Scripted

While Korean drama continues to dominate international streaming conversations, another Asian powerhouse is rapidly expanding its global footprint: Chinese drama. In recent years, Chinese series have significantly improved their production values, storytelling sophistication, and international distribution strategies, allowing them to compete more directly in the worldwide entertainment market. One title in particular is now emerging as a major global breakout hit: Pursuit of Jade.
According to the local press, the series, distributed by iQIYI, China’s leading online entertainment platform, premiered on March 6 and immediately generated remarkable international attention. The series quickly became one of the most talked-about Chinese dramas of 2026, confirming the growing appeal of C-dramas well beyond Asia.

Within only six days of release, Pursuit of Jade surpassed a popularity index of 10,000 on iQIYI’s domestic platform, a significant milestone that demonstrates exceptional audience engagement in China. Internationally, the series debuted at No.1 on iQIYI International’s weekly Top 10 Chinese-language drama ranking, while simultaneously dominating related Google search trends and earning strong ratings across fan-driven review platforms.

The drama has been released simultaneously across iQIYI’s global services with an ambitious international rollout strategy. Available in 14 subtitle languages and five dubbed versions, the series currently reaches viewers in 191 countries and territories, underlining the increasingly global ambitions of Chinese streaming platforms.

At the center of the story are two compelling protagonists whose emotional journey combines romance, revenge, and political intrigue. The story follows Xie Zheng, a fallen marquis determined to avenge a long-standing family feud, and Fan Changyu, a butcher’s daughter struggling to support her family. After a chance encounter leads to a marriage of convenience, their relationship gradually develops into a deeper emotional connection, challenged by war, political instability, and personal vendettas.

Part of the drama’s international success lies in its ability to blend classic historical romance elements with modern pacing and emotionally layered characters, characteristics that have already proven successful in the global rise of K-dramas. However, Pursuit of Jade also reflects the distinctive visual identity of contemporary Chinese costume dramas, featuring elaborate production design, cinematic battle sequences, and strong melodramatic storytelling.

According to Google Trends data, the series ranked first in search volume among Chinese dramas in 15 markets, including the United States, Canada, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore.