With an ambitious strategy to become a national hub for digital storytelling, Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province in Central China, is rolling out strong support measures to attract creators and boost its microdrama industry.

According to the Zhengzhou culture, radio, television and tourism bureau, in 2024, the city was home to about 820 microdrama production companies, employing more than 30,000 people. The local microdrama market has grown rapidly, reaching a scale of over 2.3 billion yuan ($323 million) — a 28.3 percent year-on-year increase.

"Zhengzhou has many advantages for developing microdramas," said Li Runzhe, general manager of Zhengzhou Dafang Huyu Media. He said that the city has a solid base of film and television professionals, many of whom previously worked in production hubs such as Hengdian in Zhejiang province or Xi'an in Shaanxi province. Attracted by Zhengzhou's growing microdrama scene, many have returned home.

"They've brought back not only experience but also high-quality resources like production studios, strengthening the local industry chain," Li added.

One such returnee is Chen Zhongfu, a 32-year-old producer. After graduating from the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, he first performed in stage plays in the capital and later worked in Hengdian. Over time, he explored other ventures — including a livestreaming company and an esports hotel — but his passion remained in visual storytelling.

"Shifting from traditional horizontal screens to vertical short videos felt natural. The core skills in cinematography and directing are very transferable," Chen said.

He added that the market is maturing. While early microdramas often relied on sensational plots, the industry is now attracting seasoned professionals who pay more attention to narrative logic, camera work, costumes and lighting.

Looking ahead, Chen aims to deepen his involvement in the short-form drama field, focusing on production, actor training and facility operations. "I regularly analyze top-ranking content to understand successful formulas, accumulating experience to contribute high-quality work to Zhengzhou's growing short-form video industry," Chen said. Labor and equipment costs in Zhengzhou are relatively low compared to other major production bases, helping to keep project budgets manageable.

Li's company, for example, now employs nearly 80 people and produces 20 to 30 microdramas per month, mainly targeting male audiences with modern themes.

To further support the industry, the city government released an industrial development plan in July, aiming to build one or two influential microdrama industrial parks that cover the entire production chain and nurture more than 10 competitive production and distribution companies.

The city will also integrate local cultural and tourism resources — historic sites, museums, as well as the Shaolin Temple — into microdrama projects, further enhancing Zhengzhou's city brand and diversifying its business models. Through development of microdrama-themed tourism, promotion of microdrama creation activities and construction of interactive experience zones, the city aims to transform online audience advantages into industrial advantages.

Zhengzhou seeks to grow its microdrama market to 10 billion yuan by 2027, according to the plan.

The Dazhi Film and Television Cultural Industrial Park in the city's Jinshui district embodies this vision. It offers a complete service chain — from scriptwriting and filming to post-production and talent training.

Since starting trial operations in April, the park's 50 indoor sets have hosted nearly 600 film crews.

Once fully operational, it is expected to generate over one billion yuan in annual revenue and create more than 2,000 jobs.

"The sector has brought unprecedented opportunities to local professionals while contributing significantly to the regional economy," said Wu Zhijun, chairman of the industrial park.

Local companies are also expanding overseas. Happyshort, a Zhengzhou-based microdrama company, began its global expansion in 2023 and officially launched its overseas platform in September 2024. According to Zhou Chunxu, director of public affairs at Happyshort, the platform has already produced nearly 2,000 translated dramas and over 100 premium original local series, reaching more than 200 countries and regions in languages including English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Thai and Arabic.

Qi Xin contributed to this story.