《延禧攻略》：2018年谷歌搜索排名第一的电视剧 "Yanxi Palace" was the most Googled television show in 2018

The Chinese costume drama(古装剧) "Yanxi Palace" was the most Googled television show in 2018, reports BBC News.

The protagonist of "Yanxi Palace", Wei Yingluo. [Photo: Weibo]

The show quickly became a hit(热播 rè bō) in China, and became a topic(话题 huàtí) of heated discussion(讨论 tǎolùn) online. It didn't take long before the show's popularity spread to the overseas(海外 hǎiwài) Chinese community and beyond across Asia. It has been streamed more than 15 billion times on iQiyi(爱奇艺), China's leading video website.

The 70-episode series(连续剧 liánxùjù) about Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong's harem tells tales(故事 gùshì)of the power struggles(权利斗争 quánlì dòuzhēng) among the imperial concubines(妃子 fēizi) such as Wei Yingluo(魏璎珞), the main protagonist(主角 zhǔjué), who struggles to overcome(克服 kèfú) enormous difficulties(困难 kùnnán) in her battle to rise to the top of the harem.

BBC News's introduction of the show on Twitter. [Photo: Twitter]

According to the BBC News report, there are a few reasons why "Yanxi Palace" became such a hit. Like the popular shows "Legend of Zhenhuan(《甄嬛传》)" in 2012 and "Empress Wu Mei Niang(《至尊红颜》)" in 2014, "Yanxi Palace" focuses on the role(角色 sè) of women near the center of power(权利的中心) in imperial China, which captivate the attention of Chinese audiences. Unlike many traditional Chinese female characters, Wei's toughness(坚强 jiānqiáng), independence(独立 dúlì), and determination(决心 juéxīn) make her stand out.

Details of a historically accurate costume used in the show. [Photo: Weibo]

Another reason for the show's is that the director has taken the bold move of casting new actors(演员 yǎnyuán). This lowered the cost(成本 chéngběn) of the actor's pay, and allowed the production to spend more on sets(场景 chǎngjǐng), costumes(服装 fúzhuāng), and makeup(造型 zàoxíng).

A still of an episode of "Yanxi Palace". [Photo: Weibo]

Another factor in the show's success was the decision to make it available online before it was broadcast on television. iQiyi, which also co-produced the series, helped build the audience(观众 guānzhòng) for the show early on. It was the most watched series online in China for 39 consecutive days.

不同类型的影视剧 Different types of Chinese drama series:

[ǒuxiàng jù] 偶像剧 the idols drama
[chuānyuè jù] 穿越剧 time travel series
[gǔzhuāng jù] 古装剧 costume dramas
[wǔxiá jù] 武侠剧 martial hero dramas
[jiātíng lúnlǐ jù] 家庭伦理剧 family ethics dramas
[jìlùpiān] 纪录片 documentary
[zhuànjì] 传记 biographical
[dòngzuò, tànxiǎn] 动作,探险 action, adventure
[xǐjù] 喜剧 comedy
[fànzuì, zhēntàn, xuányí] 犯罪, 侦探, 悬疑 crime, procedural, mystery
[xìjù, shēnghuó, jiātíng] 戏剧,生活, 家庭 drama, family, slice-of-life
[xuánhuàn, kēhuàn] 玄幻,科幻 fantasy, science fiction
[yánqíng] 言情 romance
[qīngchūn] 青春 teen
[zhíchǎng] 职场 workplace
[dié zhàn] 谍战 spy