In 2024, the short drama industry has undergone a profound transformation from wild growth to high-quality and standardized transformation. On the one hand, regulatory authorities have strengthened content review and market supervision, and through policies such as classified and layered review, the industry has gradually gotten rid of the dilemma of homogeneity and shoddy production; on the other hand, as the audience's requirements for content quality continue to increase, such as the great success of short dramas produced by Stephen Chow and Huang Xiaoming, it shows a shift from "traffic wins" to "word-of-mouth drive".

However, the short drama industry still faces many challenges in terms of copyright protection, sustainability of profit models, aesthetic fatigue, inaccurate content supply, impact of AI content, and survival space for small and medium-sized teams.

Ding Yaping, President of the Chinese Higher Education Film and Television Society, Dean of the School of Art at Communication University of China, and Distinguished Professor at the Beijing Film Academy, accepted an exclusive interview with The Paper, analyzing the changes that micro-short dramas are currently experiencing, the challenges they face, and possible solutions.

Ding Yaping, President of the China Higher Education Film and Television Society, Dean of the School of Arts at Communication University of China, and Distinguished Professor at the Beijing Film Academy

Professor Ding Yaping pointed out that the development of short dramas this year can be summarized by a few key words: "normative norms", "high-quality development", "platform competition upgrade", "genre innovation", "business model diversification" and "international expansion". These changes not only reflect the positive guiding role of regulatory authorities, but also show the determination of short dramas to transform from shoddy production to high-quality content.

Ding Yaping also talked about the many challenges facing the current short drama industry, such as the copyright and intellectual property protection mechanisms that need to be improved; the lack of unified standards in the script creation and production process, the level of practitioners, and the replication of popular products has led to the current uneven quality of micro-short dramas; over-reliance on large capital platforms, and the entry of large companies will not only promote the development of high-quality products, but also squeeze the survival space of small and medium-sized teams.

It is worth mentioning that Ding Yaping gave a lot of practical suggestions for the rise of the "silver-haired group": reduce the stimulation and oppression of the editing rhythm, pay attention to the user characteristics of these platforms, choose appropriate communication methods, launch "health short dramas" and "medical science dramas" and other types of suggestions.

【dialogue】

Industry refinement and the road ahead: four major obstacles and four challenges

The Paper: What significant changes has the short drama industry experienced in 2024? Can you summarize it with a few keywords?

Ding Yaping: In 2024, the micro-short drama industry has undergone complex and profound changes.

The first keyword is " ought-to-be norms ". In 2024, regulatory authorities stepped up content review and market supervision of the micro-short drama industry, pushing the industry toward a healthier and more orderly development track. In June, the "Latest Work Tips on Micro-short Drama Filing" issued by the State Administration of Radio and Television officially came into effect, clearly requiring classified and layered review. Some dramas were removed from the shelves due to illegal marketing, prompting the industry to return to high-quality creation.

The second keyword is " high-quality development ". In the early days, micro-short dramas were mostly produced in a low-cost, short-cycle mode, with problems of rough production and routine plots. However, in 2024, as the audience's requirements for content quality continue to increase, the industry has officially entered an era of high-quality shaping with multiple perspectives interpenetrating and interweaving. For some short dramas, the production level has been greatly improved, and the audio-visual language of the short dramas has even reached the level of movie-level sophistication. At the same time, professional actors and directors have joined in, promoting the transformation of micro-short dramas from "traffic winning" to "word-of-mouth driven". For example, in June, the first short drama "Golden Pig and Jade Leaf" produced by Stephen Chow was launched on Douyin, and the first season's playback volume exceeded 220 million. In August, the short drama "Sister One" produced by Huang Xiaoming was recharged for more than 10 million in 24 hours after its launch, setting a new benchmark for the industry.

Poster of "Golden Pig and Jade Leaf"

The third keyword is " platform competition upgrade ." Major video platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, Tencent Video, and iQiyi have increased their investment in short dramas, forming a more refined division of labor, and are also competing in payment models, IP incubation, and user operations.

The fourth keyword is " genre innovation ". In the past, short short dramas mainly revolved around fixed patterns such as sweet pet, domineering boss, revenge, etc., but in 2024, genre creation ushered in a breakthrough, and new themes such as urban, female, family, suspense, etc. continued to emerge, attracting a wider audience group.

The fifth keyword is " diversified business model ". In 2024, short short dramas have made continuous breakthroughs in business models, forming diversified profit models such as advertising placement + membership subscription + e-commerce monetization + live interaction. Compared with traditional long dramas, the commercialization chain of short short dramas is more flexible and the monetization methods are more diverse. Short dramas + live broadcasting have become a new trend. Some short dramas directly embed products in the plot, and the audience can buy them directly while watching.

