Tudou Now Top Destination for Korean Variety Shows

BEIJING, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tudou.com (a subsidiary of Youku Tudou Inc.) has become China's go-to web destination for South Korean variety shows, which top the must-view lists of many young and social media-savvy Chinese viewers. With titles from the best-known Korean television stations SBS, KBS, and MBC, the quality of Tudou's collection has attracted almost 100 million total views.

Tudou's 15 Korean variety shows, six of which are exclusive to Tudou, place it at the top of the market. Tudou's ability to handpick only the best titles has paid off with big ratings and big buzz. Of the top 10 most popular variety shows on Tudou, three are Korean. And when Tudou took to their Weibo and asked viewers to discuss their favorite variety shows, the Korean hit "We Got Married" attracted a flurry of social media activity and become the most-talked-about show.

Per data from Youku Index, the target audience of Korean variety shows is generally between ages 15 and 35, a demographic with which Tudou has a natural affinity. In fact, according to iResearch, Tudou reeled in about 190,000 young viewers per day in June 2013. 80 percent of Korean variety show viewers on Tudou.com are in the sweet spot of 15 to 35 years old. iResearch data shows that Tudou.com grabs 30-50% of the market share for this demographic in China across online platforms.

Interactive, social-media-friendly features help Tudou gain such popularity with a young audience. "After School Club" recently inked an exclusive webcasting partnership with Tudou, where Tudou will host a "virtual video party" during each episode, inviting viewers to interact with the show in a number of ways, from chatting with celebrity guest starts to participating in contests. Alongside Tudou's live broadcast "After School Club" will be screened live on YouTube in the United States with viewers joining in through Twitter. This partnership marks an exciting major international collaboration for Tudou and strengthens its image as a destination for internationally-minded, sophisticated viewers.

In-house production also helps feed South Korean fever on Tudou. Tudou Groovin', an original music show, each week features one episode dedicated to Korean music, and the Tudou Groovin' team recently traveled to Korea to collect exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage with popular Korean artists. Tudou Groovin' has proven to be successful not only with viewers, snagging a total of 178 million views since early this year and an average of more than 800,000 views per episode, but also with sponsors like the youth-friendly brand Jeanswest.

Weidong Yang, President of Tudou.com, said, "The massive popularity of Korean shows is only the latest sign of Tudou's success among young, fashion-forward viewers. Since our merger with Youku.com, we have gone a long way toward shaping our unique image. From our arthouse and indie move channel, Japanese cartoons and live webcasts of popular shows to the Tudou Original Empowerment Project, our newly-established fund to support fresh talent, our voice grows more distinct every day."

About Youku Tudou Inc.

Youku Tudou Inc. (NYSE: YOKU) is China's leading Internet television company. Its Youku and Tudou Internet television platforms enable users to search, view, and share high-quality video content quickly and easily across multiple devices. Its Youku brand and Tudou brand are among the most recognized online video brands in China. Youku Tudou's American depositary shares, each representing 18 of Youku Tudou's Class A ordinary shares, are traded on the NYSE under the symbol "YOKU."

Contact Information:

Jean Shao
Director of International Communications
Youku.com Inc.
Tel: +(8621) 3325-3575 
Email: [email protected]

Or

Ryan Cheung
Corporate Finance Director
Youku.com Inc.
Tel: (+8610) 5885-1881 x6090
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Youku Tudou Inc.