Last year was a fruitful year for domestic film and television in the international arena. “The Long Season” was released on Netflix; Sony Pictures announced the remake of “Hi, Mom,” with Jia Ling serving as producer; multiple series such as “Three-Body” and “The Knockout” were popular overseas; while “Joy of Life Season 2” was still in production, Disney had already acquired its exclusive overseas distribution rights. Although this year is not yet halfway through, works like “Blossoms Shanghai” and “The Legend of Shen Li” have not only been a hit domestically but have also broken free from regional constraints, sparking discussions in multiple countries and regions.
The transformation of broadcasting channels by streaming services has not only led to a new wave from content to industry domestically but has also provided more possibilities for the “going global” of domestic film and television content. A richer variety of genres, an increasing number of diverse platforms for viewing, more mature business models, and a series of new horizons based on overseas distribution, such as industry integration and IP overseas expansion. “YOLO” has already premiered in multiple countries overseas and will be showcased as the opening film at the 26th Far East Film Festival in Italy. At the recent Beijing International Film Festival, Hou Xiaonan, the producer of “YOLO,” and CEO and President of Yuewen Group, revealed that the film has already grossed over 7 million US dollars overseas. This stands as a successful case of the commercialization of Chinese-language films overseas in the past two years. The process of Chinese film and television going global is indeed interconnected by such milestone moments.
Seizing this opportunity, Dumore Dumou spoke with Wang Qiao, Vice President of New Classics Media, behind “YOLO,” “The Legend of Shen Li,” and “Joy of Life,” attempting to answer a question: How do leading film and television companies view overseas operations and what are their long-term visions on this matter? The industry's attention to going global is both long-term and collective. Opening up new markets requires time, patience, and collective effort. Therefore, on this path full of crises and imagination, all platforms, film and television companies, and content creators are part of a shared destiny.
Content Engaging the Audience
When “The Legend of Shen Li” was a hit overseas, many foreign viewers discussed Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin's pairing – just seven years ago, “Princess Agents” was sold overseas for more than triple the copyright price of “The Journey of Flower” and garnered over 42 billion views online. Costume dramas were the first step for Chinese dramas to go global.
In 2002, “Princess Pearl” was introduced by the mainstream Korean TV channel SBS, translated as “The Emperor's Daughter,” and achieved higher viewership than contemporary Korean dramas; in 2011, “Scarlet Heart” was bought for a remake in Korea, starring Korean actors Lee Ji-eun and Lee Joon-gi airing in 2016. Costume dramas like “Nirvana in Fire,” “Eternal Love,” and “Ashes of Love” have also gained significant popularity and acclaim overseas.
As Chinese dramas themselves become more mature in terms of genre, the types of series going global have become more diverse, even within costume dramas, there have been considerable changes in recent years. “At the beginning of our distribution efforts, there were relatively few fantasy martial arts dramas, mostly just traditional costume dramas. Later, driven by online literature, fantasy, and martial arts genres began to appear, gradually gaining influence overseas,” said Wang Qiao. However, costume dramas alone are not sufficient; in fact, more contemporary genre series have started to attract attention overseas.
In 2017, the suspense drama “Day and Night” was acquired by Netflix for overseas distribution rights and was broadcast in nearly 200 countries and regions worldwide. Since then, realistic themes have begun to enter the international stage. From the period drama “A Lifelong Journey” reflecting the tide of reform and opening up, to the urban romantic drama “Meet Yourself”, Chinese dramas going global have broken free from the constraints of themes, presenting a more diverse appearance.
The notion that “only costume dramas can succeed overseas” is no longer applicable in today's international market. Wang Qiao expressed that the dissemination of modern dramas and costume dramas abroad does not have an absolute distinction in popularity; the key is to find suitable platforms for different genres, as each type has its own audience. Therefore, a richer variety of content is needed to meet the needs of different viewers.
Undeniably, the cost of costume dramas overseas still surpasses that of modern dramas. However, for Chinese dramas going global, expanding the range of genres remains crucial. The goal may not be the short-term profit of a particular drama, but rather to reach more audiences and thereby enhance the overall market share of Chinese dramas overseas. From the perspective of the international market, the expansion of genres also holds value. In the past, overseas viewers enjoyed costume dramas because of their uniqueness, such as the Chinese martial arts and fantasy systems, or the distinct settings compared to foreign series. Only when a greater variety of Chinese dramas, including suspense, urban, and family genres that are equally popular overseas, start to gain traction internationally, can it truly demonstrate a breakthrough in the quality of Chinese dramas.
