As one of Asia’s leading streaming platforms, iQIYI has built a strong reputation for innovative and high-quality storytelling. In recent years, the company launched Mist Theater, China’s leading anthology for premium shortform suspense dramas, while expanding its slate with acclaimed crime titles such as Mobius and period dramas like Records of Snow.
In this interview, iQIYI’s team explains why the crime and mystery genres remain one of their key strategic focuses. They also discuss the global success of their titles, the growing role of book-to-screen adaptations, and what audiences can expect next from the platform’s suspense lineup.
I’d like to start with Mobius, one of the newest crime dramas in iQIYI’s catalog. A story about a brilliant super detective, and I’ve noticed it’s been receiving quite high ratings from viewers. Could you tell us a little about Mobius and how audiences have responded so far?
Mobius is one of our latest crime dramas with a highly innovative narrative design. By incorporating a “time loop” concept into the traditional crime-solving process, it brings a high degree of uncertainty and intellectual challenge, creating a fresh and engaging viewing experience. Since its release, the series has sparked wide discussion on domestic social media. Viewers are fascinated by analyzing its intricate timelines and have resonated strongly with its “imperfect protagonist.” Several episodic storylines, though independent from the main arc, became widely discussed “highlight moments” thanks to their quality. Keywords such as “fresh,” “gripping,” and “cinematic” frequently appear in audience reviews. Notably, the show was released simultaneously on Netflix in nine languages, quickly entering the top-viewed rankings in multiple overseas regions on its launch day, which validated its cross-cultural appeal and production quality.
“iQIYI regards crime and mystery genres as one of our key strategic focuses. We believe their global success stems from two core qualities: a profound exploration of human nature and universally resonant storytelling.”
iQIYI is a major global platform, and your catalog includes not only Chinese productions but also titles from countries like South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan. In recent years, we’ve seen a notable rise in crime, mystery, and thriller series, films, and documentaries worldwide, along with growing audience interest in these genres. From iQIYI’s perspective, how would you describe the regional and international interest for crime and its subgenres?
iQIYI regards crime and mystery genres as one of our key strategic focuses. We believe their global success stems from two core qualities: a profound exploration of human nature and universally resonant storytelling. Building on these foundations, iQIYI continues to expand influence and audience reach through precise promotion and operations. In recent years, we have seen outstanding results across various types of suspense content, including period dramas such as Records of Snow and the Tang Dynasty Mystery series; contemporary titles like Bleach and Mobius; as well as international station originals like the Taiwanese productions The Victims’ Game and Oh No! Here Comes Trouble.
I also noticed that your catalog includes quite a number of book-to-screen adaptations. We’re curious about the data behind these projects. Do you have adaptations specifically in the crime, mystery, or thriller genres? And within your overall adaptations, what proportion do these represent?
iQIYI created the “Mist Theater,” China’s leading anthology for premium short-form suspense dramas, which has maintained close ties with literary IPs since its inception.
Of the 24 works released under Mist Theater, more than 60% are adapted from novels or non-fiction literature, including 14 novel adaptations and one non-fiction adaptation. The sources are diverse: internationally renowned authors such as Keigo Higashino (Kidnapping Game adapted into The Bad Kids) and Seicho Matsumoto (A Scene of the Crime adapted into Dislocation); as well as highly acclaimed domestic novels such as The Bad Kids (The Hidden Corner), The Long Night (The Truth), and Moses on the Plain. In addition, the non-fiction adaptation The Dragnet (from Shenlan’s Please Tell the Director, Mission Accomplished) has impressed audiences with its documentary-like realism.
Do you currently have any co-productions in the crime, mystery, or thriller genres with creators/producers from other countries? Or are there plans for such collaborations in the near future?
At present, we have not co-produced in these genres with overseas creators or producers. However, we are eager to recommend iQIYI’s “Mist Theater” to international audiences. Established in 2020, it is dedicated to delivering high-quality Chinese suspense content and has become a benchmark for the genre in China. Representative works like The Hidden Corner and The Long Night have become classics, sparking broad social discussion and receiving international recognition. The Hidden Corner won the “Best Creative Award” at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Content Awards and the Silver Bird Award at the Seoul International Drama Awards, while The Long Night won the “Best OTT Original” award at the Asian Content Awards.
Mist Theater also continues to explore genre hybridity: The Daughter Back Home blends suspense with family drama; Gold Panning integrates hard-core adventure; and Moses on the Plain carries an arthouse sensibility. These works have not only achieved strong results in China but also reached broad international audiences through iQIYI’s global distribution network, serving as an important window into Chinese-language series.
And finally, could you share which upcoming crime, mystery, or thriller titles iQIYI is preparing to launch in late 2025 or early 2026?
Several new suspense and crime titles are expected to be released in China and internationally between late 2025 and early 2026, including A Life on the Line, Labyrinth of Shadows, Low-IQ Crime, Innocent, The Coming Night, and Eradication. Please stay tuned.
This interview was conducted by Yağmur Çöl and originally appeared in 221B Magazine’s MIPCOM 2025 issue.
