Chen says Soul Ferry series is one of iQiyi’s most successful original series. “And we want to enlarge its influence. We think the story is quite suitable for overseas audiences, especially in Southeast Asia, and we’ve paid attention to the preferences of audiences in the region. For
December), but also adding current titles such as tvN’s Tale of the Nine Tailed and Memorist, and JTBC’s 18 Again and More Than Friends. Chen says exclusive rights “help us get more subscription, which is key to our business model. It’s the same for different streaming platforms”.
example, we chose Singapore actor, Lawrence Wong, to play the lead
Non-exclusive content, meanwhile, “helps us get a good balance
character, and we are shooting in Singapore and Malaysia. The story
between content coverage and cost efficiency. 100% exclusivity is not
line has also been adapted to make it more relevant to local viewers.”
what our consumer audience needs. We will keep developing iQiyi
The series is only the beginning of iQiyi’s bigger ambitions for original
originals to strengthen our content brand and to make it different from
production in Asia, putting the streamer in play against global and local rivals in Southeast Asia’s content gold rush.
other platforms.” Much of iQiyi’s premium content is offered for free, with advertising,
“iQiyi’s original content has proven very successful in Chinese markets
with a VIP premium layer that carries benefits like earlier access and no
and we will leverage the best practice to further cooperation with local
advertising. “In general, the business pattern of free and VIP meet dif-
talent or companies. Our dream is to produce the best Asian content
ferent needs of our users, Chen says. VIP users are able to access more
for the world with high-quality production levels and very rich visual and
up-to-date content with sometimes better audio and visual effects. In
audio experience and more trendy cultural features expressing the lives
addition, they have the opportunity to participate in offline events,”
and feelings of modern audiences,” Chen says.
Chen says, adding: “Our business pattern provides users with diverse
“We are focused on markets more open to new content, especially Chinese content to begin with... but we are trying to make content that doesn’t focus on specific countries or cultures because we want to make worldwide content in future,” he adds. iQiyi has its eyes wide open for co-productions opportunities. “We’re more than happy to work with local content partners who bring us good ideas or high level production capacities,” Chen says.
choices so that everyone can enjoy our services. iQiyi’s business model is to monetise one IP in multiple ways.” Running alongside content development strategies are iQiyi’s tech ambitions. “iQiyi’s vision is to become a technology-based entertainment giant,” Chen says. “We are constantly applying AI technology to the whole process of content creation and operation, such as intelligent production, intelli-
Meanwhile, the platform has a seat at the table of every high-end
gent shooting, intelligent editing and intelligent recommendation for us-
regional acquisition discussion, pulling ahead on exclusive rights for
ers. We hope that through the application of technology, the creation
shows like SBS’s Korean series, Backstreet Rookie, distributed globally (ex-
will become smarter, and creators can spend more energy on discover-
Korea) by A+E Networks and JTBC’s Hush (ex-China/Korea, premieres 11
ing and realising great ideas, save their time and do the right thing.”
contentasia december 2020
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