iQiyi has announced its first ever production of six Asian content originals including five new Malaysian Originals and a new Thai Original. The video streaming platform also announced its key wins at this year’s Asia TV Forum & Market – all of which will be available to iQiyi users in over 191 territories worldwide come 2022.
During its Content Showcase, iQiyi revealed some of its top highlights, as part of its inaugural Year-In-Review campaign. In terms of users in Southeast Asia, it has doubled its monthly users as compared to the previous year. This amazing feat was largely driven by premium content from South Korea, China, Malaysia and Thailand. iQiyi’s first Korean production, My Roommate is a Gumiho, was also crowned Most Watched Original of the Year, with more than 100 million views worldwide.
Moving on to Chinese content, it grew in leaps and bounds, to 4 times that of 2020. This was partially due to the successful launch of its new Sweet On franchise, which alone brought in 180 million views. As of 31st October, the iQiyi international app has been downloaded over 50 million times worldwide, making it one of the most downloaded streaming app in Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
iQiyi also highlighted its strong commitment and investment in unique stories from Asia that is set to further intensify in 2022: “As the biggest advocates for Asian entertainment, iQiyi will continue to play our part to uplift the Asian entertainment ecosystem. To cater to our growing popularity among users in this region, we are proud to commit and invest in diverse original content from Asia for next year; on top of our already announced original productions from South Korea and Philippines. We hope our brand new six original series from Malaysia and Thailand will be recognised globally and well-loved in 2022. We are heartened by our performance this year, which further solidified the fact that more people are consuming non-English language content,” said Kuek Yu-Chuang, iQiyi’s Vice-President of International Business.
Based on iQiyi’s local consumer study recently, Malaysians spent an average of 80 minutes per day on its platform and this trend is believed to continue rising as more people have access to smart televisions and other devices that they can stream content on. Data also revealed that in 2021, Malaysians spent twice as much time watching local Malaysian content on the application.
In terms of overall growth in 2021, the service was also ranked as the number one Asian streaming service in Malaysia based on its downloads, monthly active users, and total time spent. iQiyi is also the most searched freemium streaming platform on Google this year.
First Malaysian Originals
iQiyi is the most downloaded streaming app in Malaysia, with over 10 million mobile app downloads this year. As one of the key Southeast Asian markets with continuous growth, iQiyi has joined hands with five leading production houses to bring to life five local Malaysian originals for the very first time ever.
“We started in Malaysia with big ambitions to be the go-to platform for beloved Asian entertainment. I would like to express deep appreciation to all our users and partners that have supported the growth of the business and I want to echo our commitment in continuing to deliver high quality Asian entertainment with a superior viewing experience. I’m extremely excited about 2022 as we double down on our investment in the local content ecosystem by producing our first ever slate of local originals to complement our existing exclusive licensed local titles. We are also happy to have seasoned originals executive Zebedee De Costa on board to lead this ambition and collaborate with more partners to deliver enhanced value to our users”, said Dinesh Ratnam, Country Manager, iQiyi Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia.
Zebedee De Costa, Content Director, iQiyi Malaysia said, “In a diverse content landscape like Malaysia, it’s easy to get lost in the noise, so to do justice, we have to look deeply at the entertainment ecosystem. Our take on originals is not just aimed at providing great entertainment for everyone but we want to also focus on revitalising local entertainment through meaningful collaborations that incentivise content creators, media partners, brands and audiences alike. As excited as we are to see what our endeavours would entail, we will be sure to enjoy the journey too.”
The first ever Malaysian Original productions are as below:
My Ofis
It is a light-hearted sitcom that centers around the challenges of Jasper, a rockstar wannabe who chooses to let go of his rock and roll fame to support his grandmother by turning to a corporate life. There, Jasper discovers the chaos and crazy antics of ordinary work life, romance and the struggles of office politics. However deep down, he still longs for life on stage. My Ofis is produced in collaboration with Longhouse Films, one of the only production houses in Malaysia with a global network spanning from China, South Korea as well as Hollywood.
“iQiyi will be one of the important streaming platforms in the region and we are eager to work with them,” said Jon Chiew, CEO of Longhouse Films.