The sixth keyword is " international expansion ". In 2024, the short drama market is no longer limited to China. More and more works will be exported through platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Netflix. "Cultural and sports sharing" will emerge, attracting global users, especially in Southeast Asia.

The Paper: What do you think are the main obstacles to the development of micro-short dramas? How can these obstacles be overcome?

Ding Yaping: In 2024, the micro-short drama industry will enter the stage of high-quality development, but it still faces many obstacles in content creation, production standards, business models, etc., which restricts the sustainable development of the industry.

First, many short short dramas currently adopt a low-cost, fast-production and fast-selling model to obtain the maximum traffic return in the shortest time, resulting in a large amount of content homogeneity, routine plots, lack of innovation, and production companies are more inclined to copy the popular model. To overcome this obstacle, it is necessary to expand and increase the capacity of short short dramas and establish industry boutique standards, including formulating a scoring system for the production of short short dramas, encouraging platforms to promote high-quality content, and limiting the traffic distribution of low-quality short dramas. Policies can support high-quality projects, such as setting up a "short drama boutique fund", providing subsidies for high-quality content, and encouraging producers to improve the quality of scripts and production standards. Encourage the IPization of short dramas, break the "one-time traffic monetization" model, promote the development of short dramas towards serialization and branding, and attract long-term investment.

Second, the quality of script creation is uneven , and there is a lack of teleologically oriented professional screenwriter support. We have seen that many short play scripts are adapted from short video creators or online articles. The script logic is thin, the plot lacks depth, and it is difficult to support a high-quality narrative structure. At the same time, the screenwriter industry has not yet established a creative system specifically for micro-short plays. Excellent screenwriters are more willing to invest in the long drama or film market, and short plays are difficult to attract professional talents. Therefore, a micro-short play screenwriter training mechanism should be established to promote cooperation between universities and film and television companies and encourage young screenwriters to enter the short play market. A short play script incubation plan should be established to improve the originality of the script.

The third obstacle is that the short drama industry has not yet formed an industrialized production process similar to movies and long dramas, and there is a lack of unified standards in actor selection, shooting process, post-production and other links . Many short dramas still rely on Internet celebrities or amateur actors, lack professional performances and director guidance, which affects the overall viewing experience. Therefore, it is particularly necessary to formulate short drama production standards, encourage professional actors to participate in short dramas, promote short dramas to become a new track in the industry, and improve the overall performance quality of the works.

Fourth, the current monetization of short dramas mainly relies on advertising placement, advanced on-demand, and short video platform traffic sharing, lacking a stable profit model . To avoid charging for plot fragmentation, we can learn from the "advanced on-demand + membership rights" model of long dramas, so that users can voluntarily pay for high-quality content . Explore the commercialization of IP derivatives and promote the development of short drama IPs, such as launching movies, variety shows, comics, games, etc. with the same theme, to enhance brand value and future ideal orientation, and enhance long-term profitability.

The Paper: In addition to the above issues, what other issues in the future development of micro-short dramas deserve special attention?

Ding Yaping: I think that in future development, the micro-short drama industry still faces the following challenges and potential risks that deserve special attention.

First, the issue of copyright and intellectual property protection . Due to the short production cycle and low cost of micro-short dramas, some creators adapt online novels, plagiarize film and television dramas without authorization, or even directly use other people's original works. In 2024, there have been many disputes over copyright infringement of short dramas, but the copyright protection mechanism of existing laws and regulations in the emerging field of micro-short dramas is still weak. If the copyright issue is not resolved for a long time, it may affect the creative ecology of the micro-short drama industry, reduce the market competitiveness of original content, and even cause legal disputes.

Second, the sustainability of the profit model is also an issue that requires special attention. At present, the business model of micro-short dramas mainly relies on membership subscriptions, single-episode on-demand, advertising placement, live streaming and other methods, but users' payment habits are still in the cultivation stage, and the market's acceptance of high-frequency charging models is limited. If the industry relies too much on "advanced on-demand" or "short-term traffic monetization", it may cause audience disgust and affect user stickiness. If micro-short dramas cannot form a long-term and stable business model and a "multi-in-one" short drama model, but rely on short-term explosive monetization, it will be difficult to establish a sustainable and healthy industrial ecology.

Third, as a carrier of pan-culture, why or how the conscious awareness of emotional sharing, cultural values and aesthetic values is formed is particularly important. Among them, aesthetic fatigue is a problem that needs attention. Although micro-short dramas have begun to make breakthroughs in science fiction, suspense, history, reality and other themes in 2024, the "sweet pet + domineering + revenge" model is still the real breakthrough. If artistry is not taken seriously and innovation is insufficient, the audience will easily develop aesthetic fatigue, leading to a slowdown in the growth of the short drama market. If the short drama industry cannot continue to innovate, it may face the risk of audience loss or even being replaced by other emerging media in the future.

