iQIYI Unveils Mist Theater Lineup

China’s iQIYI has released the content list for its Mist Theater, a category dedicated to domestically produced suspense dramas.

The six distinctive short dramas released as part of the new library include Kidnapping Game, The Long Night, The Bad Kids and Wisher, which were adapted from well-known suspense novels by authors such as Japan’s Keigo Higashino and China’s Zi Jinchen and Na Duo. iQIYI collaborated with Wuyuan Culture, Eternity Pictures and other studios throughout the entire production process. Liao Fan, Qin Hao, Wang Jingchun Wang Qianyuan and Zhu Yawen are among the actors starring in the dramas.

iQIYI launched the Youth Theater and Mystery & Suspense Theater categories in 2018. The launch of the Mist Theater upgrades the platform’s previous offerings and is a crossover creation of the company’s dual focus on genre-oriented theater-like operation and short drama series creation. It transforms the channel into a comprehensive theater model that boasts drama production, content scheduling, user service, paid subscription and business cooperation.

Further, iQIYI has partnered with KFC to run a co-branding marketing campaign that will provide 10 million cups of KFC’s K COFFEEs that contain hidden clues to the mysteries of the dramas. It also provides iQiyi VIP members with limited cups of free KFC K COFFEEs as well as nearly 1 million K COFFEE coupons. Under the campaign, iQIYI VIP members who purchase any product from KFC’s ground coffee selection online will be given the early on-demand pass for dramas from the Mist Theater library.