The evolution of genres also points towards expanding the audience and channels. In the past, Chinese dramas going global tended to choose Mandarin channels or overseas platforms with Chinese backgrounds, but now, more and more content is entering local platforms, including TV channels and new media. Wang Qiao stated that New Classics has already established partnerships with most influential overseas TV channels. “From the perspective of going global, we pay close attention to the balance between TV channels and new media platforms, as this helps us reach a larger audience.” Of course, in the current environment, exploring more new opportunities and audiences still requires tapping into new media.
Overseas new media channels are divided into overseas branches of Chinese streaming platforms and independent foreign platforms, with the former acting as intermediary stations connecting local audiences. In June 2019, Tencent Video launched the video streaming service platform WeTV in Thailand, marking the first step towards going global. iQIYI and YOUKU have also introduced international versions, and have begun close collaborations with local channels in various regions. As different platforms have varying advantages in different regions, a specific analysis is still required in terms of distribution. “For example, if the international version is the best, we will ensure exclusive overseas broadcasting on the international platform for a certain period. In areas not fully covered by the international platform, more efforts are needed to develop local platforms and attract new customers.”
Attracting new customers often relies on introducing new types of content. As Wang Qiao mentioned, the audience for costume dramas remains relatively fixed, but each attempt at a new genre, such as spy dramas, period dramas, or adaptations of literature, presents an opportunity to attract new viewers. The same applies to films; while new media platforms may offer more opportunities, traditional cinemas remain an important channel not to be neglected. “We strive to expand into every cinema, even if it means adding just one more theater.” Unlike TV series, films still possess a strong offline presence. Wang Qiao noted, “It is about respecting filmmakers and audiences; not all viewers are willing to watch movies on the internet.”
Apart from actively reaching out to new customers, based on the overall increasing influence of Chinese film and drama content overseas, the international market is also actively seeking cooperation with the Chinese entertainment market. Looking back at the essence of going global, as a commercial endeavor, the higher the attention overseas, the higher the potential profit Chinese dramas can generate. This is a process of escalating value creation – “the more value you create, the more they will invest, pay attention earlier, and dedicate more resources to understand this market.”
The Continuous Expansion of Overseas Market
The simultaneous broadcast of “The Legend of Shen Li” overseas is not an isolated case. Simulcasting itself implies two things. Firstly, for overseas platforms, when acquiring foreign dramas nowadays, they no longer need to observe the popularity and quality of the content in the Chinese market after its broadcast, but have the confidence to make decisions at the project stage. Secondly, the overseas distribution strategy in China is mature enough to achieve simultaneous promotion and release. “Simulcasting in the field of exporting Chinese dramas is not a first, especially for top-tier projects,” says Wang Qiao. In his view, as long as there is the awareness and capability to plan many actions in advance, simulcasting is an inevitable result. “We started negotiations with various regions a year ago, identified partners, and prepared for online promotions.”
The premise of simulcasting is the trust built with overseas clients over the years, which can be seen as a tangible benefit accumulated from years of exporting Chinese dramas. This also means that going global should be a long-term endeavor for all film and television companies. Taking New Classics Media as an example, with several works that have performed well in overseas markets, they have gradually accumulated trust with clients from various regions, enabling them to quickly establish new partnerships even before the project airs. Based on this trust, there will also be a ripple effect between projects. “For example, a platform that bought ‘My Heroic Husband' would consider purchasing ‘New Life Begins' and ‘Guardians of the Dafeng.' The recognition of our creative team and the quality of our dramas is not built in a day or two,” explains Wang Qiao.
Furthermore, what prompts overseas platforms to make purchasing decisions early is the influence of the artists themselves. Many artists are now consciously managing their own social media presence overseas, leveraging the popularity of a drama that is airing overseas to increase their visibility, which in turn benefits their next project. The reason why “Guardians of the Dafeng” gained popularity overseas before its release is largely due to Dylan Wang's influence. As the first group of workers in the film and television industry to reach audiences, artists' value in going global cannot be underestimated. Whether it is cooperating with projects for more promotion overseas or using their overseas recognition to benefit projects, artists can have a significant impact on a large scale.
