Away from the Chinese audiences' gaze, Chinese dramas and shows are becoming increasingly popular overseas. YoyWow, a Shenzhen-based cross-border marketing and operation agency, told GDToday in a recent interview at the 20th ICIF.
According to the National Radio and Television Administration, the export value of Chinese dramas reached $82.7 million in 2022, indicating a year-on-year increase of 45.6%. Dedicated to overseas marketing and distribution of Chinese dramas and shows, YoyWow manages over 1,000 social media accounts, which have more than 150 million followers from over 200 countries and regions.
From May 23 to 27, YoyWow makes its first appearance at the International Cultural Trade Hall at the 20th ICIF as a representative company of China's cultural export. Jiang Xiezhen, the Executive Director of YoyWow, shared with GDToday how it attracts global TV fans to fall in love with Chinese dramas and shows.
YoyWow initiated its export of Chinese dramas and shows through translation in 2013, but it did not stop there, Jiang recalled. To better deal with different cultural and social contexts, YoyWow has set up over 20 localization teams of 18 languages to generate professional social media content suitable for local audiences.
The YoyWow booth at the 20th ICIF showcases various high-quality Chinese dramas and shows, as well as many peripheral products, which Jiang believes can maximize the IP value of these dramas and shows.
When asked about the reasons for the growing popularity of Chinese dramas and shows in the overseas market, Jiang noticed a qualitative change in China's trade exports. "Many years ago, we would say 'made in China', which referred to the manual labor in production. Now we emphasize 'made in China with quality'", she said. "The quality of Chinese dramas and shows has been improving over the years, and I think that's why they are attracting more and more overseas audiences."
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
Video | Zhang Tianxiong, Liu Wenzhi
Editor | Nan, James
