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Crime drama is killing it in Asia, topping the list of the region’s most in-demand categories for the first quarter of this year. ContentAsia looks at what else is on Parrot Analytics’ radar across the region.
Drama paid off well in Asia in the first three months of this year, with a 43% share of total demand across the region. Crime drama, at a share of 17.2%, paid particularly well, topping the list of 15 drama sub-genres, including fantasy, thriller and soap opera, according to new data from global demand measurement company, Parrot Analytics.
Political dramas, meanwhile, topped demand in China from January to May. Demand was driven by Hunan TV’s blockbuster local series, In the Name of the People, which came in way ahead of global rivals The Walking Dead and House of Cards. The US$17-million 55-episode series about a prosecutor’s mission to take down corrupt officials premiered at the end of March. The production was funded by China’s national prosecutors office. Demand expressions for the period between 9 April and 3 May peaked at above 200 million. House of Cards, in contrast, peaked at about 100 million in China and for most of the period hovered below 50 million.
Trailing drama by a long way on Asia’s drama charts, comedy was second with a 16% share, followed by action/adventure with a share of 10%. Other genres, including horror (2%), variety (3%), reality (9%), sports (2%), kids (7%), animation (6%) and documentary (2%) shared the remaining 31%.
Variety and game shows – and particularly Korean title Running Man – have their most enthusiastic audiences in Asia, Parrot Analytics says, with seven of the global top 10 countries by average demand. Singapore tops the list, followed by Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong. The U.S. comes in fifth and Canada ninth.