Chinese dramas gain popularity in Russia

Exemplifying Chinese TV industry's latest effort to go abroad, a bunch of popular dramas such as Like a Flowing River 2 have been recently released in Russia, garnering popularity on some major broadcasters and streaming sites.

The lineup of domestic dramas also includes crime drama Hunting, starring actor Wang Kai; documentary series Back to the Village and serial documentary The Firsts in Life. These Chinese television programs have either been broadcast or streamed on Russian platforms such as TV Centre, Kinopoisk, OKKO and Beeline, according to China Intercontinental Communication Center.

A local film critic whose pen name is Svsta commented on KinoPoisk, a popular review aggregating website in Russia, that the universal emotions portrayed in Like a Flowing River 2 could strike a chord with the Russian audience and also help locals to better understand China and the country's development throughout different historical periods.

Irina Khrybtova, director of the video platform department of Beeline, a Russian mobile operator and internet service provider, said these Chinese programs have done a good job in accurately translating the subtitles while keeping the original artistic flavors.

All the Chinese programs have beenreleased by an overseas distributing network called Panda Theater, which has reached more than 130 million viewers in over 20 countries and regions since it launched in 2021, according to China Intercontinental Communication Center.