The Chinese reality show I Miss You (后会友期) has gone viral, being dubbed “The No. 1 Variety Show in History” due to its impressive viewership. Recent numbers on Yunhe show that it captured an astonishing 92.5% market share at one point. This was nearly 50 times higher than that of the second-ranked programme, which recorded less than 2%, making I Miss You the clear leader among competing variety shows. Its popularity was so overwhelming that Mango TV’s servers reportedly crashed temporarily.
From a show about lovers deciding whether to work through their relationship issues or go their separate ways, the same creative team came up with a concept around reconnecting former friends and exploring their friendships that have faded over time. No one expected the show to become such a hit, especially since its cast of four celebrity pairs did not include traffic stars. Among the participants were former co-stars Zhang Meng and Ma Tianyu, contestants of the Chinese singing competition Super Girl, esports gamers and actress Wang Zixuan. Interestingly, each of their stories had everyone invested. Among them, Xu Fei and Li Na, who were once close friends after meeting on Super Girl before eventually falling out, drew countless fans.
Part of what made I Miss You a breakout hit is its refreshing focus on friendships, a subject that is often overlooked in reality television but one that has clearly struck a chord with viewers.
