Cashing in

While speaking about big data, which was once reckoned as a significant index to research what audiences want, Sun says he thinks it won't work if a production is built on just digital analysis.

"The process of making a series is long. You cannot guarantee a hot topic will still be attractive after two years," he says.

Besides television series, documentaries are also being welcomed by Chinese viewers.

And working with top producers, Tencent Video has joined the production of BBC's classic nature documentaries such as Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II－which have won acclaim in China after being streamed online. Separately, they have announced plans to team up with Chen Xiaoqing, the producer of the hit Chinese documentary A Bite of China, to produce Savoring China, a documentary franchise about gourmet food.

But the main challenge for video-streaming sites is still profit. And with the rapid rise of copyright fees and production budgets in recent years, Sun says most players in China's online market are still facing financial losses.