iQIYI Launches "The Blooming Journey" Season 2, Cementing Its Leadership in Seasonal IPs and Female-Centric Storytelling

Rhea-AI Summary

iQIYI (NASDAQ:IQ) premiered "The Blooming Journey" Season 2 on October 24, 2025, a travel-themed reality series focused on female narratives and collaboration.

Season 2 features five well-known Chinese female celebrities and two young companions, visits Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, Chongqing, Quanzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao, and emphasizes culture and self-discovery.

Key metrics: the season generated >1,000 trending topics pre-premiere; Season 1 saw a content popularity index >8,000 and top placements on third-party rankings; Lugu Lake arrivals rose 42.93% YoY during the 2025 National Day Holiday.

Positive

• >1,000 trending topics generated pre-premiere
• Season 1 content popularity index >8,000
• Top placements on third-party rankings: Enlightent, Dengta, Maoyan, Endata, Guduo, Vlinkage
• Lugu Lake visitor numbers +42.93% YoY during 2025 National Day Holiday
• Expanded reach into lower-tier markets and senior demographics

Negative

• None.

Insights

Media & Consumer Content Strategist

iQIYI launched Season 2 of a travel-variety show that drove measurable social buzz and a local tourism uplift, reinforcing its content strategy.

Season 2 of The Blooming Journey operates as a seasonal IP that prioritizes female-led narratives and experiential travel. The format shifts away from competition toward theme-driven episodes, featuring five established celebrities and two younger companions across destinations including Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, Chongqing, Quanzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao. Reported indicators of audience traction include "over a thousand trending topics" pre-premiere and Season 1’s content popularity index exceeding 8,000, plus placements on third-party ranking services.

The announcement ties programming to real-world outcomes by citing a 42.93% year-on-year visitor increase to Lugu Lake during the 2025 National Day Holiday. The business mechanism is straightforward: distinctive seasonal IPs attract broad demographics, create social buzz, and can redirect consumer attention to featured locales, which in turn supports platform branding and third-party ecosystem actors such as local tourism.

Dependencies and risks are explicit in the disclosure: continued impact depends on sustained audience engagement (social trends and third-party rankings) and the show’s ability to reach diverse tiers and age groups. The content provides no financial metrics, monetization details, viewership numbers, or advertiser/sponsorship terms, so any commercial effect on revenue or margins remains unquantified. The tourism uplift is a single cited metric for one site and one holiday period, so its persistence and scale beyond that window are not established by the facts presented.

Concrete items to watch: confirmations of platform-level metrics (official viewership figures or monetization data), repeatable tourism measurements for other locations beyond Lugu Lake, and whether future seasons sustain social-topic volumes comparable to the reported "over a thousand trending topics." Expect these signals within the next one to two program cycles (roughly the coming 6–18 months) to gauge whether the reported social and local-impact effects translate into durable business value.

BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iQIYI, China's leading online entertainment platform, announces the premiere of "The Blooming Journey" Season 2, arriving October 24. This travel-themed reality show continues iQIYI's legacy of delivering standout seasonal IPs while highlighting authentic and compelling female narratives.

Building on the popularity of season 1, season 2 features five of China's renowned female celebrities alongside two young companions. The format breaks away from task-driven reality competition: each episode is anchored in a meaningful theme, with cast members exploring new challenges that highlight collaboration, self-discovery, and the power of personal stories. This season's journey covers diverse destinations – Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, Chongqing, Quanzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao – giving viewers a panoramic look at the broader Chinese culture.

Performance data demonstrates robust anticipation and engagement: Season 2 generated over a thousand trending topics on social media prior to premiere, reflecting the powerful draw of iQIYI's original programming. Season 1 achieved notable success, with iQIYI's content popularity index surpassing 8,000 and leading third-party rankings such as Enlightent, Dengta, Maoyan, Endata, Guduo, and Vlinkage. The show has not only captured young audiences, but also reached lower-tier markets and more senior demographic.

Importantly, "The Blooming Journey" makes a real-world impact. The show also helped bring new attention to Lugu Lake in Yunnan Province, where visitor numbers rose 42.93% year-on-year during the 2025 National Day Holiday period. Many travelers were inspired by the show to explore local traditions, including sunrise watching and Mosuo cultural experiences.

"The Blooming Journey" epitomizes iQIYI's ongoing commitment to premium, IP-driven entertainment. Other long-running variety shows – such as "The Rap of China," "The King of Stand-Up Comedy," and "Become a Farmer" – further demonstrate iQIYI's leadership in delivering high-quality, diverse content that shapes consumer preferences and boosts local tourism.

With its strong portfolio of seasonal IP and cross-border format innovation, iQIYI remains at the forefront of China's entertainment landscape, providing fresh perspectives, championing inclusive storytelling, and connecting audiences to the places and cultures they see on screen.

Contact:
iQIYI Press, press@qiyi.com

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SOURCE iQIYI Inc.

FAQ

When did iQIYI premiere "The Blooming Journey" Season 2 (IQ)?

Season 2 premiered on October 24, 2025.

Which locations does "The Blooming Journey" Season 2 (IQ) visit?

Episodes cover Inner Mongolia, Guizhou, Chongqing, Quanzhou, Hong Kong, and Macao.

How much pre-premiere social buzz did iQIYI's "The Blooming Journey" Season 2 (IQ) generate?

The season generated over 1,000 trending topics on social media prior to premiere.

What measurable tourism impact did iQIYI's show (IQ) have on Lugu Lake in 2025?

Lugu Lake saw a 42.93% year-on-year rise in visitors during the 2025 National Day Holiday period.

How did Season 1 of "The Blooming Journey" perform on content rankings for iQIYI (IQ)?

Season 1 achieved a content popularity index above 8,000 and led several third-party rankings.

What is the creative format change in "The Blooming Journey" Season 2 (IQ)?

Season 2 emphasizes themed, non-competitive episodes focused on collaboration, self-discovery, and personal stories rather than task-driven competition.