace won the hearts of global viewers with its innovative plot, interesting characters, well-designed content, and display of traditional Chinese culture. Since its release in 2018, the drama has reached audiences across 80-plus countries and regions. It was covered by over 100 global mainstream media agencies and made it to the top of Google's global hot TV series list in 2018. Following this, The Thunder, Go GoSquid!, and other dramas were released to widespread public and critical acclaim, topping national popularity charts. Meanwhile, The Bad Kids, The Long Night, and other dramas in the "Mist Theater" series have maintained sustained popularity at home while also successfully released to overseas markets.

In an industry that emphasizes the quality of drama series and aims to engage audiences, exemplary content should be based on the current social context and values. All of iQIYI's hit dramas share these common characteristics. These shows not only satisfy a wide-ranging set of viewers through their diversified content, but also strike an emotional chord with the general public. Looking forward, iQIYI will roll out dramas such as Ideal Illuminates China, My Treasure, Crossroad Bistro and Dear Uniform. These dramas will run the gamut of modern human experiences, covering issues such as urban life, feminism, military and other themes. Through this innovative content, iQIYI will continue to provide users with high-quality and heart-warming entertainment experiences, further cementing its position as China's leading streaming service.

About iQIYI

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