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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Here are the most watched Korean dramas, movies and Chinese shows in PH on iQIYI

Here are the most watched Korean dramas, movies and Chinese shows in PH on iQIYI

Published Jan 29, 2021 11:29 am
(Clockwise from top left) 'Backstreet Rookie,' 'Love Revolution,' 'Love is Sweet' and 'My Unicorn Girl' (iQIYI)

Viewership of Asian dramas, movies and shows has surged on the online video streaming platform iQIYI amid the ongoing pandemic.

Since launching in the Philippines in May 2020, iQIYI has seen thousands of fans signing up for the OTT (over-the-top) service.

Filipinos’ love for Korean content is evident on iQIYI’s data on most watched shows and searched content. Particularly, Filipino viewers tend to watch shows featuring the same celebrity.

iQIYI cited the case of “Backstreet Rookie,” an iQIYI Original Koren drama based on the webtoon “Convenience Store Saet-byul” starring actor Ji Chang-wook. Its popularity led viewers to watch the actor’s other dramas such as “Suspicious Partners,” “Healer” and “The K2.”

“Backstreet Rookie” became the sixth most top-searched K-dramas and eight among the most searched TV series in the Philippines according to Google’s Year In Search for the Philippines.

Korean drama fans also watched on the platform shows like the iQIYI Exclusive “Love Revolution” starring Park Ji-hoon, “More Than Friends” with Wanna One’s Ong Seong-wu and “Tale of the Nine-tailed” featuring Lee Dong-wook.

Among other new K-drama iQIYI Originals and exclusives on the platform that Filipinos should catch up on are “Hush” starring Im Yoon-ah of Girls’ Generation and actor Hwang Jung-Min; and “Royal Secret Agent” starring Kim Myung-soo (also known as L from boy band Infinite), Kwon Nara, Lee Yi Kyung and Lee Tae Hwan.

Korean thriller “Awaken” starring popular celebrities Nam Goong-min, Seolhyun of AOA and Lee Chung-ah is also a must-watch.

Here are the top 10 Korean dramas on iQIYI (in no particular order) in the Philippines:

  1. “Dinner Mate”
  2. “Doctor Stranger”
  3. “Suspicious Partner”
  4. “Backstreet Rookie”
  5. “Descendants of the Sun”
  6. “Love Revolution”
  7. “Fight for My Way”
  8. “Legend of the Blue Sea”
  9. “Inheritors”
  10. “Pinocchio”

Top 10 Korean movies on iQIYI (in no particular order) in the Philippines:

  1. “Intruder”
  2. “The Thieves”
  3. “Ugly Beauty”
  4. “Sex is Zero II”
  5. “200 Pounds Beauty”
  6. “II mare”
  7. “The King and The Clown”
  8. “Hwayi: A Monster Boy”
  9. “Always”
  10. “Wonderful Ghost”

In addition, iQIYI’s platform data showed there is also a growing Filipino audience for Chinese content.

Anticipation is high for Chinese variety show “Youth With You 3” which will see the return of BLACKPINK’s Lisa as a dance mentor.

Meanwhile, “My Unicorn Girl was the talk of the town because of actor Darren Chen, who played Huaze Lei in the latest “Meteor Garden” remake.

Similar to Filipino viewers’ attraction to “modern love” themes, Chinese dramas that have this storyline will continue to be a favorite. iQIYI shows in this category that showed the highest engagement were “Love is Sweet” and “Poisoned Love” with the former trending in the Philippines on Oct. 27, 2020, the evening of the series’ finale.

Top 10 C-titles on iQIYI (in no particular order) in the Philippines:

  1. “Youth With You” Season 2
  2. “My Unicorn Girl”
  3. “Love is Sweet”
  4. “Poisoned Love”
  5. “Love Designer”
  6. “Lucky’s First Love”
  7. “And The Winner Is Love”
  8. “Dance of the Sky Empire”
  9. “Go Ahead”
  10. “The Legends”

Related Tags

iQIYI Park Ji-hoon Ji Chang-wook Love Revolution Backstreet Rookie
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