From the hit of "Ode to Joy" to how video websites grasp the lifeline of drama selection

The TV series "Ode to Joy" starring Liu Tao, Jiang Xin, Wang Kai, Jin Dong and others finally reached its finale amid heated discussions. The ratings of the series also attracted the attention of many industry insiders. Unlike previous hit series that were popular on both satellite TV and websites, "Ode to Joy" was very popular on the Internet, with Weibo topic readings and online clicks exceeding 1 billion, but the ratings of the series on major satellite TV stations were not good.

The drama focuses on women's lives, friendships and workplaces, and brings together popular stars such as Wang Kai, Jin Dong, Liu Tao, and Jiang Xin. In addition, it was produced by the team of Nirvana in Fire, and was once called the urban female version of Nirvana in Fire, so it was also highly anticipated. However, the ratings of the drama on TV were average, not only did it not exceed The Legend of Zhao Zilong, but it was also ranked outside the top five.

On the other hand, the number of views of "Ode to Joy" on major video websites is astonishingly high, with an average daily number of views on the Internet reaching a staggering 690 million times. The average even exceeds the peak single-day number of 680 million views of the entire "Legend of Miyue".

The number of views of Ode to Joy on Sohu Video even broke the "phenomenal" record. Zhang Chaoyang, CEO of Sohu Video, said that as of May 11, the daily views of Ode to Joy on Sohu Video had reached 78 million, which is rare in the industry. Its views are even two to three times higher than the second-ranked TV series. The counterattack of Ode to Joy on video websites has given video websites some room for thinking on how to grasp the lifeblood of TV dramas.

The Internet has always been a hotbed for topics. Producer Hou Hongliang said frankly that he did not expect that "Ode to Joy" would cause such a big response after it was broadcast. He said that "Ode to Joy" is different from his previous works "Nirvana in Fire", "The Pretender" and "He's Coming, Please Close Your Eyes". This drama caused great controversy among the audience after it was broadcast. "I didn't expect that so many people would 'criticize' me after the broadcast of this drama. The dramas I made before received more applause. "Ode to Joy" is the first drama that has received controversy from the audience."

In recent years, the influence of online videos has been growing. So which audiences choose to watch TV series online? According to relevant statistics, the audience of online self-made content is mainly concentrated in the age group of 15 to 39 years old. Students and white-collar workers with high education and high income are more interested in creative, funny and youth dramas. The greatest charm of "Ode to Joy" is that it focuses on the portrayal of female characters, social relationships and emotional lives at all levels. Compared with traditional themes such as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, women fighting for husbands and the War of Resistance, it is more in line with the tastes of online users.

In addition, the interactivity of video websites is also unmatched by watching dramas on TV. Barrage, message, microblog interaction and other forms allow viewers to participate in the discussion of TV dramas more conveniently and timely, and express their likes and dislikes of the characters in the drama. The characteristic of "Ode to Joy" is that it tears apart relatively real things for everyone to see, without deliberate guidance, which has attracted heated discussions.

Video websites are definitely taking a gamble when it comes to purchasing TV drama copyrights. Over the past 10 years, as video websites have risen strongly, online copyright fees have skyrocketed 7,200 times. Spending money wisely has become the most anticipated result for video websites. If they fail to grasp the audience's taste, even if they spend a lot of money to buy a super IP, it is likely to be ignored by the audience.

"To be a video website with high emotional intelligence" is Zhang Chaoyang's positioning for Sohu Video. Improving emotional intelligence, understanding the audience, finding out the tone, and not blindly following competitors will grasp the lifeline of drama selection.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.