Cross-border

Netflix to Distribute Chinese Youku Romantic Comedy “I Hear You”

Netflix has purchased exclusive distribution rights to stream Chinese streaming website Youku’s original web series “I Hear You” outside of China, said the Alibaba-owned video site on May 10.

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Starting May 15, Netflix will stream the 24-episode romantic comedy to its over 148 million subscribers in 190 countries and regions worldwide.

Poster for Youku’s new romantic comedy series “I Hear You.”
Poster for Youku’s new romantic comedy series “I Hear You.” (Source: Alizila)

Based on the popular Chinese novel of the same name, “I Hear You” is a story about the romance between a cold and aloof violin maker and a sweet “girl next door” aspiring to become a voice actor, as they find themselves unexpectedly starring in a reality-dating show. Youku and local film studio SugarEnt jointly own the rights to the show.

“Day and Night,” released in 2017, follows a police detective in murder investigation in which his twin brother is the top suspect.
“Day and Night,” released in 2017, follows a police detective in murder investigation in which his twin brother is the top suspect. (Source: Alizila)

This is not the first time the streaming giant has inked a licensing deal with the Chinese online video hub. In 2017, it purchased the rights to Youku’s detective thriller “Day and Night,” which had drawn more than 4 billion views in China in its first four months on the site.

“More than 50 original productions have been distributed overseas in the past two years, as we see growing interest from international distributors,” said Brandy Zhang, chief editor of Youku’s online series division. “We want to create even more quality content that resonates with viewers around the world.”

The release of series like “I Hear You” and “Day and Night” are part of Youku’s recent push to produce a line-up of original content, ranging from online dramas and variety shows to documentaries.

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The pilot episode of basketball reality show, “Dunk of China,” which featured judges such as renowned Chinese singer Jay Chou and professional players such as Jeremy Lin of the Brooklyn Nets, drew over 50 million views in four days when it premiered last August.

According to a February report from Chinese consulting firm Entgroup, the number of paid subscribers on China’s online video platforms reached more than 230 million users in 2018, up from 22 million in 2015. Entgroup said it expects that number to climb to 300 million by the end of this year.

Featured Image Source: Alizila


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