Fourth, the impact of AI content also needs special attention . The application of AI in script creation, video generation, special effects production, etc. has gradually become popular, which has greatly reduced the production cost of short dramas and lowered the threshold for creation. However, can the content created by AI meet the aesthetic needs of the audience? How to ensure that AI does not weaken the value of the original playwright? Can AI help short dramas form a unique aesthetic experience and a broader realm? These are all issues that the industry needs to think about.

Finally, the shrinking living space of small and medium-sized teams in the short drama industry is also an issue that cannot be ignored . With the intensified competition in the micro short drama industry in 2024, large platforms such as Douyin, Kuaishou, Tencent Video, and iQiyi have increased their capital investment in the industry, resulting in a high concentration of capital and resources. This enables the top short drama companies to obtain more resources and market share, while the living space of small and medium-sized teams is further compressed. If the short drama industry is over-capitalized, the market may be monopolized by a few large companies, thereby restricting the development of innovative small teams and seriously affecting the diversity and innovation vitality of the industry.

The creation of short dramas with a main theme needs to break through the limitations of traditional thinking

The Paper: What does the “Micro-Short Drama+” action plan recently proposed by the State Administration of Radio and Television mean for the development of the industry?

Ding Yaping: The "Micro Drama +" action plan proposed by the State Administration of Radio and Television aims to promote the deep integration of micro dramas with multiple industries, making them not only entertainment content, but also a powerful tool for cultural communication, knowledge education, and social services. The introduction of this policy has brought three important impacts on the development of the micro drama industry:

First, expand the content boundaries of micro-short dramas. Traditional micro-short dramas are mostly concentrated in the genres of sweet pets, domineering bosses, and cool novel adaptations, while the "Micro-short drama +" action plan encourages short dramas to be combined with cultural tourism, law, popular science, intangible cultural heritage, and classic culture.

Many places are actively exploring the refinement of short short plays, combining short plays with cultural tourism, intangible cultural heritage and other fields.

Second, promote high-quality creation and improve industry standards. Third, enhance the diversification of business models. The profit model of traditional short dramas is mainly based on advertising and paid viewing, while the "Short Drama +" action plan promotes multi-industry empowerment and enhances the commercial value of short dramas.

The Paper: What do you think of the current situation of short dramas with mainstream themes? Is it possible for short dramas to become an important carrier for spreading mainstream values and social responsibility? If so, how should they be done?

Ding Yaping: The current situation of main-theme short dramas can be said to be full of potential but also facing certain challenges. From the current situation, although main-theme short dramas have begun to occupy a place in the market, their overall development is still in the exploratory stage. On the one hand, they can quickly reach a wide audience in a short and sharp form, especially among young people, and have a high communication efficiency. On the other hand, many main-theme works still have a certain degree of singleness in creation, and some works seem too straightforward and preachy, which is difficult to really impress the audience.

The advantage of the main theme short drama is that it can convey social responsibility through emotional resonance and practical significance, and has great social value. However, in order to make it a truly influential communication carrier, creators need to break through the traditional thinking limitations in terms of content, focus on storytelling and emotional expression, rather than just staying at the communication or promotion of ideas. Innovative narrative techniques, the selection of themes that are closer to the current society, and more humane character creation are all key factors in promoting the development of the main theme short drama.

I believe that if the main theme is combined with innovative narrative methods, and further optimized in terms of lyrical expression, creative concepts, business models, communication methods, and the improvement of industrial levels, it will be possible to become an important carrier of mainstream values with the flavor of the times. Main theme IPs can also be created in the form of a series of short plays, such as the "Rule of Law Series" and the "Intangible Cultural Heritage Series". In addition, main theme short plays can be promoted through platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, bringing Chinese stories and Chinese culture to the global market and promoting Chinese culture overseas.

The Paper: Does the policy provide guidance or support for the diversification of short drama themes? Which themes will be given priority support and recommended and supported by relevant departments?

Ding Yaping: In recent years, there have indeed been some obvious trends. From what I understand, especially in terms of the guidance of creation, realistic themes, historical culture, popular science education, and rule of law themes are all the directions of policy priority support . For example, realistic themes around social hot issues and people's livelihood topics can reflect the changes of the times and social problems , easily resonate and convey positive social values. For example, the creation of historical and traditional cultural themes promotes national spirit and cultural confidence. In addition, works related to health education, science and technology popularization, improving public literacy, disseminating scientific knowledge, and rule of law and social norms are also likely to receive greater resource allocation.

The Paper: Can short dramas become an important part of China's cultural industry in the next few years? How big is its potential?

