Five years on, the pioneering drama brand remains the
benchmark for suspense
BEIJING, Dec. 26,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform,
announced this month the return of its acclaimed "Light On
Theater," celebrating the fifth anniversary of this suspense-themed
drama brand. Featuring seven new titles with star-studded casts and
renowned production teams, the lineup is set to reinforce iQIYI's
leadership in suspense storytelling and highlight the success of
its genre-driven model.
The new slate follows the distinctive style of "Light On
Theater" with gripping narratives and rich character development as
a lens to explore the depth of human nature. Highlights include the
drama "Low IQ Crime," which brings a fresh dark comedy element to
the genre, and "Let Wind Goes By," which premiered on Dec. 26 and breaks new ground as one of the first
suspense series set in Northwest
China as it follows two generations of police officers
entangled in a complex web of relationships. The lineup also
features "A Life for a Life," a compelling prison drama exploring
the dynamic between a detention officer and an escaped convict.
Other anticipated titles include "Drifting Away," "Dead End,"
"Breaking the Shadows" and "Justifiable Defense."
Since its launch in 2020, "Light On Theater" has emerged as one
of China's first and most
influential drama brands, offering a curated collection of premium
suspense series. The label's breakout hit "The Bad Kids" debuted
that same year and quickly became a cultural phenomenon. The series
earned critical acclaim and dominated social media conversations,
setting a new benchmark for Chinese suspense storytelling with its
masterful pacing and nuanced exploration of social issues. This
pioneering success has sparked a surge in high-quality suspense
productions across the industry that continues today, helping
establish suspense as one of the most sought-after genres in
Chinese entertainment.
"Our dedication to premium suspense content has created an
incredibly engaged viewer base, with high-quality productions
driving strong user retention," says Ying DAI, iQIYI senior vice
president and head of "Light On Theater." "We continuously innovate
our content possibilities and boldly push the boundaries of
storytelling within the genre, consistently surpassing audience
expectations."
Building on the success of "Light On Theater," iQIYI has
expanded its genre-based approach with "Love On Theater" for
romance and "Laugh On Theater" for comedy series, both of which
have been well-received by audiences. This year's launch of "Dajia
Theater," meaning "master of literature," and "Weichen Theater,"
meaning "tiny dust," which focus on literary adaptations and
innovative mini-series respectively, further demonstrates iQIYI's
commitment to serving diverse audience preferences while
maintaining premium production standards across genres.
Global recognition
"Light On Theater" has also gained overseas recognition for its
premium content, becoming increasingly popular among global
audiences in addition to traditional genres like fantasy period
dramas.
Standout series "The Bad Kids" and "The Long Night" won
consecutive awards at the Asia Contents Awards (ACA) of the
Busan International Film Festival,
while "Why Try to Change Me Now" marked a milestone last year as
the first Chinese-language series to be selected for the Berlinale
Series.
The strong reception in overseas markets demonstrates how
iQIYI's meticulously crafted stories resonate with audiences
through their universal themes of human nature. Notably, "The
Bad Kids" was adapted into a local version in Japan in 2024, highlighting its widespread
appeal.
CONTACT: iQIYI Press, press@qiyi.com
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SOURCE iQIYI