China’s micro-drama boom is just getting started

Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a two-part series examining the rise of branded short-form dramas in China and their implications for luxury fashion brands. Part 2, to be published July 14, explores how brands are leveraging this medium and provides strategic guidance for luxury labels considering entry into the space. What does it take to capture the attention of 662 million Chinese internet users in an era of infinite scroll? According to the China Online Audiovisual Development Research Report (2025), the answer increasingly lies in short-form dramas — bite-sized stories that pack emotional punch into minutes, not hours. In early February, What a Good Girl, a vertical-format series starring rising actor Ke Chun (柯淳), quickly became a viral sensation. Each episode garnered between 70 million to 80 million views, and according to data from Yunhe, the series now leads the 2025 short-form drama charts with over 3.02 billion effective views. But what does 3 billion views actually signify? On platforms like Douyin, a single video crossing the 100 million mark is already considered a top-tier hit. For a short drama to sustain tens of millions of views per episode — and ultimately approach 3 billion in total — suggests not just popularity, but national-level cultural saturation. Ke also appeared on the February cover of Figaro Mode this year. Within 24 hours of its release, the issue had sold over 14,000 copies, generating more than $98,000 (710,000 RMB) in revenue — a striking indication of the commercial influence and fashion appeal short-form drama actors are beginning to command. Ke isn't alone. Fellow actors He Jianqi (何健麒), Shen Haonan (申浩男), and Ma Xiaoyu (马小宇) have also graced the covers of magazines like L’Officiel (China), reinforcing growing industry recognition of their cultural visibility within the fashion space. “Young women are the primary audience for short-form dramas, and the actors in these series hold real sway over them. In the long run, these same viewers may very well become the next generation of luxury consumers,” says Joie, a former fashion publicist and now a business manager at Haidong Films (嗨懂影视), who requested to go by her first name. Short dramas move upmarket Initially, short-form dramas gained traction on social media platforms for their compact narratives, rapid pacing, short production cycles, and low budgets. Designed for mobile viewing, often in vertical format, these mini-episodes typically deliver dramatic tension, or emotional highs within seconds or minutes. Plot twists, gratification-driven storytelling, and high-intensity emotional beats became the formula to capture, and hold, viewer attention in an increasingly distracted digital landscape. But with their viral success came criticism. The very features that made short dramas addictive — brevity, speed, and instant payoff — also led to frequent compromises in character depth and narrative structure. Repetitive tropes, formulaic plots, and sensationalized storylines became common, reinforcing the perception that short dramas are lowbrow, disposable entertainment. As a result, they have long struggled to gain legitimacy within mainstream film circles or critical cultural discourse. Over the past year, however, the short drama market has begun to shift quietly, from fast, feel-good content to something more considered and refined. “Since short dramas came under more formal oversight by broadcasting authorities in 2024, we’ve seen a steady push toward quality,” says Dong Haining, founder of Haidong Films. “For production companies like ours, making something that resonates now requires higher budgets. Over 60% of the teams entering the space are now from professional film and TV backgrounds.” Industry legitimization In June, lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) partnered with the First International Film Festival, known for championing emerging filmmakers, to launch the Red Mirror Short Drama Initiative. For the first time, short-form content is being developed with the dual structure of a film festival: script competition and project incubation. The move blurs the boundaries between traditional storytelling formats, and signals a deeper evolution — short dramas are no longer just mass-market entertainment; they are fast becoming a format that blends artistic ambition, professional standards, and visual sophistication. Echo Kuo, Vice President of Commercial Affairs at Silvery Earth, a studio involved in the production of several viral short dramas, tells Jing Daily: “With the emergence of new industry awards, quality has become a key benchmark in how short dramas are now evaluated. You rarely see the kind of incoherent, low-effort content that once dominated the space. Today, the short drama landscape is hyper-competitive — visual polish, casting decisions, and narrative clarity have all become baseline expectations.” This transformation from disposable content to premium entertainment represents more than just an industry maturation, it signals a fundamental shift in how Chinese audiences consume and value digital storytelling. As production values rise and talent pools deepen, short dramas are positioning themselves as a legitimate alternative to traditional entertainment formats, with the added advantage of being perfectly suited to mobile-first consumption patterns. Coming in Part 2 on July 14: From viewers to buyers: How luxury brands can capitalize on the short drama boom

China’s micro-drama boom is just getting started

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Published July 09, 2025

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China’s micro-drama boom is just getting started