Streaming platform iQiyi today unveiled its first Korean original production, webtoon-based romcom “My Roommate is a Gumiho”, ramping up already aggressive expansion ambitions and raising the already-high stakes for original production out of Korea.

The new series, co-produced with CJ ENM’s Studio Dragon and JTBC Studio, follows iQiyi’s acquisition of SBS’ drama, “Backstreet Rookie”, from A+E Networks earlier this year for a rumoured US$400,000 per episode, according to industry sources.

The Korean initiative is being built on the back of a strong line up of iQiyi originals out of China, including “The Bad Kids” and variety show “Youth with You”, as well as the beginnings of an original content pipeline out of Southeast Asia. The first Southeast Asia series, “Ferryman: Legends of the Nanyang”, which has just finished filming in Singapore and Malaysia, releases in 2021, followed by “Sisterhood” in 2022.

Outlining 2021 plans this afternoon during the third day day of this year’s ATF market, iQiyi’s international business VP, Kuek Yu-Chuang, said the streamer had signed its first-ever international partnership, tying up with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as exclusive destination partner for the third season of “Youth With You”.

iQiyi International streamed 29 Korean titles in 2020, and said it had acquired exclusive rights for tvN’s upcoming 16-episode Sat/Sun prime-time mystery drama, “Jirisan” (aka “Jiri Mountain”), about two mountain rangers, one with a secret he dares not disclose.

iQiyi also aired Malaysian series – “7 Hari Mencintaiku” and “Cinta Sekali Lagi” in 2020, along with a Chinese adaptation of Singapore’s Mediacorp’s 2009 drama, “The Little Nonya”.

New partnerships in Thailand have added Boy Love (BL) titles such as “Gen Y The Series” and “7 Songs Project” as well as “Romantic Blue the Series” to the platform, as well as “Daughters”, which premieres tomorrow.