Short dramas: An emerging force in Chinese creativity going global

Have you ever come across a peculiar short video while scrolling through your feed, only to fall down a rabbit hole of mini soap operas packed with nonstop plot twists? This addictive new form of media has swept the globe over the past two years — and may offer new possibilities for bringing overseas audiences closer to Chinese culture. 

Cast and crew prepare to film a short drama on a set at the Shanghai International Short Video Center in Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]

Short dramas (短剧, duǎnjù), also sometimes known as "micro dramas" or "mini soap operas," are a burgeoning media form that has been gaining increasing popularity both in China and abroad in recent years. This form of web series is shot in vertical format for people to watch on their smartphones, and can be found on dedicated streaming platforms and short video platforms. 

A typical series features around 80 episodes, with each video lasting just 1 to 2 minutes. Short dramas are characterized by their melodramatic, fast-paced storylines, constant plot twists and liberal use of cliffhanger endings, which keep viewers transfixed and willing to pay for the next episode.

By the end of 2024, according to Xinhua, domestic viewership of short dramas had reached 662 million, while the market generated 50.5 billion yuan (about $7 billion), surpassing China's box office revenue for the first time.

Sensing the huge opportunity, many Chinese companies have expanded into overseas markets, achieving impressive performances. By March, overseas short-drama apps had accumulated nearly 950 million downloads, Xinhua reported, led by China-backed platforms such as ReelShort and GoodShort. In just a few years, Chinese companies have introduced this new form of media and rewarding business model to the global market. 

Many Chinese series have also been translated into multiple languages and distributed on different platforms, showcasing Chinese lifestyles, creativity and imagination to audiences around the world. 

However, along with its signature fast-paced plots as well as the rapid commercial success at home and abroad, many problems have also emerged. Fierce competition in the short drama market has led many companies to rush into producing new series under whatever categories are the most lucrative at that time, leading to a glut of works that are sub-par, and have homogeneous content and feature the same plot twists. 

In addition, although a growing number of Chinese short dramas have been translated and introduced to overseas viewers, the lack of proper localization has left many viewers unable to fully grasp the cultural and emotional nuances embedded in the stories. At this stage, while overseas viewers may have embraced short dramas as a media format, there remains a lack of authentic Chinese content that has truly struck a chord.

Despite the current deficiencies in this emerging industry and some prejudice from the public, many agree that the short drama market is highly promising, with various parties making significant efforts to develop the field. 

Recently, producers have been seeking to present stories more delicately as well as more innovatively, and have already created several high-quality new works. "Inside and Outside Home" (家里家外, Jiālǐ jiāwài), a short drama set in the 1980s which premiered in March, attracted over 1 billion views within three days of its release. It portrays a lively story of a Sichuan blended family, while avoiding the usual stereotypes such as a put-upon daughter-in-law or domineering mother-in-law. Viewers have been impressed by the nuanced performances and distinctive cultural elements, including local dialect and realistic settings, with many commenting how much they loved the authentic cultural features and expressing their hopes for a second season. 

In recent years, many Chinese companies have also established localized short-drama production agencies outside China to produce stories that cater to overseas viewers' preferences. They create dramas featuring American and European actors, with storylines of billionaires, vampires and secret husbands. The success of "The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband" — a hit show on ReelShort in 2023 — has proved how this business model can generate returns both at home and abroad. 

In addition, more production teams are expanding their range of genres and incorporating Chinese cultural elements into their works. For example, the fantasy short drama "The War for a Stolen Tradition" (傩戏, Nuóxì) tells the story of an awakened ancient tribal leader teaching her people Nuo opera and protecting this legacy. This series showcases a variety of traditional Nuo dance and music, serving as a prototype for combining culture with this novel media form. 

Last but not least, the authorities have also played an important role in the development of short dramas. Since 2024, China's National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) has issued a series of policies to promote high-quality micro-short dramas, and strengthen production and content review mechanisms. This move has effectively reduced the issue of homogenization and improved the overall quality of newly released works.

With the combined efforts of various parties, China's short drama industry will undoubtedly achieve greater international influence. High-quality creative content provides the solid foundation for broader dissemination, while production teams that better adapt to local audience preferences are a powerful boost to overseas expansion. Using traditional Chinese culture as a source of storytelling is an inevitable trend for long-term growth. 

Official support and better industry management will ensure that China's short dramas can truly go global with both confidence and stability. In this way, short dramas are not only a form of instant entertainment, but also an innovative approach for interpreting Chinese culture, wisdom, aesthetics as well as values to the world.