The benefits brought by simulcasting are most evident in the integration of public opinion. During the broadcast of “The Legend of Shen Li,” behind-the-scenes footage of Zhao Liying and Xinyunlai in Hawaii garnered over 1600 retweets on Twitter. The MBTI character images created by overseas viewers also became hot topics on Xiaohongshu and Weibo, initiating a trend of simultaneous drama-watching among audiences at home and abroad. To spark discussions on various social media platforms, a more sophisticated publicity strategy is needed. In discussions with overseas distribution teams, Wang Qiao gradually realized that publicity and maintenance on platforms like Twitter and Facebook are equally important for distribution. As domestic content, to truly break into the global market, it is essential to leverage social media with higher reach.
In addition to formulating targeted promotional strategies tailored to local environments, the enhancement of the issuer's mindset and service awareness in promotional strategies can also be transformed into tradable assets. “Because the current promotional materials on the mainland are actually quite abundant, these assets can be reused overseas, and many clients will feel that what they purchase is not just the work itself, but also the accompanying promotional resources.” Undeniably, objectively speaking, compared to the more mature markets such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea, the domestic film and television content still needs time to expand in Europe and America due to more pronounced cultural differences. Although the existence of cultural differences is not always a bad thing, initially, the domestic content ventured overseas relying precisely on these differences. However, if one aims to disseminate more universally appealing content, it is still necessary to bridge these differences as much as possible.
Translation may be the first issue to address. Wang Qiao mentioned, “For example, a work may not encounter many language issues in Southeast Asia, but when it comes to dissemination in Europe and America, especially in comedy genres, we pay more attention to translation. Sometimes we even seek out foreign translators, but based on feedback from netizens and audiences, we still cannot fully convey the precise meaning we intend.” Furthermore, the objective differences between regions also determine the demands of the mainland market when targeting different regions overseas. In Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, as mainland content entered these regions earlier, local audiences have already developed viewing habits, with many local channels even dedicating specific time slots to Chinese-language content. Therefore, when targeting these relatively stable markets, the goal should be to enhance the quality of content, achieve a breakthrough in scale while maintaining existing audiences.
The progress of venturing into the European and American regions differs at present. Compared to Europe, which has more languages and greater cultural differences, North America currently displays more diversity in its layout and attempts to venture overseas. For instance, with the movie “YOLO,” which premiered in over 200 theaters in North America, grossed approximately $840,000 during its opening weekend, ranking 9th in the North American box office for the opening weekend. As of now, “YOLO” has grossed over $2 million in North America. On the 20th of last month, the director of “YOLO,” Jia Ling, was invited by Sony Pictures to participate in a special screening event in North America, where she interacted with Hollywood filmmakers and media representatives. As a central hub of the global film industry, aligning with Hollywood is a significant breakthrough for Chinese-language films in the process of venturing into North America and globally.
For the currently exploratory European region, venturing overseas is not primarily focused on profits but rather on cultivating habits. “In Europe, we employ various methods, even if they are not particularly commercial, to make more people appreciate Chinese content. For example, screening ‘YOLO' as the opening film at the Far East Film Festival in Italy is also aimed at providing more European audiences the opportunity to see our films, hear our voices, which may lead to a relatively lighter approach in commercial negotiations.”
Not only in the European market, but also when seeking opportunities to venture overseas, domestic film and television content focuses on nurturing markets as the core objective, or one could say, a sense of responsibility to broadcast different content on more suitable platforms to achieve better dissemination effects. Based on this foundation, the business model can be adjusted accordingly depending on the specific circumstances. For instance, during the distribution of second and third-round dramas, a profit-sharing model may be chosen. This is not just the choice of one company like New Classics Media; it is a consensus in the entire mainland market regarding overseas strategies. Wang Qiao visited Cannes just last week, and at this year's Cannes International Series Festival in France, the Beijing Municipal Radio and Television Bureau prominently showcased seven series such as “The Tale of Rose” and “Feng He Jin Qi Zhang Ju Zheng.” “These endeavors may not yield immediate profits, but even if a poster leaves an impression on a certain client or audience member, it holds significance for the industry.”
