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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Beijing, December 28 (Xinhua) — A new series format is conquering the Chinese market! According to the "White Paper on China's Micro-Drama Industry Development 2025," recently published by the China Network Broadcasting Services Association, the number of independently produced and released vertical-format micro-dramas on the country's major video platforms will reach approximately 40,000 this year.
The document also notes that 325 horizontal format microdramas were released across the country in January-August 2025, representing a 24.52 percent year-on-year increase.
Microdramas are short series in horizontal or vertical format, with individual episodes typically lasting from a few dozen seconds to 15 minutes. These formats are particularly convenient for viewing on mobile devices.
In China, microdramas are called "electronic snacks." They are popular viewing experiences on the subway, during lunch, after work, or during breaks to while away the time.
This format is popular among almost all age groups of the population, especially among middle-aged and elderly people.
According to industry data, by the end of 2024, the share of the micro-drama audience aged 40 to 59 reached 37.3%, while the share of the audience over 60 was 12.1%.
As for microdrama genres, the most popular include comedy, fantasy, and melodrama. Among the most frequently repeated plots are "the handsome CEO is in love with me," "I'm back from the dead for revenge," "the loser gets his revenge," and so on.
Industry insiders say the industry has already refined the structure of each episode: typically, the plot twist or climax occurs 15 or 20 seconds into the episode, and the final 10 seconds build suspense. It's the fastest way to grab audience attention.
Typically, the first episodes are available for free, while the full series is only available with a subscription. Viewers are eager to pay to watch the drama to its conclusion.
According to the China Internet Information Center, as of December 2024, microdrama audiences in China reached 662 million, with internet user engagement reaching 59.7%. This means that one in two internet users has watched a microdrama.
The "2024 China Micro-Drama Industry Research Report" estimates that the country's micro-drama market will grow to RMB 50.5 billion (approximately $7.14 billion) in 2024, surpassing the annual film box office revenue for the first time. This market is expected to reach RMB 63.43 billion in 2025 and RMB 85.65 billion in 2027.
Experts have linked the microdrama boom to the fast pace of modern life and the pleasant emotions these short series provide audiences. On the one hand, people can watch microdramas in, say, a traffic jam or while standing in line. On the other hand, microdramas, with their fluid plots and gripping scenes, offer a pleasant entertainment experience.
Meanwhile, producing such a production is inexpensive. Yin Yadong, an employee of one of China's micro-drama filming studios, said that ten filming crews can work simultaneously on a single shooting day, all striving to complete the production as quickly as possible. The filming process for a 60-episode series, from content creation to release, takes about a month.
According to him, if we take Chinese costume microdramas as an example, filming and production costs are around 700,000 yuan, and the crew consists of approximately 40 people. Compared to full-length dramas, such productions are characterized by a short filming cycle, low costs, and rapid monetization, which has led to a large number of film and television crews continuing to enter the microdrama industry.
The "White Paper on the Development of China's Microdrama Industry in 2025" also notes that, alongside mobile devices, microdrama distribution on television is rapidly growing. As of September 2025, 94 short series were broadcast on Chinese satellite television channels, a 261.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
The global reach of microdramas has made Chinese digital works part of everyday entertainment for a large international audience.
According to the General Administration of Radio and Television (GART), China's micro-drama platforms have reached significant scale, with more than 300 apps downloaded over 470 million times in over 200 countries and regions.
Naturally, microdramas aimed at foreign audiences often feature foreign actors. They speak different languages and take place in different countries.
Genres such as vampire thrillers and supernatural romances, less common on traditional Chinese television, are being produced to appeal to a wider audience.
Global success has also opened up new opportunities for foreign actors, including those with Hollywood experience. According to young Chinese producer Zhang Bezhen, an experienced foreign actor can earn up to 5,000 yuan a day.
By the end of 2024, more than 30,000 microdramas released on Chinese platforms provided more than 647,000 jobs for both Chinese and foreign actors.
With the advent of Sora, an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to generate full HD videos from short text descriptions, the microdrama industry and AI technology have deeply integrated into each other, leading to revolutionary changes in the industry.
“Traditional film and TV special effects are a large-scale and labor-intensive production process, but with the introduction of AI, everything has become easier,” explained Dan Li, an employee of a technology company in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China, adding that from script creation to photography and video production, AI can be present throughout the entire micro-drama production process.
However, experts identified the homogenization of content, a tendency towards vulgarity, intellectual property rights violations, and declining profits as the main problems limiting the sustainable development of the industry.
To address these issues, the State University of Television and Radio Broadcasting (GGURT) has published several documents in a row to ensure the orderly development of the industry. Specifically, last year, a governance framework was established based on content review and licensing for the distribution of microdramas.
During the May Day holiday alone this year, over 2,000 microdramas that violated regulations were removed from platforms across the country, demonstrating China's efforts to improve the industry's eco-environment.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
