C-drama 'Coroner's Diary' is a big hit in South-East Asia and also major favourite now with global fans
On July 23, iQIYI's original historical suspense drama, "Coroner's Diary," officially surpassed a popularity index of 10,000, entering the prestigious Hall of Honor.
In its debut week, the drama topped iQIYI International charts across 13 countries and regions, including Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan (China), India, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Canada, Macao (China), the Philippines, Hong Kong (China), Vietnam, and Singapore.
It also ranked number one in Google search trends across five markets, generated over 180 million views across related topics on TikTok, and immediately trended on Thailand's X platform.
With an impressive 8.4 rating on MyDramaList, the captivating narrative —featuring a romance-minded idealist teaming up with a career-oriented pragmatist to solve intriguing mysteries—has sparked significant discussion. The exceptional performances of Li Landi and Ao Ruipeng have garnered widespread acclaim from audiences.
From its first episode, "Coroner's Diary" captivates viewers with its rapid pacing and gripping narrative.
Each installment provides engaging plot twists and quickly resolves intricate cases such as the "Headless Bride" and "Buried Body in the Well," fully satisfying audiences' thirst for suspense and intellectual stimulation.
"Coroner's Diary" innovatively combines investigative intrigue with a compelling revenge-driven storyline. Qin Wan (Li Landi) infiltrates the Qin Mansion on a quest for revenge, only to become deeply entangled in complex mysteries that reveal deeper societal issues.
The drama is lauded for its strong character portrayals—Qin Wan's forensic prowess and Yan Chi's (Ao Ruipeng) supportive partnership resonate deeply with viewers. Meticulously authentic forensic details and exquisite costumes and set designs greatly enhance the immersive experience.
In line with iQIYI's international localization strategy, "Coroner's Diary" launched simultaneous localized dubbed versions in Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai.
By its second week, the Indonesian version ranked fourth on iQIYI's drama channel. The Vietnamese version attracted approximately 620K views, nearly matching the original.
The Thai version notably excelled, surpassing 5.43 million views—three times the original version's viewership. Strategic marketing campaigns through Google and META were launched globally, complemented by outdoor advertising in Thailand, Hong Kong (China), and Singapore.
Unique marketing initiatives, such as fan-driven TukTuk advertisements and offline gatherings in Thailand featuring Ao Ruipeng, significantly enhanced local viewer engagement.
Since its premiere, "Coroner's Diary" has garnered significant media attention across Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), Thailand, Indonesia, and North America. Media from Hong Kong (China) and Taiwan (China) have notably highlighted the drama's engaging narrative, suspenseful elements, strong performances, and high-quality visual production.
Thai and Indonesian media have commended the effectiveness of the localized dubbed versions in deepening audience connections. North American outlets particularly noted the drama's exceptional production values and distinct Oriental aesthetics, further strengthening its global reputation.
iQIYI's "Four Halls of Drama Excellence" series includes the Hall of Honor (for dramas achieving a popularity index of 10,000 or above), the Hall of Fame (popularity index of 9,500 or above), the Hall of Popularity (popularity index of 9,000 or above), and the Hall of Quality (popularity index of 8,000 or above).
With a popularity index exceeding 10,000, "Coroner's Diary" has successfully entered the prestigious Hall of Honor, marking its status as an influential blockbuster. To date, only 17 iQIYI dramas have reached this exceptional milestone.
In recent years, iQIYI has continually innovated and maintained its leading position in the genre of historical detective dramas, consistently delivering delightful surprises to audiences.
"Mysterious Lotus Casebook" creatively blends martial arts with investigative mysteries, intertwining thrilling adventures with heroic sentiment and lighting up the 2023 summer season.
The "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" series features intricate and mind-bending mysteries set against the rich aesthetics of the Tang Dynasty, vividly portraying various facets of life and becoming a beloved national IP.
Meanwhile, "The Demon Hunter's Romance" combines Oriental aesthetics with fantasy elements, showcasing imaginative storytelling deeply rooted in Chinese culture, thus becoming a new benchmark for Chinese fantasy dramas.
iQIYI has also released a series of high-quality dramas, including "FEUD," "A Dream Within A Dream," and "Justifiable Defence " in recent weeks.
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