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.11, 2022-Apr.22, 2022) 

BUSINESS

iQIYI Launches More Digital Collectibles, Further Expanding Avenues for IP Monetization

iQIYI announced the launch of a set of digital collectibles to celebrate the company’s 12th anniversary on Apr. 22, making it the third set of digital collectibles iQIYI recently launched, and marking an important step in the company’s metaverse exploration and continuous innovation in IP monetization.

The set features iQIYI mascot “Kiki” and is a collaboration between iQIYI and Baidu, with technical support from XuperChain, a Baidu-developed, highly flexible blockchain architecture. iQIYI released all 12,000 copies of the Kiki set for free as a token of appreciation for the long-term support and loyalty from iQIYI users.

Furthermore, on Apr.21, iQIYI also launched a digital collectibles set based on the character “Producer C” from RiCH BOOM, iQIYI’s first Chinese new-gen virtual idol band. The launch speaks to iQIYI’s strong grasp of youth culture and its commitment to setting positive cultural trends for young audiences.

In January, iQIYI released its first set of digital collectibles, which was based on the company’s popular original show Luoyang and marked the first period drama-based digital collectibles issued in China.

iQIYI Unveils New Logo in Celebration of 12th Anniversary, Deepening Commitment to Technology and Innovation    

iQIYI unveiled a new logo as it celebrates its 12th anniversary on Apr. 22, reaffirming its commitment to unleashing innovation and providing quality content and better user experience.

The new logo forgoes the border that boxed the previous logo, for the company believes that entertainment inspires the audience by presenting boundary-breaking creative thinking, and that the essence of technology and art is also to break conventions and push boundaries. iQIYI’s many achievements in the past years, including the introduction of theater mode, multi-screen interaction, and virtual reality, all speak to the company’s commitment to introducing innovations and new possibilities to users’ lives.

The new logo also adopts a visually more streamlined font, which represents the company’s focused dedication to combining human ingenuity with technology. In terms of color, the vibrant, lighter green of the new logo communicates a youthful energy and reflects iQIYI’s strengthened ambition and excitement for the future as the company stands ready to usher in the next chapter alongside its users.

TECHNOLOGY

iQIYI Analysis from Life is a Long Quiet River: Gen-Z Audience Enjoys Interaction while Viewing

On Apr.18, iQIYI's statistics show that the number of viewers posting bullet comments while viewing iQIYI's realistic drama series Life is a Long Quiet River is more than five times higher than the platform's average, showing a strong inclination to interact among viewers, especially those of Generation Z.

iQIYI has continued to uncover viewing trends and use technology to deliver new ways of interaction. As part of the effort, promoting bullet comment use has been a key focus of iQIYI’s since last year. As the quality of bullet comments improves, viewers become increasingly willing and likely to interact with other viewers. The number of daily bullet comments posted on iQIYI reached 10 million. The first quarter of 2022 saw a 51% increase in the volume of bullet comments in comparison to the last quarter, with the percentage of viewers posting bullet comments increasing by 41%.

Bullet comments deepen a viewer’s immersion with the content while facilitating interaction amongst viewers. As viewers demanding more immersion and participation as part of content viewing, iQIYI has been exploring new possibilities to engage the audience. For example, the launch of the "Chat Together" feature enables users to stream content together by sharing invitation links with friends, allowing viewers who are physically apart to partake in a joined viewing experience.

CONTENT

iQIYI-Presented Film Trending Topic Wraps Filming, Aiming to Evoke Social Resonance

On Apr. 12, the filming of iQIYI-presented film Trending Topic officially concluded. Directed by XIN Yukun, whose previous works include Deep in the Heart and Wrath of Silence, the film stars ZHOU Dongyu, SONG Yang, and YUAN Hong, among others.

Trending Topic tells the story of CHEN Miao (played by ZHOU Dongyu), a self-media editor-in-chief who accidently involves herself in a crime after the publication of a news story. With its realistic plot and nuanced portrayals of human nature, the film hopes to evoke strong resonance among audiences.

As the first strategic collaboration between iQIYI Pictures and Beijing United Entertainment Partners Culture & Media Co., Ltd., Trending Topic follows the footstep of Break Through the Darkness, Hovering Blade and HACHIKO, which aims to become another iQIYI-presented hit film due for a cinematic premiere.

My Sassy Princess Premieres on iQIYI, Providing a New Angle of Storytelling for Romance Period Drama

A story about a woman bravely showing her love, the iQIYI-presented romantic period drama My Sassy Princess premiered exclusively on iQIYI on Apr. 16, providing a new angle of storytelling for Chinese romantic period drama.

With its cast featuring YUAN Bingyan and ZHENG Yecheng, My Sassy Princess tells the narrative of a domineering Princess who sneaks out of the royal palace to celebrate her 18th birthday, encountering on the way a royal guard investigating a major crime. As the two fall in love at first sight, a romantic story unfolds.