Short drama series gain momentum in China

A screenshot of a short drama on Su Shi, a literary master from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).

"A few minutes per episode, hundreds of episodes per series, a twist every 15 seconds, a plot advancement every 30 seconds, and a cliffhanger in the last 10 seconds..." With such dramatic twists, short dramas continuously stimulate viewers' "dopamine," becoming the new darling of short video platforms.

In recent years, relying on the rapid development of short videos, short dramas have gained popularity among netizens. At the beginning of this year, several phenomenally popular short dramas were broadcast, leading to heated discussions and trending topics on social media platforms.

According to the latest Statistical Report on China's Internet Development released on Aug. 29, the number of short drama users in China accounted for 52.4 percent of the country's internet users.

Statistics show that the short drama market value reached 37.39 billion yuan ($5.26 billion) in 2023, a year-on-year surge of 267.65 percent. The short drama market value is expected to exceed 50 billion yuan in 2024.

As the popularity of short dramas has gone up, their quality has also improved.

Last year, a short drama entitled "Escape from the British Museum", went viral in China. Adopting the expression technique of personification, the fantasy series depicts an ancient Chinese artifact, a jade teapot, coming to life and trying to escape from the British Museum to return home to China. Blending the artifact's history and culture, the micro-drama struck a chord with viewers nationwide and won high praise from various parties. The year 2023 was dubbed "year one" of China's micro-dramas.

A screenshot from the Chinese short drama entitled "Escape from the British Museum."

As micro-dramas continue to make waves, big brands are jumping on the bandwagon, producing custom-made short dramas to showcase their products. Some brand-sponsored micro-dramas have racked up over 100 million or even more than 1 billion views.

The great popularity of short dramas can be partly attributed to the fact that these short drama series are perfect for filling odd moments in people's busy lives.

Chen Dexin, a high school teacher in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, is a fan of micro-dramas. He's devoured over 200 micro-dramas since the beginning of last year, squeezing them into his commute, lunch breaks, and before bed for relaxation.

"After a long day of work, I'm too mentally drained for anything that requires a great deal of concentration. Besides, I'm too impatient to watch a traditional television drama now," Chen said, explaining why he likes watching short dramas.

For the younger generation, micro-dramas provide them with a way to blow off steam and connect with friends. The easily sharable format has turned short dramas into a unique way of social contact.

But it's not all smooth sailing. Relevant government departments have stepped in to ensure the short drama industry doesn't go off the rails.

A circular on further promoting the healthy and prosperous development of the short drama industry issued by the National Radio and Television Administration came into effect on June 1, 2024. Many micro-dramas in violation of relevant rules have been taken down.

The implementation of the circular is conducive to the sound development of the micro-drama industry, said Qi Yifan, a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Journalism and Communication of the Minzu University of China.

One of the keys to building a healthy micro-drama sector lies in nurturing talents, including scriptwriters, actors, and actresses, Qi added.

At the same time, major short drama platforms and short drama production companies need to comply with industry standards and shoulder their primary responsibility of ensuring the quality of content production.

The industry continues to grow and branch out, with short dramas entering a new period of expansion.

The medium has entered a long track of technology empowerment, cultural tourism integration, and strong overseas expansion. Taking the overseas expansion of short dramas as an example, many short drama production companies customize productions based on the tastes and preferences of overseas audiences, inviting foreign actors to participate in filming, achieving good spread overseas.