应用商店

Welcome to iQIYI’s bi-weekly news round-up! Here you’ll find the latest news and stories from the company, from entertainment, tech to business and from local to regional. If you are interested in learning more about iQIYI, please do not hesitate to reach out to press@qiyi.com .

(Apr.25, 2022-May.13, 2022) 

CONTENT

iQIYI Debuts Movies following Upgrading of Online Film Distribution Model

During May, iQIYI released a number of new movies under the "Cloud Cinema Premiere" model, representing the first group of movies released as part of the company's online film distribution collaboration model that was upgraded in April. The change showcases iQIYI’s leadership position in initiating a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) model in China's film and television industry. Films released under the Cloud Cinema Premiere model will now generate revenues from both the Premium Video on Demand (PVOD) and Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) models of streaming.

Among the new releases is the war film Operation Mincemeat. Directed by John Madden and starring Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen and Carey MacDonald, the film is scheduled to premiere exclusively under the Cloud Cinema Premiere model on iQIYI in the Chinese mainland, and simultaneously on other channels and platforms in other overseas markets on May 11. The movie is set during the Second World War and tells the story of the Allies deceiving the German forces with a corpse carrying false documents in a bid to fight against Hitler's occupation of parts of Europe.

Coming online on May 13, Song of the Assassins is another film slated to premiere on iQIYI under the Cloud Cinema Premiere model. Directed by LEE Daniel and starring FENG Shaofeng, HU Jun and JIN Chen, the movie depicts the story of QI (played by FENG), a member of an assassin group, becoming the target of various organizations on his way to seize a treasure map engraved in copper plate.

Meanwhile, on May 1, the action crime movie Blind War, directed by HUO Suiqiang and starring AN Andy, was also premiered on iQIYI under the Cloud Cinema Premiere model. Aiming to save his beloved daughter, a blind cop (played by AN) challenged a mafia family and encountered revenge from his old enemies.

iQIYI’s IP Universe Further Showcases China’s Cultural Heritage to Global Audience with the Worldwide Premiere of Wind Blows from Longxi 

The second installment of iQIYI's Chinese Historic City Universe (iCHCU), Wind Blows from Longxi premiered exclusively online on iQIYI from Apr. 27 and released its season finale for members on May 7. Like Luoyang, the first installment of iCHCU, Wind Blows from Longxi allows the audience to appreciate traditional Chinese culture while enjoying the high-quality production.

The series tells the war stories amongst spies and is set in the Longxi region during the Three Kingdoms period.

YANG Bei, vice president of iQIYI and executive producer of Wind Blows from Longxi, said: "This series not only sheds light on the lives of ordinary people, but also offers a visual feast based on the Three Kingdoms era. The series aims to provide an immersive experience and a unique opportunity for the audience to experience the profound cultural heritage of China."

Starting May 12, Wind Blows from Longxi will air on the Malaysian streaming platform Astro. Previously, audiences from Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and regions in the Americas and Europe markets were already able to enjoy the series in either local channels or online. Now audiences from South Korea, Japan, Australia, more regions in the Americas, as well as regions in Africa will also have the opportunity to enjoy the series.

In addition to achieving critical acclaim, the series also garnered commercial success as it expertly weaves in quality advertisements throughout the episodes. The series provides different advertising opportunities, including in the pre-episode highlights and within the episodes, all of which hugely popular and highly sought after amongst clients.

Yet again, iQIYI’s continuous efforts in promoting quality Chinese content offered global viewers the opportunity to appreciate the depth and beauty of traditional Chinese culture.

iQIYI Releases Variety Shows on Trending Topics, Such as Women’s Professional Development and the Latest Entertainment Trends

On Apr. 28, Camping Life, an outdoor variety show presented by iQIYI, was officially released on JiangSu TV and online, exclusively on iQIYI. Camping Life documents a group of celebrities embarking on a camping trip and overcoming increasingly challenging outdoor conditions.

Camping has recently become the most popular short-vacation activity amongst the younger generation. According to iiMedia Research, the market size for camping in China has increased from RMB 7.71 billion in 2014 to RMB 16.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to exceed RMB 35 billion in 2022. There is also much discussion and sharing among young people on camping-related topics, such as camping gears, site selection, outfits and food ideas. Given the rising popularity of camping among young people, Camping Life reflects the interest in nature that more and more young people share.

On Apr. 29, the second season of Working Mom was officially released on iQIYI. Focusing on women’s professional developing, the variety show documents the lives and growth experiences of working mothers, both in the workplace and beyond. Joined by a variety of celebrity guests, the contestants presented their creative ideas to take advantage of the livestreaming e-commerce industry. The show is a multi-faceted record of working mothers' career developments and family lives. The celebrity guests also shared their views on a range of real-life topics such as women's personal development and self-value realization in the modern world.

iQIYI Debuts Original Series I Am a Superstar Showcasing the Lives of Young People Today

On Apr. 30, I Am a Superstar, an iQIYI original drama, was officially released online. The drama features WEI Daxun as the leading actor and XIN Zhilei as the special guest. Funny and light-hearted, the drama features a life stimulation game that showcases the experiences of young people today.

