As 2025 comes to a close, streaming platform iQIYI has released its annual performance overview in Taiwan, confirming once again that dramas remain its most influential content pillar. A wave of Chinese-language series dominated discussions throughout the year, with youthful star power emerging as a defining trend—and two male leads firmly capturing the hearts of Taiwanese viewers.
Topping the annual drama rankings is Book of Dreams, starring Li Yitong and Liu Yuning. The series claimed the No.1 spot thanks to its strong word-of-mouth and sustained viewership. Close behind is Love You, led by Zhang Linghe and Xu Ruohan, while third place went to White Moon Brahma Star, featuring Bai Lu and Ao Ruipeng. Notably, all three top-ranked dramas were headlined by actors born after 1990, highlighting the growing market influence and fan appeal of the younger generation.
Another standout was Record of Morning Snow, which ranked fourth overall but made headlines by setting the platform’s highest single-day viewership record of 2025 during its broadcast run. The achievement cemented the series as one of the year’s most representative drama highlights, showcasing exceptional audience pull and online buzz.
In the variety show category, momentum was equally strong. The year’s most-watched program was Good Day, an iQIYI-exclusive variety show fronted by K-pop icon G-Dragon. Since its premiere early in the year, clips and viral moments from the show spread rapidly across social media platforms, driving discussion and playing a key role in boosting platform subscriptions. Meanwhile, The Rap of China 2025 continued to demonstrate the enduring appeal of music competition formats, producing multiple hit tracks that resonated widely with audiences.
On the film front, iQIYI International focused on strengthening its library with proven box-office successes. Among them, animated blockbuster Ne Zha reclaimed the top spot as renewed interest surged following buzz surrounding its sequel Ne Zha: The Devil Sea. The resurgence underscored the lasting power of strong IPs when reinforced by new releases, as classic titles found fresh life on streaming platforms.
Beyond viewing numbers, iQIYI’s official social media channels also reflected shifting audience engagement. A viral interview clip of Bai Lu speaking Minnan (Taiwanese Hokkien) during promotions for White Moon Brahma Star became the platform’s most interactive post of the year. Viral moments from Keep Running and performance stages from The Rap of China 2025 further fueled online discussion, with music and variety content proving especially effective at driving social sharing. Total video views across iQIYI Taiwan’s social platforms surpassed 5 million in 2025.
Anticipation for upcoming titles also reached new heights. Based on reservation data from Taiwanese users up to November 30, the most-awaited projects included Zhu Yu, How Absurd, Free Wanderer, Parallel Tracks, and This Second Is on Fire. Several of these titles premiered in December and immediately topped trending charts, signaling a shift in viewer behavior—from post-release catch-up to pre-release anticipation.
With two of the most-anticipated projects starring Zhang Linghe, his growing popularity in Taiwan became especially evident. Overall, iQIYI’s 2025 performance illustrates a robust upward trend in both viewership and active users in Taiwan, as dramas, variety shows, and films collectively kept audiences engaged from the start of the year through its finale.
Sources: Yahoo News
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