This episode covers the difference between online only Chinese dramas and the dramas that air on television networks. There is a more stringent process for a drama to be allowed to air on television networks but that comes with certain perks such as eligibility for award shows and prestige amongst the general public. But online dramas do provide more variety and flexibility on content. 

In the latest episode, Karen and Cathy discuss the current Chinese streaming platform landscape, the overall business model, and the key competitors. There are 4 major players, Tencent Video, iQiYi, Youku, and MangoTV. Tencent Video and iQiYi compete for the top spot while Youku and MangoTV have found their niches. Listen to our latest podcast episode to see the business strategies for these companies and how they dictate what dramas are produced and aired.

A potential new relationship between the young stars Zhang Ling He and Bai Lu was exposed earlier this month. In this episode, Karen and Cathy discuss the surprising implications for this new coupling and the broader landscape of celebrity relationships in the Chinese entertainment industry. In recent years, most celebrities do not admit to relationships. Why is that? How do fans play into this landscape as well? Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out!

Weibo exploded over the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend as the popular Chinese actor, Li Yi Feng was caught in a scandal for soliciting prostitutes. Karen and Cathy break down the timeline for what happened and how the story broke for the now canceled actor. 

In our episode recorded September 1, Cathy goes over the two big scandals of late in the Chinese entertainment industry- 1) Yang Zi supposedly sharing cake with her friend, Liu Xue Yi which would not have been problematic if they weren't caught in a series of lies denying this, and 2) Zhang Tian Ai released a recording of her and Xu Kai Cheng, whom she was dating, where he admits to cheating on her. What's worse is that he had turned his sights on Gu Li Na Zha and lied to her about his current relationship status.

In our latest In The Know episode, we discuss the latest woes that plague Yang Mi's new drama, Fox Spirit Matchmaker, including another tax evasion scandal. Jackson Yee and 2 other young stars have also been caught in an admission scandal that blew up Weibo. Finally, Jay Chou released a new album after 6 years! Listen to our latest podcast episode to check out our thoughts about the latest Chinese pop culture! 

In this new series for the podcast, In The Know aims to provide up-to-date information on the Chinese entertainment industry. This new episode series is a more casual look at what's going on with your favorite stars. In this premier episode, Karen and Cathy discuss four groundbreaking events that occurred in the first half of 2022 in Chinese pop culture news.