In a bizarre turn of events, pirated versions of the popular series "Zhu Yu" are being updated faster than the official releases. The recent leak of the show's content has become a hot topic of discussion. Ironically, while subscribers to major video platforms Tencent Video and iQiyi Inc. can only access up to episode 30, pirated copies of all 40 episodes in high definition are readily available on secondary marketplaces and cloud storage platforms.
On the platform Xianyu, some sellers are even offering the complete series for as low as 0.01 yuan. Users have reported that these pirated copies feature the iQiyi Inc. logo in the opening credits, leading to speculation that the leak may have originated from within iQiyi Inc. due to lax internal controls.
On the 22nd, Tencent Video and iQiyi Inc., together with the production company, issued a joint statement. They condemned the piracy in the strongest terms and expressed their firm opposition to it. The statement announced an investigation into the source of the leaks and affirmed their right to pursue criminal liability and seek compensation for damages. The companies also urged viewers to watch "Zhu Yu" through legitimate broadcasting platforms and encouraged the public to report any leads on pirated content.
Experts indicate that such content leaks cause multi-dimensional losses for video platforms. These include direct revenue impact and devaluation of content assets. If the leak is indeed internal, it also exposes flaws in process controls and incurs significant costs to rebuild trust. The expert believes that combating piracy requires a multi-layered defense system combining technology, legal measures, and ecosystem cooperation, necessitating proactive collaboration from all parties in the industry chain.
The popular drama has suffered a large-scale premature leak, with the entire series available for a mere 0.01 yuan. The incident has attracted widespread attention recently.
"Zhu Yu" is primarily broadcast on Tencent Video and iQiyi Inc.. However, while these platforms have only released 30 episodes to date, full high-definition resources of all 40 episodes have been leaked on various channels, including secondary markets and cloud storage. This has caused dissatisfaction among paying subscribers and fans of the show's actors.
A fan of the series expressed frustration, questioning, "The series has 40 episodes in total, but currently, even members on iQiyi Inc. and Tencent Video can only watch up to episode 30. Surprisingly, pirated versions online have already updated to the finale. Previously, pirated copies would only sync with official releases during premium early access events. Now, the pirated version is complete before the official platforms have even finished releasing it. Who is responsible for this leak?"