IPartment
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment |
| Founded | August 2009 |
| Headquarters | Shanghai , China |
| Products | Situational comedy television series |
iPartment () is a Chinese situational comedy created by Shanghai Film Group and Shanghai Film Studio, which debuted on Jiangxi TV in August 2009, comprising twenty episodes each lasting 45 minutes.
The show's second season was released as webisodes, capitalizing on its devoted online following and viewer votes. It maintained four of the original characters while adding three newcomers. The third season continued featuring the same main cast.
In 2018, a movie adaptation titled Love Apartment premiered, with the majority of the original actors reprising their roles.
Recognized as one of China’s most popular sitcoms, iPartment struck a chord especially with the Post-80s demographic. It was among the earliest Chinese series to depict contemporary urban youth lifestyles and integrate Western pop culture elements, benefiting from the expansion of streaming services.
Investors and Producers
The company behind iPartment is the social networking platform "i-Part," established by four entrepreneurs from Taiwan. Key investors include Japanese firms JAIC and CyberAgent.
The series is supported by Love Apartment Company to promote its namesake social networking site. Production is handled by Shanghai Gaoge Culture Communication Co., Ltd., in partnership with Shanghai Film Group and Xinjiadi Film and Television.
Premise
The narrative centers on seven young adults in their mid-to-late twenties who reside as neighbors within a Shanghai apartment complex named "iPartment." The residences are offered at reduced rates to young couples by a wealthy benefactor motivated by a wedding event.
Cast
- Jin Shijia (Kim Jin) portraying Lu Zhanbo
- Zhao Ji (Evonne Zhao) as Lin Wanyu
- Chen He (Michael Chen) in the role of Zeng Xiaoxian
- Lou Yixiao (Loura Lou) playing Hu Yifei
- Sun Yizhou (Sean Sun) as Lü Ziqiao
- Li Jinming (Kimi Li) portraying Chen Meijia
- Wang Chuanjun (Eric Wang) as Sekiya Kamiki (Chinese: Guangu Shenqi)
- Deng Jiajia in the role of Tang Youyou
- Li Jiahang (Jean Li) as Zhang Wei/Snake
- Zhao Wenqi (Vanessa Zhao) portraying Qin Yumo
- Rong Rong as Lisa Rong
- Kenichi Miura playing Sekiya Kenjiro
- Cheng Guo (Loyce Cheng) as Zhuge Dali
- Wan Zilin (Catharine Wan) portraying Curry sauce
- Zhang Yiduo (Zac Zhang) as Zhao Haitang
Season 1 (2009)
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|EpisodeNumber2 = 5
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Season 3 (2012)
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Season 4 (2014)
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Season 1
A group of seven young adults from varied backgrounds share a single apartment. Among them are Hu Yifei, a university lecturer with a PhD, her stepbrother Lu Zhanbo, and Zeng Xiaoxian, a late-night talk show host. After completing his studies at MIT, Zhanbo encounters Lin Wanyu, the daughter of a wealthy banker, who flees an arranged marriage and moves into the apartment complex. The rent policy offers couples a discount: half-price rent and no utility charges. To reduce expenses, Lu Ziqiao and Chen Meijia pretend to be a couple; despite this, the rent remains steep, prompting them to invite Sekiya Kamiki, a Japanese manga artist, to live with them.
Season 2
The apartment welcomes three additional tenants: Zhang Wei, Tang Youyou, and Qin Yumo.
Season 3
Following a significant lottery win, Xiaoxian purchases the bar located within the apartment building and assumes its ownership. Meijia returns accompanied by a new partner during the bar's grand opening. A romantic relationship blossoms between Kamiki and Youyou. After traveling internationally, Zhanbo proposes to Wanyu; she declines and departs for Italy to chase her ambitions.
Season 4
Xiaoxian and Yifei achieve notable progress in their professional lives. Although Ziqiao reunites with Meijia, he continues to pursue other romantic interests. Kamiki experiences business growth but faces ongoing tensions in his relationship with Youyou.
Season 5
The residents of the apartment reach their personal and career milestones, bringing the series to its conclusion.
Behind-the-scenes
During the filming of season two’s kissing scene, Wang Chuanjun and Deng Jiajia exhibited shyness that resulted in numerous retakes. In season four, Wang dramatically leapt onto a water basin to startle Hu Ge, an actor known for embracing unconventional roles without typical idol constraints. Hu Ge immediately bonded with the contentious character Dino despite the director’s initial reservations about his image.
Director Wei Zheng was known for insisting on many takes—sometimes exceeding twelve—and even had to forcibly wake an actor who resisted early call times by opening their door himself. Most cast members purchased their own costumes due to limited wardrobe options provided on set.
Zhao Ji encountered difficulties operating a tractor and suffered sunburn during hot weather shoots in Shanghai. Chen He initially auditioned for the role of Lu Zhanbo but was ultimately cast as Zeng Xiaoxian, which better suited his personality. When forgetting lines during filming, he would use his character’s signature laughter as a tactic to gain time.
Wang Chuanjun once received a humorous punishment involving cucumbers placed in his ears after laughing excessively on set. Sun Yizhou completed 20 push-ups prior to filming nude scenes. Lou Yixiao requested multiple reshoots for a water-splashing scene filmed in December due to dissatisfaction with her performance.
The final episode’s bathtub scene featuring Lu Ziqiao and his sister was shot over six hours in a private room at a five-star hotel, with Sun Yizhou remaining submerged throughout. Lou Yixiao’s audition involved performing a complex “wedding” dance sequence among numerous candidates, which she initially found overwhelming.
Reception
Love Apartment portrays romantic narratives through sitcom formats, employing sharp dialogue, dynamic pacing, and distinctive expressive styles that strongly appeal to university students. Its structure features self-contained storylines each episode while maintaining consistent main characters, allowing viewers flexible engagement.
The series is distinguished by its memorable characters, trendy dialogue, diverse and well-developed settings, along with an entirely new cast that continuously captivates audiences with fresh performances.
Love Apartment 2 introduced more daring plots and tighter pacing while incorporating popular elements such as time-travel scenarios. Love Apartment 3 elevated the sitcom into an “idol” era by enhancing production quality, introducing innovative plot structures and techniques that enriched viewer experience; however, it relied heavily on niche humor primarily appreciated by online communities.
The contemporary comedic style of Love Apartment 4 achieved widespread acclaim across various age groups, with its witty phrases becoming popular catchphrases among young people online.
Produced by Beijing iQiyi Technology Co., Ltd. alongside Huacekton's Syndicate Film and Television and directed by Wei Zheng—with stars including Lou Yixiao, Li Jiahang, Sun Yizhou, Li Jinming, Zhang Yiduo, Guo Guo, Wan Zilin, and Chen He—Love Apartment 5 premiered exclusively on iQIYI VIP in February. Serving as the concluding season, it preserved beloved elements while innovating to provide a fresh viewing experience that wrapped up a decade-long journey of youthful storytelling.
Despite its popularity, the series faced criticism for borrowing jokes and settings from American sitcoms like Friends, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and The War at Home. Director Wei Zheng acknowledged these American influences but emphasized the show’s originality in storytelling. He remarked that imitation is part of surpassing predecessors. Beyond romantic ambiguity, the series integrates contemporary youth lifestyles with relevant societal themes. Legal experts noted that referencing existing works does not necessarily constitute infringement.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work nominated | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 5th China TV Drama Awards | Most Popular Television Series | Won | |
| 2014 | 6th China TV Drama Awards | Top Ten Television Series | Won | |
| Most Attractive Young Actor | Michael Chen | Won |