Happy Memories of the Ma's, a 47-episode TV series chronicling the life of a Shanghai family between the 1970s and early 2000s, became the first Chinese series shown by Vietnam's leading broadcasters and beat other local shows to top the country's ratings when it was first aired in the country.

When fantasy or historical dramas based on influential online novels rose to become leading genres in China, they have also gained in popularity overseas.

After topping China's TV screen ratings and being watched 2 billion times online, the fantasy drama The Journey of Flower made a big impact in Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

The series, based on the online novel of the same title and starring pop stars Wallace Huo and Zhao Liying, centers on a bittersweet romance between an immortal master and his young disciple.