Thai remake of Shanghai-produced drama launched for overseas audiences

Caption: "The Thirsty Thirty," a Thai remake of the Shanghai-produced hit drama "Nothing But Thirty" still centers on modern-day women's growth and life choices.

"The Thirsty Thirty," a Thai remake of the phenomenal Shanghai-produced urban drama "Nothing But Thirty," premiered simultaneously worldwide on Tencent Video and Disney+ on Thursday.

For a long time, Chinese film and television exports have largely relied on genres with distinctive cultural symbols, such as period dramas and kung fu films. While these works can transcend cultural barriers, they often fall short of presenting a full picture of contemporary China.

"Nothing But Thirty" has created a new model for exporting modern dramas, bringing vivid contemporary Chinese stories to global audiences and striking a chord worldwide.

Produced by Linmon Media Limited, this drama highlights the workplace wisdom, personal development, and life choices of women in contemporary China. When the original Chinese version aired on Netflix, it attracted a number of overseas viewers seeking to gain a deeper understanding of modern Chinese society, its culture and values.

"The Thirsty Thirty" has an entirely new storyline that integrates the core theme – women breaking free from age constraints and pursuing self-worth – into Thailand's local social settings, cultural nuances, and emotional expressions. Distinct cultural elements encompassing the kingdom's traditional festivals, family values are also featured in the drama.

Ahead of the Thai remake, the Vietnamese remake of "Nothing But Thirty" debuted on Vietnam's national broadcaster VTV at prime time on August 11. Versions for Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia are also under way, while a Thai adaptation of the suspense series "Under the Skin" has entered the development stage.

Su Xiao, chairman of Linmon Media Limited, remarked that the overseas market is a long-term strategy for them. The approach of "co-creation" with local creators also breaks away from the conventional one-way model of cultural export.

"On the one hand, we export China's mature creative concepts and production standards to overseas markets," Su said. "On the other, we can draw inspiration from overseas remakes to enrich the development of domestic IP."