Original content being produced by online video websites is taking away a large chunk of TV's traditional audiences, but as Han Bingbin discovers, much of the creative content is being brought in from overseas.

Chinese video websites' rapid transformation from purely broadcasting platforms to content makers means foreign expertise has been key to fueling their growth. In Sohu's latest hot reality show Secretly Greatly, Chinese stars are placed in weird situations and have their hilarious reactions recorded by hidden cameras. Produced by a South Korean team led by Kang Sung-shin, an influential producer in his country, the show took the industry by surprise.

Since its premiere in April, the 14-episode first season has been viewed more than 100 million times. It's the first Internet-based program to have topped micro blog Sina Weibo's list of most talked-about entertainment shows, eight times.

It is the first success since Sohu adopted a "dream works" strategy in late 2013. The video site is reportedly set to invest twice as much in producing original content this year, and aims to raise the view counts of its self-made content fourfold.

In recent years, China's major video websites have drawn Chinese audiences, especially the well-educated youth, away from television to mobile devices by licensing groundbreaking overseas content and offering full coverage of domestic entertainment.

As the number of China's online video viewers crosses 450 million, the sites have also been making their own content: full-length plays, mini-series and most importantly, entertainment shows.

While they face a shortage of talent, they tend to borrow experienced people from overseas, especially from South Korea, Asia's long-standing entertainment industry hub.

Youku Tudou, China's another leading video website, announced in Seoul on July 14 a joint production, Guest House, with one of South Korea's biggest TV channels, SBS. In the program, 10 Chinese fans will be selected to spend five days traveling with members of Super Junior-M, one of Asia's most popular bands.

In June, Youku Tudou also commissioned the production team behind Running Man, one of South Korea's most popular reality shows, to make God and Goddess, a reality show that follows the process of regular people being trained to become pop stars.

Borrowing foreign formats is nothing new. Since 2006, Chinese TV stations have been buying program formats from Europe and the United States. The format is a detailed set of information about the idea and structure of certain programs, and instructions on how to make them.

There have been more than 50 authorized reproductions of foreign programs on Chinese TV, including the popular Voice of China series. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the main suppliers, but since early 2013 there has been a sharp increase in the number of program formats from South Korea.

Shanghai-based Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV and Hubei TV, all among China's top 10 satellite channels, have South Korea-originated programs. All of them are outdoor reality shows - the genre is the forte of the South Korean TV industry.

The increase is largely inspired by the phenomenal success of I Am a Singer and Where Are We Going Dad? , two reproductions of South Korean namesake shows by Hunan TV, China's leading entertainment broadcaster. Other TV channels have since done what they always do, following the leader into the trend.

South Korean program ideas are not necessarily better than Western ones, says Liu Xichen, CEO of Shixi Media, one of the three largest TV format brokers in China. But the South Koreans do have rich experience, creative ideas and amazing abilities to put them into practice, Liu adds.

Wei Ming, CEO of Youku Tudou, believes South Korean entertainment shows will continue to be what their Chinese counterparts learn from in the coming years.

"Because our cultures are very similar, to some extent the cultural influence is very quick and intense," Wei says.

Liu insists it's wrong to solely rely on South Korean production teams because what they do doesn't necessarily appeal to all Chinese audiences and there is still a need for domestic knowledge to grow.

Wei says in the coming years, video websites need to train up their own production teams like TV stations do.

"It may take a long time. Maybe it's possible that in the Internet era we'll grow faster than TV stations do," Wei says. "In the future we'll probably send our ideas overseas and create a cultural phenomenon there. Only in this way will I eventually feel that what I am doing is meaningful."

Contact the writer at hanbingbin@chinadaily.com.cn

Members of Super Junior-M, one of Asia's most popular bands, promote Youku Tudou and SBS's joint production Guest House in Seoul. Photos Provided to China Daily

From right: Chen Yufan and Hu Haiquan, members of the popular rock duet Yu Quan, participate in Sohu's latest reality show Secretly Greatly. Chun Wan / China Daily

Lee Dong-hae (left) and Cho Kyu-hyun of Super Junior-M are two of the most popular South Korean idols in China.

(China Daily USA 07/31/2014 page8)