Korean dramas stole the headlines in 2021. But China is also quietly emerging as a global TV powerhouse — and the U.S. streaming giants are starting to take notice.
At last month’s Asian Contents Awards, Asia’s answer to the Emmys, there were no prizes for guessing the main winners. Korean series were dominant once again, with Netflix-produced drama “Move to Heaven” and fantasy-horror “Sweet Home” picking up three trophies each.
It was just the latest example of the “K-wave” that has swept the world in 2021. Weeks before, another South Korean production — the dystopian series “Squid Game” — had rocketed to the top of Netflix’s list of its most-watched shows of all time, becoming the platform’s most popular series in 94 countries.
But that wasn’t the only story to come out of this year’s awards. There were also signs that another country is on the rise: China.
Chinese streaming platform iQiyi had a breakout year, with “The Long Night” — a suspense-filled crime drama starring acclaimed actor Liao Fan — picking up the prestigious Best OTT Original gong. The company received six nominations in total, almost matching its record haul of seven achieved at last year’s ceremony. Continue to read the full article here
