Online short dramas thrive in China

Inside a Chinese online miniseries set. Photo: EL PAIS

According to Nikkei Asia, China’s short-form television drama market is expected to grow 35% this year alone, fueling the development of a broader industry to meet growing demand, not only in China but globally. Each minidrama episode lasts only 1-3 minutes, often edited vertically, optimized for viewing on mobile phones. The content is not elaborate but hits the audience’s psychology with a fast pace, dramatic situations and unexpected endings that make the audience always want to “watch one more episode”. That appeal comes not only from the content, but also from the fact that viewers can actively choose and follow each episode in short intervals during the day.

In China, the genre has grown so rapidly that it has surpassed domestic box office revenue. With more than 3,000 films produced in 2024 and more than 500 million users, China's online short-form television market grew 34.9% year-on-year to a market worth 50.44 billion yuan ($6.91 billion), according to China Daily. 16,100 new companies related to the short-form television business were registered in 2024, marking an 80% increase year-on-year.

Producers typically complete a film in less than 10 days, at a cost of several hundred thousand to one million yuan – much lower than traditional films. However, they can quickly recoup their investment thanks to a flexible business model that combines free viewing, subscriptions, interstitial advertising, and even e-commerce integration. Notably, the short film boom has also created tens of thousands of new jobs in content creation, post-production, scriptwriting, and acting, especially for young people.

Not only is it a domestic market, Chinese short films are also quietly "exporting" to the world . According to Xinhua News Agency, citing data from the State Radio and Television Administration, China's short film platforms have achieved significant reach, with more than 300 applications launched in more than 200 countries, reaching more than 470 million downloads worldwide and earning $2.3 billion in the first 6 months of 2024. Applications such as ReelShort, ShortMax, DramaBox, with millions of downloads in the US and Southeast Asia, have shown that the global demand for short, fast-paced, Asian-inspired content formats is growing. In a world where audiences are willing to watch content from anywhere, as long as it is engaging enough, minidramas are especially appealing to those with little free time, such as working people, housewives, or the elderly.

However, the rapid development of this market also brings with it many concerns. Some audiences and experts believe that there are too many short films lacking depth, having duplicate ideas, and even carrying offensive messages when the popular content revolves around themes of fleeting love, revenge, idol adaptations, etc. with sensational titles. Faced with this situation, the Chinese government has begun to tighten censorship, requiring licensing for big-budget films, while at the same time encouraging positive content with cultural values so that short-minute episodes become an indispensable part of the modern cultural flow.

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Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phim-truyen-hinh-ngan-truc-tuyen-phat-trien-manh-o-trung-quoc-post800442.html