Universal Studios Singapore opens first Chinese web novel attraction

Universal Studios Singapore debuted a haunted house inspired by the hit Chinese fantasy novel "The Unruly Immortals" on Friday, marking the first major theme park adaptation of content from Chinese digital publisher Yuewen.

Promotional posters for Halloween Horror Nights 13, including one for the Chinese web novel "The Unruly Immortals," are displayed at Universal Studios Singapore, Sept. 26, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Yuewen]

The haunted house, running through Nov. 1, marks Universal Studios Singapore's first collaboration with a Chinese online novel franchise.

"The Unruly Immortals," authored by Hu Wei under his alias "Foxtail Pen," became a Chinese online literary sensation in 2023, amassing over 11.3 million subscribers on Yuewen's digital platforms. The novel has since expanded into comics, animation and gaming adaptations, becoming a multimedia franchise with fan-generated content earning tens of millions of views online.

"I am honored that 'The Unruly Immortals' is the first Chinese literary intellectual property to be featured at Universal Studios Singapore," Hu said. "Turning words into a real-life experience has been a magical journey. I hope visitors from around the world enjoy this one-of-a-kind adventure where fantasy and reality come together and have a great time in the haunted house."

"The successful launch of 'The Unruly Immortals' at Universal Studios Singapore marks a critical milestone for Yuewen in transforming its rich IP portfolio into world-class entertainment experiences, as well as a vital means for us to connect with global fans," emphasized Hou Xiaonan, CEO and president of Yuewen.

Yuewen operates several major Chinese digital entertainment brands, including QQ Reading, Qidian, New Classics Media and Tencent Animation & Comics. The company has successfully incubated popular franchises such as "Joy of Life," "Soul Land" and "Battle Through the Heavens." In 2024, Yuewen-based content dominated Chinese entertainment, with four of the five most-watched drama series and 14 of the top 20 animation works adapted from its IPs.

"The Unruly Immortals" is one of four featured haunted houses at Universal Studios Singapore's annual Halloween Horror Nights festival, currently running at Resorts World Sentosa. The collaboration demonstrates the theme park's push to diversify its IP offerings and expand into international content partnerships.

This collaboration with Universal Studios Singapore exemplifies Yuewen's accelerated global IP strategy. The company has already launched over 1,800 comic titles and nearly 100 animation adaptations overseas. In July, the animated series "Lord of Mysteries," adapted from its popular IP, premiered globally in multiple languages, earning a 9.3/10 rating on IMDb and topping charts on anime platform Crunchyroll.

Several Yuewen-based drama series, including "Joy of Life," "The Legend of Shen Li," and "The Tale of Rose," stream on Disney+ and Netflix with strong international viewership. The company's English-language platform WebNovel hosts 770,000 original works from over 500,000 international writers.

Yuewen has expanded beyond digital content into physical experiences through international partnerships. The company collaborated with Switzerland Tourism on "The King's Avatar"-themed travel routes and drew nearly 500,000 visitors to its Singapore "Yuewen Wonderland" festival earlier this year.