The Horizon Determines the Future
In the landscape of Chinese film and television content going global, overseas distribution is just the first step. If we consider going global as international cooperation between the mainland Chinese market and various regions abroad, and elevate the starting point from individual projects to the IP industry, we will have a broader perspective. International cooperation is a two-way process, and besides distribution, deeper collaboration in content introduction, copyright output, IP partnerships, and other industry-level collaborations will bring about more possibilities. Co-productions between China and foreign countries are one such attempt. The film “Monk Comes Down the Mountain,” released in 2015, was a collaboration between New Classics and Sony Pictures, while the 2017 film “Legend of the Demon Cat” was a China-Japan co-production. The significance of co-productions lies not only in the projects themselves but also in an upgrade in developmental thinking.
Furthermore, a more imaginative model than exporting TV series or films is work globalization, linking with overseas partners at the source of content, which may give rise to a more diverse range of content forms. China Literature has a rich reserve of online literary IPs, and at the China Literature Global Chinese IP Summit held in Singapore earlier this year, they introduced the concept of “Global Chinese IP.” China Literature Ltd's CEO and President, Hou Xiaonan, mentioned in an internal memo, “The globalization of online literature, short dramas, IPs, and other content demonstrates that there are still many untapped markets abroad.”
At the level of IP globalization, adaptation is currently a more mature path. Around 2010, the Chinese entertainment market saw a wave of adaptations, and in recent years, adaptations have once again become a hot topic. Audience sentiments towards adaptations are not entirely resistant; the key lies in how well the localization is done and the quality of the production itself. Examples like the adaptation of foreign IPs into localized versions and then exporting them overseas, such as with “YOLO” series, still hold replicable value in the approach to going global. Apart from adapting classic foreign IPs, the rights for adapting domestic Chinese works have also been gradually sold overseas. In December 2020, South Korean TV channel tvN adapted the 2015 Chinese web drama “Go Princess Go,” while modern dramas like “Ode to Joy,” “Hot Mom!,” have been successively adapted overseas. In 2022, the drama “My Heroic Husband” officially granted adaptation rights to the South Korean streaming platform Watcha, marking Watcha's first adaptation project.
According to Wang Qiao, the core issue of IP globalization is not solely a matter of language but rather the determination of overseas clients to incubate the IP locally once it enters the international stage. “For example, we have a client in the Philippines who adapted a Japanese anime IP from many years ago into a Filipino version, produced a live-action drama, and even created merchandise based on the IP. This process requires significant investment. When our IP holds the same appeal for overseas clients, they will be more determined and invest more effort in developing it.”
As one of the leading film and television companies in China, New Classics' strategies in the global market are to some extent a microcosm of industry changes. Wang Qiao joined New Classics in 2012 and took charge of international business. Over the past twelve years, New Classics has made a series of adjustments to its overseas strategies, evolving from merely selling some works to attempting co-productions, and then to exporting IPs and adapting foreign IPs for the local market. Looking back now, when discussing going global, we realize that for Chinese film and entertainment industry, the term “going global” no longer just means “exporting a single work” but rather “integrating into an ecosystem.”
“Of course, profitability is crucial; it determines our ability to sustain our work,” mentioned Wang Qiao. “However, beyond that, valuing going global does not imply that the domestic market has reached a bottleneck. It means that only by embracing an international perspective can we broaden our horizons, approach problems from a global content perspective, and explore more business opportunities.” While discussions within the domestic market focus on various product forms, there remains more of a benign competitive relationship between companies and projects, all aiming to capture audience attention and market resources. In the field of going global, everyone voluntarily comes together, collectively expanding the reach of Chinese entertainment content abroad.
Writer, and screenwriter Jiang Shengnan once mentioned in an interview that Chinese films should go global more extensively. “The more cultural works that go abroad, the better. Both highbrow and popular content should go global. Only when there is a wide variety of going global initiatives can overseas audiences encounter more works from China and find common ground.” Therefore, the concept of “going global together” becomes even more crucial.
Regardless of content form or format, in the international arena, everything is interconnected and mutually reinforcing. “I enjoy this atmosphere where everyone is willing to share information and clients, and there is frequent communication on progress. It's not enough for just one company like New Classics to excel in the global market; everyone hopes to see more companies and platforms gaining exposure overseas to enhance the overall presence and influence of content abroad.” From a broader perspective, for the current entertainment market, going global is not just about the present; it's about the future.