China is Back in the International TV Business

Happy New Year everyone!

So far it seems that 2024 is off to a busy start. I wanted to begin the new year by discussing a country that we haven’t been focusing on much in the past few years: China. Although our work is primarily focused on Japan and Korea, I think it's important to discuss Chinese television intellectual property and the growth in their market.

Last month, I attended the ATF conference in Singapore. This year’s conference was the first year since the pandemic that the Chinese pavilion was back. Chinese dramas, animation, and distributors of Chinese films and series were front and center at the Marina Bay Sands.  I can only say that the difference in the quality of Chinese production and creativity from 2019-2023 was startling. China has leveled up its storytelling, visual effects, and overall production values. Their series still reflect Chinese culture, BUT now align with international storytelling norms and trends. This means that pan-Asian streaming services that have traditionally focused on Japanese and Korean finished content, are adding more and more Chinese drama series to their mix. One favorite genre in many countries is Chinese costume dramas. Lush, epic romantic series that continue to command a high price across the region are now gaining traction outside of Asia. 

Another trend coming out of China? Local language versions of top series. Case in point, Linmon Pictures, a major player in China. (Their series have been acquired by Netflix outside of China. Additionally, they are one of the major producers for Tencent.) Their hit <Nothing but Thirty> was just produced in Thailand and local versions are being produced next in Vietnam, Japan and Korea. 

After several years of China being closed due to the pandemic, it seems that international tv and film companies need to put China back on the map. Judging by what I saw at ATF, Chinese dramas just might be one of the major content waves coming next.