Dating agencies in mainland China are receiving a surge of interest from men seeking to marry into the wealthy families of women in traditional “matrilocal” marriages, sparked by a hit online costume drama.

The fictional drama “My Heroic Husband” has become one of the most popular titles on iQiyi.com since it began streaming on the online platform last month. It depicts the story of debt-laden male protagonist Ning Yi, who marries into the cloth merchant family of Su Taner, and uses his modern-day management skills to help her build a business empire.

Ning and Su have a matrilocal marriage, a form dating back to ancient China, in which the husband moves into the home of the wife’s family, and their children are given their mother’s family name. The men often come from a poorer background or lower social status than the women.

The drama has prompted increased interest from men seeking a matrilocal marriage, according to the Jindianzi marriage matching service in the city of Hangzhou, in eastern China.

“Our telephone has been constantly busy” with clients calling from across the country, agency executive Li Jiyan told Apple Daily. The consultancy fees for men seeking matrilocal marriages has surged to 15,000 yuan (US$2,300) from 1,500 yuan two decades ago, Li said.

Up to 80% of the successful cases in Li’s agency resulted from the men taking the initiative, while the other cases were initiated by the women’s parents, Li said. One of the wealthiest families seeking a man to marry into its clan owned eight houses, he added.

By contrast, men in Hong Kong rarely seek matrilocal marriages, according to the matching agency HK Romance Dating. No men or women have ever approached the company to arrange such a relationship, agency executive Anita Cheung said.

Most female Hong Kong clients come from middle-class or wealthy families and are looking for men with similar backgrounds, Cheung added.

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