Chinese TV Drama Sets VOD Record With 400 Million Views

The first season of Chinese TV drama All Quiet in Peking wrapped up a historic run on local video-on-demand sites, scoring a cumulative 400 million views from its debut on Oct. 6 to its finale on Nov. 30.

The period drama is set in the tumultuous year of 1948, during China’s civil war — a rarity for local television programming, given the era’s political sensitivity among Chinese authorities. Writer Liu Heping adapted the show from his own popular novel of the same name. It was co-directed by Kong Sheng and Li Xue and stars popular actors Liu Ye (Beijing, New York; Police Story 2013), Chen Baoguo (The Galaxy on Earth) and Liao Fan (winner of the 2014 Berlinale Silver Bear for his performance in Black Coal, Thin Ice).

Read more China Crushes Puny U.S. Super Bowl Audience: 704 Million Watch New Year Gala

The show screened on Chinese VOD sites iQIYI (often compared to Hulu), Letv, Sohu and Thunder, where it collectively pulled in the record number, according to Beijing-based production company DMG, which created the show. All Quiet in Peking got a boost from fervent buzz on social media platforms, such as Sina Weibo and WeChat, thanks in large part to its sensitive and infrequently discussed setting and subject matter.
 

Related Stories

Related Story

Johnny Depp's First Trip to China (Exclusive Photos)