iQIYI's Undercurrent Theater Debuts with 'Dead of Winter,' Tops Charts
Event summary
- iQIYI launched Undercurrent Theater, a horizontal-screen short-form suspense brand, with 'Dead of Winter' as its debut title.
- 'Dead of Winter' reached a peak iQIYI content popularity index of 6,638 and generated over RMB5 million in revenue-sharing earnings within five days of release.
- The series topped multiple industry rankings, with Enlightent data showing its daily market share peaked at 60.9%.
- iQIYI projects total revenue-sharing earnings to exceed RMB10 million within nine days of release.
The big picture
iQIYI's launch of Undercurrent Theater and the success of 'Dead of Winter' underscore the growing market appetite for horizontal-screen short-form suspense content. The strong viewership and commercial returns validate iQIYI's premium content model and revenue-sharing approach, positioning the platform to deepen its leadership in the suspense genre.
What we're watching
- Content Strategy
- How iQIYI will leverage the success of 'Dead of Winter' to expand its short-form suspense slate.
- Revenue Model
- Whether the revenue-sharing approach can sustain commercial momentum for future titles.
- Market Positioning
- The pace at which iQIYI can cement its position as the home of premium Chinese suspense storytelling.
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