Open Theft Streaming Despite Hanhanryeong Ban
Illegal Distribution of 'Jaebeoljip Maknae Adeul'
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] JTBC drama 'Jaebeoljip Maknae Adeul' has been illegally distributed on the Chinese online video service (OTT) iQIYI.
On the 5th, the production company SLL of 'Jaebeoljip Maknae Adeul' stated, "We confirmed that an individual uploaded an edited video of 'Jaebeoljip Maknae Adeul' illegally on iQIYI, and it has now been removed." They added, "We have agreed to take swift action against any future illegal uploads."
'Jaebeoljip Maknae Adeul,' which ended on the 25th of last month, is a fantasy drama about a secretary managing owner risks of a conglomerate family who returns as the youngest son of the family to live a second life, gaining popularity.
Along with Song Joong-ki, actor Lee Sung-min, who played Chairman Jin Yang-cheol who founded Sunyang Group, received praise for his realistic acting, and the final episode ended with a 26.5% viewership rating (Nielsen Korea). This ranks as the second highest rating for a JTBC drama.
'Jaebeoljip Maknae Adeul' is popular on global OTT platforms such as Netflix and Viu, and on Viu, it ranked among the 'most viewed content' in six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. It recorded about 3.3 times higher viewership compared to other works, gaining popularity.
Previously, China halted the supply of Korean content such as dramas and games since the implementation of the Hallyu ban (ban on Korean Wave) in 2017. As a result, Korean content cannot be officially viewed in China.
Nevertheless, illegal distribution of Korean content within China occurs frequently. Last year, 'Squid Game' and 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' suffered from illegal distribution.
The Netflix series 'The Glory,' starring Song Hye-kyo, also appears to have been illegally distributed locally, as it was posted on China's largest review site. Despite Netflix not being available in China, over 60,000 ratings and reviews were left, raising suspicions that about 60,000 people secretly watched it.
'The Glory,' released on the 30th of last month, is a Netflix series depicting a woman whose soul was shattered by childhood violence, who meticulously prepares a desperate revenge throughout her life and gets caught in its whirlpool. It ranked 3rd in the global Top 10 TV (non-English) category within three days of release.
It also ranked in the Top 10 in 19 countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Singapore, Morocco, and Hong Kong, currently holding 6th place in the TV drama category, gaining popularity. The series consists of 16 episodes, with Part 1 and Part 2 each having 8 episodes; Part 2 will be released in March.
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