THE MOST WATCHED SERIES ON ASIAN TV?
IT’S NOT FROM KOREA, BUT FROM CHINA
China is a communist country — but that doesn’t mean life is helplessly drab there. Truth is, for some decades now, entertainment — as in “showbiz” — has been thriving in the country. The Chinese have been exporting their TV shows all over, practically the way noncommunist South Korea does. So don’t be shocked with the online reports that a Chinese TV drama (now widely known as “C-drama”) billed in English as The Untamed has surpassed K-dramas in viewership — more than 10 billion views since its (original) release in June 2019. The Untamed has reportedly become the most watched series on Asian television history with over 10 billion views. It is the first Chinese drama series to surpass Korean dramas in overseas broadcast figures. It is also the first successful Chinese IP of its kind to break into the US, European, and Latin American markets.
The Untamed was adapted from the online novel Mo Dao Zu Shi by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, starring Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo. It follows the adventures of two soulmate “cultivators” who travel to solve a series of mysteries that link to a tragic event in the past.
The series, which aired in China on Tencent Video from 27 June to 20 August 2019, consisted of 50 episodes. A 20-episode special edition of the drama aired on WeTV starting 25 December 2019. The brand and IP belong to NSMG (NewStyle Media Group).
Would it shock you, too, to know that the web novel depicted an explicit romance between the two main male characters?
The boys love story appalled the Chinese government, so the TV adaptation was somehow censored. The kissing scene between the male lead characters was shortened to the initial body movements that indicate a kissing scene.
The series passed 9.5 billion views on Tencent Video in June 2021, a few days before the second anniversary of its airing date, making it one of the highest-viewed Chinese dramas on the platform.
ABS-CBN, when it still had a broadcasting franchise, used to show a lot of C-dramas. GMA-7 still have several of them up to now. Meanwhile, a Pinoy media outfit known as Multimedia Entertainment and Television Productions Inc. wants to be known as a premier supplier of C-dramas to the free TV networks, especially billionaire Manny Villar’s AllTV which seems to really need to come up with a robust line-up of shows.
The content-supplying company is headed by broadcaster and political digital strategist Peter Paul Sales as managing director. In a recent media conference, Sales hinted that his company has been able to close a deal with a mainstream network for the airing of Hot Mom, a very-now C-drama which aired in China in 2013 and has since been adapted in Japan and other countries.
Hot Mom tells the story of Xia Bing (Betty Sun), a 26-year-old who loves karaoke, wine, and heavy makeup, and whose stance on attaining a work-life balance is “No marriage before turning 30, no children before turning 35.” However, she accidentally gets pregnant when she becomes involved with Yuan Bao (Zhang Yi), who becomes her husband, and is forced to rethink her life priorities.
Happily, though, Xia Bing’s demanding boss, Li Muzi (Vivian Wu) is pregnant, too, at age 35 — with the help of advanced technology. The boss quickly befriends Xia Bing, so they can always compare notes about being expectant mothers.
China isn’t only into producing contemporary and quite relatable narratives. Its TV production companies also come up with engaging stories on Chinese dynasties and royalty. Just type “C-dramas” on your Google search box and you will be led to a wide assortment of narratives.
In the same media conference, Sales revealed that his company also produces documentaries about China in Filipino/Tagalog using materials from content suppliers in China. Among those that METV has produced are Ang mga Bagong Simula sa Buhay, Dalawang Daang Taon ng Operasyon, and Asya at ang Tanglaw ng Sibilisasyon.
Even Net25 is now into airing a foreign show, though not from China but from Turkey.
Showing Monday to Friday is the rom-com Daydreamer, which has been dubbed into Filipino/ Tagalog. It follows the journey of Sanem, a young woman whose father wants her to go into an arranged marriage while she’s working at her dad’s grocery store.
But she has other plans and dreams, so she takes up a job in an advertising agency. There she falls in love with her boss, the handsome world-famous photographer Can Divit.
Watch the show to experience their love and to know how true love stays despite adversities.
Demet Ozdemir and Can Yaman effortlessly portray the quirks of Sanem and Can, respectively.
They have sizzling chemistry that jumps off the screen. Both, after all, are award-winning actors in Turkey.
Net25 shows may also be viewed on Channel 49 (digital free TV), 25 (Analog free TV), 18 (Skycable), 17 (Cablelink), 14 (Cignal), 18 (destiny), 25 (Satellite), and 42 (G-Sat).