Rampas Cintaku
This follows the story of an undergraduate student desperate to clear his family’s financial debts from loan sharks. To do so, he tries to make quick money by working in a nightclub. There, he encounters a wealthy and seductive business woman and is lured into becoming a sugar baby. This original series is created by the highly-experienced and renowned MIG Production, that has produced more than 8,000 hours of TV series.
“MIG is extremely eager to work with iQiyi. We would like to give our utmost gratitude to iQiyi for giving us this opportunity to showcase our skillset through this project. We are definitely looking forward to working with the prestigious iQiyi again in future,” said David Teo, CEO of MIG Production.
Sori Naik Lori
Created by award-winning production house Tsar Asia, it is a story about a housewife’s instant rise to stardom after her TikTok video goes viral. This then affects her relationship with her lorry driver husband, who has rising insecurity issues.
“In a patriarchal society like Malaysia, the breadwinners are usually men and when the tables are turned, insecurities will rise within a relationship. More often than not it may lead to divorce as women become more and more independent. Sori Naik Lori looks at two primary aspects – love and respect. In any relationship, when there is no more respect for one another, the relationship will most likely die,” said Wan Sariah Jaafar, CEO of TSAR Asia Sdn Bhd.
She added Sori Naik Lori has been in their vault for years and they are thrilled to finally find a home for it in iQiyi. “This is the best platform for this title as iQiyi is very focused on Asian entertainment and I believe regional audiences will find this story relatable. On the other hand, the core of this story has a universal theme, so global audiences may find this highly palatable too,” he said.
Love You Later
This is an original time travel romance drama series that explores the difficulties of time travel that befall two lovers who are meant to be together but must avoid falling in love with the wrong versions of each other. This series is produced by Juita Viden, one of the largest and most experienced local and international content providers in Malaysia.
“We are thrilled to partner with iQiyi to create compelling, first-rate dramas that are relatable to both local and global audiences. Our aim is to tell engaging Malaysian stories driven by memorable characters and universal themes, but with a fresh perspective,” said Juliana Foo, Executive Producer of Juita Viden Sdn Bhd.
Restu
Produced by Infinitus Entertainment, who has over 30 years of experience and produced the highest grossing film of all time in Malaysia, this upcoming original series is about a recently widowed father meeting three marriage prospects. Follow his journey as he seeks the approval of his 9-year-old daughter, who is still grieving her mother’s death.
“It is a great honour to be able to work with iQiyi, one of the largest streaming platforms in the world. We are thrilled that iQiyi has chosen Malaysia as one of their content hubs and we are truly humbled to have been entrusted with the opportunity to collaborate closely to create memorable Malaysian new originals that will have a place in the audience’s hearts,” said Gayatri Su-Lin Pillai, Executive Producer of Infinitus Entertainment (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.
Meanwhile, TP Lim, Managing Director of Infinitus Entertainment (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd added that, “We are especially thrilled to have the chance to showcase the amazing capabilities of local talents – from the writers, actors, to production specialists and designers. We look forward to co-creating more exciting and high-quality content through this collaboration.”
First Local Original from Thailand
iQiyi is the most downloaded streaming app in Thailand, garnering over 12 million downloads this year. On average, Thai users spent twice as long watching all shows on our platform compared to last year, with most saying that they are 20 times more likely to watch Thai content on our platform this year.
KinnPorsche: The Series
This is a story about Kinn, a successor to a powerful mafia family who suddenly meets Porsche who saves his life. Without knowing it, Kinn reluctantly becomes his bodyguard and both are faced with mysteries and secrets that slowly unravels their past.
Directed by Kongkiat Komesiri, he is an award-winning director who is behind well-known Thai films such as Khun Phan and Slice which won him the Thailand National Film Association Awards for his directorial skills in 2010. KinnPorsche: The series is also advised by fight choreographer Sumret Muengput, who is the name behind notable martial arts scenes such as Halfworlds 2 and The Kick. This series is created by the Be On Cloud production house that specialises in creating compelling TV series, online shows, and talent acquisition led by management with over 10 years of experience.
All iQiyi Originals will be made available to international users in 2022 via the iQiyi International App or www.iQ.com
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