BEIJING, July 15 (Xinhaunet) -- Idol dramas" and sitcoms starring pop figures - especially with love scenes - are hot and profitable in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, but the Chinese mainland has yet to cash in on the trend that captivates young viewers.
Still, with new production and distribution channels, the idol drama genre is likely to develop soon and flourish on both Chinese mainland television and Internet platforms, according to industry experts.
"The boom in Internet video-sharing websites whose users are mainly young people provides a huge potential market and business opportunity for this genre," says Yao Jia, director of marketing at Hunan-based Golden Eagle Broadcasting System.
Yao and other experts recently discussed the issue of using more stars in new dramas and sitcoms and how to appeal to young Chinese viewers. They exchanged views during the recent Magnolia Forum of the 16th Shanghai Television Festival.
For a long time Chinese people have preferred family TV dramas, costume dramas and wartime spy series, and the most dedicated viewers today are generally middle-aged women. The pop stars haven't shone and China's efforts to use celebrities haven't extended much beyond using the "Happy Boy" stars in 2009 for "Meteor Garden," a knockoff of the popular Taiwan drama. Although it was considered a critical flop, many fans like it.
For everything except TV star-making talent and controversial dating shows, most young people prefer the Internet where idol dramas from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are shown.
Some domestic websites are targeting this market for idol dramas and want to go beyond broadcasting and become content suppliers of Chinese star comedies and dramas. They also want to handle the entire production process.
Tudou.com, one of China's largest video-sharing websites, is now shooting a 12-episode Internet idol drama series starring Taiwanese heartthrob Joseph Cheng and mainland actress Li Fei'er. It is to be released in late August.
The series titled "That Love Comes" is about the romance between an ordinary girl and a famous fashion photographer who is always surrounded by beautiful models. Many scenes are filmed in the scenic seaside city of Qingdao, Shandong Province.
Chen Hanze, the production director from Tudou.com, says the aim is to change people's stereotyped viewing habits for this type of series.
"Viewers will be encouraged to share their views on the site while watching the drama," says Chen. "It has become very popular in Japan and Taiwan to adapt manga for idol dramas. But we want to make a totally original drama based on real life."
In addition to script, cast and sets, the series needs a planning and marketing strategy. It will also be aired on satellite TV and mobile phones.
So far, buyers from Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan have indicated interest.
A veteran film crew and technical support will be provided by Taiwan's Sanlih E-Television Co Ltd (SET), which considers the collaboration win-win, since Taiwan TV is also losing much of its young audience.
