👁 Chinese Content Overtakes Korean in Russia for the First Time

According to a joint study by the Kion streaming service and the rapid delivery service Samokat, Chinese dramas (C-dramas) surpassed South Korean dramas (K-dramas) in popularity for the first time in the first half of 2026. Concurrently, there has been an explosive surge in demand for ready-to-eat Asian meals, noodles, and exotic snacks.

According to Kion, interest in Asian cinema and television continues its steady upward trajectory: by the end of 2025, the segment’s audience grew by 19%, adding another 6.7% in the first six months of 2026 compared to the second half of last year. At the same time, a milestone shift occurred within the segment itself. The share of Chinese content, which stood at 39% in 2024, climbed to 51% in the first half of 2026, eclipsing long-time market leader South Korea.

Serialized formats completely dominated the top 30 most-requested Asian titles. Leading the rankings was the Chinese documentary series Secrets of Wild Nature. Strong viewership figures were also recorded for popular Chinese animated (donghua) and live-action projects, such as Throne of Seal, Soul Land 2: The Peerless Tang Sect, Falling Into Your Smile, The Untamed, and Chasing the Moon. South Korean content maintained its foothold through proven hits, such as the K-dramas True Beauty and Cinderella and the Four Knights.

Analysts emphasize that this infatuation with East Asian on-screen aesthetics is directly translating into the culinary habits of Russian consumers. According to Samokat, sales of frozen concentrated broths for pho bo and ramen skyrocketed by a record 185% in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous six-month period.

Experts agree that the synergy between media consumption and retail will only continue to strengthen. The continuous expansion of Asian releases on streaming platforms, paired with the aggressive growth of imported and localized food selections within delivery services, guarantees that this “Eastern trend” in Russia will continue to thrive for years to come.