The drama tells the story of ZHANG Ye (WEI Daxun) who started as an ordinary person who consistently faces setbacks and failures in real life. By accident, he was kidnapped by aliens to a world of video game where he was used as a test subject. In the virtual world, he went from being an ordinary person to becoming the most popular star.

The struggles of the protagonist in both the real and virtual worlds reflect the challenges that many young people today face, such as unfair treatments at work, stress, and in general the gap between dreams and reality. Ultimately, the drama encourages young people to live their lives with optimism and diligence.

iQIYI Releases Season 2 of Original Animation Series Princess Doremi, Enhancing the Experience of Learning through Entertainment

The second season of animation series Princess Doremi, jointly presented by iQIYI, Beijing KAKU Media Co., Ltd. and FZ entertainment Co., LTD, aired on iQIYI platforms on Apr. 29.

Created by iQIYI's I.N.K. Studio, the producer of a series of children animation including DEER SQUAD and Tuktak-Man, Princess Doremi tells the story of Amelie, a princess from the Kingdom of Music who, together with six other princesses of different personalities, sing their heart out with magical music power, help each other and live a happy life on the island of Paradise.

Delivering educational messages through the show, each episode of the animation focuses on the experience of one princess participating in activities such as kite contest, cheerleading party and dragon boat race, integrating social and emotional learning topics into delightful storylines. The animation helps children to understand the meaning of "speaking up for yourself", "respecting different ideas" and "accomplishing goals independently", and provide guidance on their journey of personality development, social growth and ethics education.

OVERSEAS BUSINESS

iQIYI's Live Action Adaptation of Hikaru no Go to be released on Rakuten TV Japan, Marking a “Reverse Export”

The iQIYI-produced live action adaption Hikaru no Go is scheduled to premiere on Rakuten TV, a highly influential streaming platform in Japan on May. 13. The iQIYI teen drama’s premier in Japan marks a successful “reverse export” of Chinese live action adaptations, showcasing the long-term value and global influence of iQIYI's premium contents.

Hikaru no Go, which was adapted from the eponymous Japanese manga first published by Shueisha, aired exclusively on iQIYI first in October 2020. Showing the characters’ dedication and passion for Go, which is central the original manga, the show also incorporates local elements that make it a huge success amongst the audience in China. Hikaru no Go also became popular outside of China, receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans of the original manga across the world.

Since its release, the show has attracted a growing viewership and enjoyed widespread recognition among audience. The iconic scene of the "divine move", where the main character declares his ambition of playing the perfect game of Go, sparked heated discussions among global viewers on social media platforms such as Twitter, triggering a “Go mania” worldwide.

TECHNOLOGY

iQIYI Provides Premium Audio-Visual Experience on BMW Theatre Screen in New BMW 7 Series, Setting New Benchmark for In-Vehicle Entertainment

On Apr. 21, iQIYI announced that it will launch its video entertainment services in the new BMW 7 Series sedans via iQIYI’s in-vehicle app, where a cinematic movie viewing experience enabled by a suspended large screen is achieved in a car’s cabin for the first time, setting a new benchmark for in-vehicle entertainment.

iQIYI App on BMW 7 Series

From entertainment content and product design to viewing experience and sound effect, iQIYI provides the new BMW 7 Series with highly customized in-vehicle entertainment solutions. As the new BMW 7 Series features a suspended 31-inch screen in the rear cabin providing 32:9 ultra-wide aspect ratio and up to 8K resolution, it allows users to enjoy the high-definition entertainment content provided by iQIYI, ranging from movies, drama series, variety shows and children ‘s animations. Meanwhile, iQIYI subscribers can also take advantage their membership benefits and sync watch history across multiple devices, thereby achieving a seamless entertainment experience from home to destination. In future designs, iQIYI will also take into the viewing experience of children and other rear-seat passengers to offer an even more personalized entertainment solution.

In terms of sound effects, iQIYI helps deliver a private screening experience inside the luxurious BMW 7 Series. iQIYI content already features Dolby vision and sound.  As the new BMW 7 Series is equipped with the 4D Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System, the first-time introduction of iQIYI-developed “IQHimero” technology will allow viewers a 5.1 surround sound experience.

HUANG Shuangxi, Senior Director and General Manager of Smart Home and IoV （Internet of Vehicles） Business of iQIYI, said: "iQIYI has built an IoV-based entertainment ecosystem driven by technology, content and marketing. We are excited to provide video entertainment services on the new BMW 7 Series. Through integrating iQIYI's content with BMW’s hardware and software, such as the high-end audio systems and large screens in the cabin, the in-vehicle entertainment solutions will create a diverse and immersive audio-visual experience, delivering a sense of luxury and futurism for iQIYI users and BMW customers. "