As the end of 2025 approaches, streaming platform iQIYI has released its annual performance overview in Taiwan, once again confirming that dramas remain the mainstay of the most influential content. A wave of Chinese-language series dominated discussions throughout the year, with youth star power emerging as a defining trend and two male leads firmly capturing the hearts of Taiwanese viewers.
At the top of the annual drama rankings is Dream bookwith Li Yitong and Liu Yuning. The series took first place thanks to its strong word of mouth and large audience. It’s behind it I love youled by Zhang Linghe and Xu Ruohan, while third place went to Star Brahma of the White Moonwith Bai Lu and Ao Ruipeng. Notably, all three top dramas starred actors born after 1990, highlighting the growing market influence and fan appeal of younger generations.
Another standout was Record morning snow, which ranked fourth overall but made headlines by setting the platform’s highest single-day viewership record of 2025 during its broadcast. This achievement cemented the series as one of the year’s signature dramas, demonstrating exceptional audience attraction and online buzz.
In the variety shows category, the momentum was equally strong. The most watched program of the year was Good day, an iQIYI exclusive variety show led by K-pop icon G-Dragon. Since its premiere earlier this year, viral clips and moments from the show have spread rapidly across social media platforms, sparking discussion and playing a key role in increasing subscriptions across the platforms. In the meantime, China Rap 2025 has continued to demonstrate the enduring appeal of music competition formats, producing numerous hit songs that have resonated widely with audiences.
On the cinematic front, iQIYI International has focused on strengthening its library with proven box office successes. Among these, the animated blockbuster Ne Zha regained first place as renewed interest grew following the buzz surrounding his sequel Ne Zha: The Devil’s Sea. The resurgence underlined the enduring power of strong IPs when bolstered by new releases, as classic titles found new life on streaming platforms.
In addition to viewing the numbers, iQIYI’s official social media channels also reflect the change in audience engagement. A viral interview clip of Bai Lu speaking Minnan (Taiwanese Hokkien) during promotions for Star Brahma of the White Moon it became the most interactive post of the year on the platform. Viral moments from Keep running and performance phases from China Rap 2025 further fueled online discussion, with music and various content proving particularly effective in promoting sharing on social media. Total video views on iQIYI Taiwan’s social platforms exceeded 5 million in 2025.
Anticipation for upcoming titles has also reached new heights. According to Taiwanese users’ booking data up to November 30, the most anticipated projects were included Zhu Yu, How absurd, Free wanderer, Parallel tracksAND This second one is on fire. Many of these titles premiered in December and immediately hit the top of trending charts. signaling a change in viewer behavior: from post-release recovery to pre-release anticipation.
With two of the most anticipated projects starring Zhang Linghe, his growing popularity in Taiwan has become especially evident. Overall, iQIYI’s performance in 2025 illustrates a solid upward trend of both audiences and active users in Taiwan, as dramas, variety shows, and movies collectively kept audiences engaged from the beginning of the year until the end.
Sources: Yahoo News
