Youku Unveils Its 2027 Annual Content Slate With 117 Drama Projects

September 16, 2026 — China — Youku has officially unveiled its 2027 annual content slate, presenting a large lineup of dramas, variety shows, animation, documentaries, films and live entertainment projects.

The 2027 drama plan is one of the platform's major highlights. Youku publicly promoted more than 110 drama projects, while a detailed report on the conference identified the slate as containing 117 drama projects. The lineup covers historical dramas, urban romance, suspense, crime, science fiction, action, fantasy and contemporary stories.

The announcement also shows Youku's increasing focus on series development, with several projects already planned as sequels or longer-running franchises.

A Large and Diverse 2027 Drama Lineup

Among the most prominent titles are 《谍报上不封顶》, starring Xiao Zhan; 《豹隐南山》, starring Gong Jun; 《天工之城》, starring Zhang Ruoyun; and 《狩谎》, led by Cheng Yi.

The lineup also includes highly anticipated sequels such as 《藏海传2》, 《凡人修仙传2》, 《雪迷宫2》, 《新生2》, 《星辰大海2》, 《暗河传2》 and 《我叫赵甲第 第三季》.

Major Youku 2027 Drama Projects

Note: The conference announced 117 drama projects. The table above consolidates titles that have been publicly identified through Youku promotional material and reputable reports; it should not be treated as a verified transcription of every one of the 117 titles. Some titles may also appear under alternate working titles or have been repeated in promotional material as part of sequel/series development.

《紫色大丽花》 Becomes Part of Youku's 2027 Strategy

Among the projects attracting international drama-fan attention is 《紫色大丽花》 (Purple Dahlia), starring Alyssa Chia and Chen Jingke.

The project was included in Youku's 2027 annual slate, and Youku's wider series-development strategy also lists 《紫色大丽花2》 among projects entering preparation. This is notable because it indicates that Youku is considering the story as part of a longer-term series strategy rather than treating it only as a standalone production.

The first series is a 12-episode urban emotional drama that centers on the relationship between a mature woman and a younger man, with elements of romance and suspense. Its official broadcast date has not yet been announced.

Youku Pushes More Sequel and Series Projects

One of the clearest themes of the 2027 slate is series development.

According to the conference report, Youku is preparing sequels including:

• 《今天也没变成玩偶呢2》

• 《紫色大丽花2》

• 《阿禅2》

• 《雪迷宫2》

• 《我叫赵甲第 第三季》

• 《星辰大海2》

• 《暗河传2》

• 《新生2》

The platform is also developing a connected “诉” trilogy, with 《追诉》 and 《抗诉》 among the projects being prepared.

This approach reflects Youku's stated intention to accelerate franchise and series development, using successful or established IP as the foundation for additional seasons and related productions.

Major Actors Across the 2027 Slate

The slate brings together a wide range of established and younger Chinese actors.

Xiao Zhan appears in 《谍报上不封顶》, while Gong Jun leads 《豹隐南山》. Zhang Ruoyun stars in 《天工之城》, and Yang Yang returns for 《凡人修仙传2》.

The suspense and crime section includes Cheng Yi in 《狩谎》, Jing Boran and Zhang Songwen in 《谷雨》, and projects such as 《夜班经理》, 《沉默的审判》, 《猎影者》 and 《无邪》.

The historical and fantasy section includes 《嫁金钗》, 《祝姑娘》, 《归良辰》, 《攻玉》, 《公·主》, 《揽流光三千》 and 《十万狂花入梦来》.

Zhao Lusi Takes on a New Creative Role

Another major announcement was 《告别信》, starring Zhao Lusi, who will also serve as director.

Youku says the drama is adapted from German author Kerstin Gier's novel 《十三封自杀告别信》. The project is part of the 2027 slate and represents Zhao Lusi taking on both directing and leading-actor responsibilities.

30 Variety Shows and More Than 270 Total Projects

Youku's 2027 plan extends far beyond scripted dramas.

The broader annual slate contains more than 270 projects across dramas, variety shows, animation, documentaries, sports, children's programming, games, films and live entertainment. The variety section alone includes 30 programs.

Among the returning variety programs are 《无限超越班5》 and 《这！就是街舞7》, while new programs include 《向野的我们》 and other entertainment formats aimed at younger audiences.

The animation lineup also includes projects such as 《沧元图 第三季》, 《光阴之外 第二季》, 《云深不知梦 第二季》, 《师兄啊师兄 年番》 and 《一斩苍穹》.

What to Expect From Youku in 2027

Youku's 2027 content strategy can be summarized around several major directions:

More drama projects: 117 drama projects were reported in the 2027 slate.

More sequels: Established projects such as 《雪迷宫》, 《新生》, 《暗河传》, 《星辰大海》 and 《今天也没变成玩偶呢》 are being expanded.

More original productions: Youku highlighted original and self-produced projects including 《盛夏晴朗》, 《执金钗》 and 《公·主》.

More cross-media development: The platform is also connecting dramas with variety shows and other forms of entertainment, including a related outdoor game reality program based on the 《今天也没变成玩偶呢》 universe.

Broader genres: The slate ranges from historical and fantasy dramas to suspense, crime, science fiction, urban stories and contemporary subjects.

Final Thoughts

Youku's 2027 annual slate gives viewers a substantial preview of the platform's upcoming content strategy. With 117 drama projects reported, numerous sequel projects already in development, 30 variety programs, and additional animation, documentary, film and live-entertainment projects, the platform is planning a broad content lineup for 2027.

For drama fans, projects such as 《谍报上不封顶》, 《狩谎》, 《豹隐南山》, 《天工之城》, 《告别信》, 《紫色大丽花》, 《今天也没变成玩偶呢》 and their related sequel projects are among the titles receiving significant attention following the announcement.

However, most projects do not yet have confirmed premiere dates, and Youku's schedule can change as production and broadcasting plans develop.

MyDramaChannel will continue tracking official casting announcements, trailers, posters and release-date updates for Youku's 2027 drama lineup.