Drama sparks debate

A recent post entitled "A couple earns over 400 million monthly from producing mini-dramas" has sparked discussions on Sina Weibo, drawing attention to the economic significance of this emerging entertainment style among Chinese netizens.

Mini-dramas, often shot in portrait mode for better display on a phone screen, compress captivating storylines into bite-sized episodes, using exaggerated performances to maximize excitement. Each episode usually concludes abruptly at a thrilling moment, leaving viewers eager for more. On some mini-platforms, payment is required to access content beyond the first few episodes.

These mini-program platforms have raised concerns, particularly among older viewers who may accidentally incur charges by selecting the "automatically unlock the next episode by default" option, which can be misleading. Worries about inconsistent content quality and unfair pricing have also caught the attention of both the public and the government.

As of December 2023, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China had implemented additional regulations for online mini-dramas. Since then, video and social media platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and WeChat have taken measures to comply with these regulations.