iQIYI Launches Short-Form Suspense Drama Brand "Undercurrent Theater" to Advance Premium Genre Storytelling
iQIYI has launched 'Undercurrent Theater,' a new brand dedicated to premium, short-form suspense dramas in China. The initiative aims to adapt high-quality cinematic production standards to shorter, 10-25 minute episodes to suit modern viewing habits.
Why it matters
This represents a strategic shift in the Chinese streaming market toward short-form, high-production-value content to capture audience attention.
A Slate of Premium Short-Form Suspense Titles Set to Roll Out
BEIJING , Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On August 4, iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, announced the launch of Undercurrent Theater – the industry's first dedicated horizontal short-form suspense drama brand.
Built on the creative heritage of its acclaimed long-form suspense brand Suspense Theater, Undercurrent Theater applies the same cinematic production standards and narrative discipline to a compact format: episodes of 10 to 25 minutes, presented in horizontal screen, tailored to the growing appetite for premium suspense content that fits seamlessly into modern viewing habits.
Anchored by the proposition "Beneath the currents, truth lies", Undercurrent Theater pursues hard truths about human nature with intensity and precision, delivering fast-paced, high-quality suspense in horizontal-screen short-form drama that offers audiences a genuinely differentiated premium viewing experience.
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