Game shows and singing competitions rule formats in Asia, accounting for almost 50% of the total 285 format titles recorded for the first half of 2017.

Game shows and singing competitions dominate format genres in Asia, leaving other genres trailing, according to ContentAsia’s 1H 2017 Formats Outlook.

At the end of June this year, the top two genres accounted for a combined share of 49% (142 titles) of the total 285 formats on air, in production or commissioned for broadcast in 2017/2018, across 15 countries/regions in Asia.

Game shows topped the list at 80 titles (28%) recorded from 10 markets: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The game show driver was Vietnam, accounting for 26 (32.5%) of the 80 titles. Five countries – Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Pakistan – skipped the genre entirely.

Singing competitions were second by genre across the region with 62 titles (22% of 285 titles) from 11 countries: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Reality place third with 41 titles (14.4%). Reality series involved modelling, social experiment, dating, factual/documentary, design/renovation, makeovers and weddings. Modelling was most popular with 10 titles for the first half of the year from six markets – Cambodia, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and in the region with season five of Asia’s Next Top Model.

Drama – possibly the most difficult genre to get over the line – is fourth with 27 titles (about 10% of the total), including 15 in China. One of the high-profile dramas on the list – a Korean version of Prisoners of War – is still languishing in development and/or funding hell in Korea with no sign that the initial announcements will be followed by action. On the other hand, a second title – Suits Korea, announced in 2015 – looks like it’s finally a go, with the lead actors cast and the show set to air on KBS in the first half of 2018.

Japan continues to play a significant role in drama adaptations in mainland China with five formats from Fuji TV: A Restaurant With Many Problems China, Dating: What’s It Like To Be In Love? China, First Class China, Operation Love China and Second to Last Love China.

Entertainment runs fifth, with 24 titles (8.4%). Six of these are multiple seasons of Little Big Shots being adapted for Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.

Excluding singing, talent shows (most of which have a competitive element), run sixth with 21 titles (7.4%). The bulk of these are local versions of FremantleMedia’s high-profile Got Talent.

Although not in the top six, culinary/cooking and dance formats remain a staple across Asia.

This article was originally published in the October 2017 print issue for MIPCOM 2017 in Cannesand TIFFCOM 2017 in Tokyo