Billboards for C-drama The Punishment are stunning
It may just be me, but I am absolutely fascinated by the amount of money Chinese streaming giants like YOUKU, Tencent Video and iQIYI spend on promoting their dramas.
And at how many of the visuals they use for their promotions are utterly stunning in their aesthetics.
Sure, it’s largely in China where promotion is much cheaper than it is in the west, but still, when you see photographs of enormous electronic or print billboards up all over Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and other Chinese cities promoting just one C-drama, you know this thing is big.
Look at the new The Punishment billboards just put up in Metro stations in Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities this week, with photos of each billboard uploaded to iQIYI’s social media accounts to promote the C-drama even more.
According to iQIYI, The Punishment billboards follow on from the character stills released earlier in the week, are currently up in stations at various Metro lines in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing and, this time, are the “second wave” of such billboards.
In other words, iQIYI has already spent money promoting the C-drama in Metro stations, and here they are again.
With so many Chinese dramas being produced, these billboards are only up for a week or so as well before they are taken down and visuals for another drama will take their place.
What is The Punishment about?
Known as Chasing the Undercurrent II, The Punishment itself is an action/crime thriller that premiered on iQIYI both in China and internationally on December 25th, and is scheduled to run its 40 episodes through January 17th, 2026.
It stars Johnny Huang, Eric Wang, and Liang Jie, and has been so popular since release it has already exceeded 8,500 on iQIYI’s heat index. Something crime dramas don’t always achieve.
iQIYI describes its plot in this way:
It tells the story of police officer Qin Feng as he engages in a battle of wits and will with criminal forces.
Set against the backdrop of Hanzhou’s rapid development, the script draws on a series of serious criminal cases to portray the complex relationships between the police, their families, and powerful interest groups.
The main narrative centers on Qin Feng and Liu Tianye, two sworn brothers with no blood ties, exploring the depths of human nature and moral conflict.
With a fast-paced plot and constant suspense, the story highlights the struggle between good and evil and the enduring power of faith in the rule of law.
Now, I have only watched the first two episodes so far, so I’m quite a ways behind, but if you enjoy a gritty crime drama with excellent performances from its main cast, you should give this one a look. It’s held my attention so far anyway.
Enjoy The Punishment‘s gorgeous billboards, and check out the C-drama on iQIYI where its first 18 episodes are now streaming.
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