娱乐英语新闻:Chinese TV series going global

BEIJING, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Just one year since its debut, the hit Chinese TV series "A Beautiful Daughter-In-Law Era" is crossing a 10,000-km divide to air for more than 100 million people in Tanzania and other east African countries.

The 36-episode drama, written by screenwriter Wang Liping, is a light comedy about a marriage between a typical Chinese couple living in modern times. Kenyan actress Josephine MoeniWaweru and actor Khamis Juma Swaleh were chosen to do voice dubbing for the two leading roles in the African version of the series.

Surveys revealed that when the series first aired at the Beijing Television (BTV) in March last year, its average local audience rate topped 10 percent, an impressive figure in the Chinese TV market, where more than 30 provincial-level TV stations are competing for audiences.

"The drama reflects the real lives of today's Chinese people, and it will tell the African audience about the 'real China,'" said Liu Jiang, the show's director.

In the international market, Chinese television shows are typically relegated to tales about ancient Chinese culture. Chinese TV shows with complicated storylines and historical settings are not popular among Western audiences, as they prefer simpler stories about human nature, according to Cheng Chunli, a senior marketing director at the China International Television Corporation.

Conversely, love stories that take place in modern settings, especially those produced in the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are the most highly favored by Chinese audiences, much as they are preferred by the denizens of the countries that produce them.

"I just wanted to write something about the modern lives of ordinary Chinese people, as well as make the stories appealing to both domestic and overseas audiences," Wang said.

"Go Lala Go!," a Chinese TV series that details the adventures of a female office worker named Du Lala, has also started to reach global audiences. The series has been exported to Singapore, Malaysia, the United States and Canada.

"To our surprise, Du Lala has almost the same market potential as Bruce Lee," said Qin Ying, head of the international business development department of the Shanghai-based WingsMedia, which handles the show's overseas dealings.

The per episode export price of the series is about 10,000 U.S. dollars, paralleled only by "The Legend of Bruce Lee," a biopic about the kung fu icon.

"The export of 'Du Lala' will show foreign audiences that Chinese TV series are not all about royal families and martial arts," Qin said.

Increasing exports of Chinese TV shows indicates that the country's television industry is continuing to develop, according to Zhang Yiwu, a cultural critic and professor at Peking University.

Zhang said the export of these series will help to promote Chinese culture and improve China's national image.

"Through watching these series, foreign audiences will have a greater understanding and recognition of modern China," Zhang said.