Ding Yaping: In recent years, micro short dramas have rapidly risen and formed an independent market with the characteristics of short-time efficiency, fragmented communication, low cost and high return. In 2025 and beyond, short video platforms, streaming platforms, and traditional film and television companies will further develop micro short dramas and promote them into a mature development stage. Secondly, the improvement of the content ecology of the short drama industry, and the development of standardization and high-quality products will make micro short dramas truly cultural products, not just traffic tools. Thirdly, the forms of "short drama + intangible cultural heritage" and "short drama + cultural tourism promotion" have begun to show results, and the short drama industry has become an important carrier of Chinese cultural communication with unique influence.

Micro short dramas are mainly aimed at young people and audiences in the sinking market, but with the participation of middle-aged and elderly audiences and users in the international market, the audience structure of short dramas will be more diversified in reality and in the future. The expansion of new channels such as smart TVs, social platforms, and overseas markets will further expand the market space for short dramas. At the same time, with the increasing acceptance of short dramas by international platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Netflix, Chinese short dramas are entering the global market and will become an important breakthrough for the globalization of China's cultural industry, setting off a short drama craze in overseas markets with its value-driven force and implicit logic.

Possible directions for optimizing and adjusting the supervision of short dramas in 2025

The Paper: In response to the problems of vulgar content and homogeneity of micro-short dramas, the management department has taken a number of measures to regulate and guide them in 2024. What role has this played in the healthy development of the industry? What do you think has the greatest impact on the micro-short drama industry?

Ding Yaping: Overall, it has played a positive role in the micro-drama industry. First, the upgrade of the review system has promoted the standardized development of the industry and prevented vulgar content from "playing the edge" in the form of short videos. At the same time, the guidance of the policy has also prompted creators to transform from shoddy production to higher-quality and diverse content.

Secondly, policy guidance has played an important role in promoting the text content to enhance its perceptibility and diffusion. The micro-short drama market has gradually shown a trend of more diversified themes and more refined creations.

In addition, regulatory authorities have strengthened the management of commercial monetization methods such as short drama advertisements, payment models, and live streaming, and strictly required to avoid excessive inducement of consumption and false propaganda. Through this policy, the industry has gradually gotten rid of the early situation of over-reliance on advertising and low-cost traffic monetization , and turned to a more sustainable paid subscription and membership model.

So, on the whole, the regulatory policies in 2024 have effectively curbed many chaos in the micro-short drama market and laid a good and irreplaceable foundation for the sustainable and healthy development of the industry.

The Paper: Are there different standards for the content review of short dramas and traditional TV dramas? In what specific aspects are they reflected?

Ding Yaping: The review standards for micro-short dramas pay more attention to the security of the online communication environment and the compliance of content marketing.

First, the differences in the review mechanisms are quite obvious. Traditional film and television dramas need to submit complete scripts and production plans, and must be filed and reviewed by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television or provincial radio and television departments. The review process is relatively accurate and is considered cumbersome. In contrast, the review standards for micro-short dramas are more flexible, and the level of review is mainly determined by factors such as subject matter, duration, and scope of dissemination. For low-cost short dramas, platforms and companies can conduct self-review; while short dramas with a higher influence or dissemination range need to be reported and subject to more stringent review.

The second is the focus of the review. Traditional film and television dramas mainly focus on political orientation, historical authenticity, and ideological security, and have strict scrutiny and regulations on violence, pornography, superstition, and terror elements. In addition to the review focus of traditional film and television dramas, the regulatory authorities have specifically strengthened the supervision of "borderline" content, vulgar marketing, and exaggerated plots.

The second difference is the dissemination channels. Traditional film and television dramas are mainly distributed through TV stations, film channels, and public screening platforms, and the broadcasters need to conduct strict content review. Since short dramas are mainly disseminated through online platforms, the platforms need to bear the responsibility of "first review" and establish a content monitoring mechanism.

Finally, there is the regulation of payment models. Traditional film and television dramas mainly make profits through theater box office, membership subscriptions, etc., and the audience payment model is relatively transparent. Short dramas are different. Since "advanced on-demand" and "single-episode payment" have become the main profit methods for short dramas, some short dramas have problems such as "the work is beyond the poem" and inducing users to unlock high prices . Therefore, it is necessary for the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television to strengthen the supervision of the business model of short dramas in 2024, requiring users to be clearly informed of the payment rules and prohibiting excessive consumption inducement.

These measures have enabled micro-short dramas to gradually develop in the direction of standardization and refinement, reduce reliance on vulgar traffic, and enhance the cultural value and market recognition of the works.

The Paper: Facing the rapidly changing market demands, how can we promote the healthy development of short dramas through policy support and technical means in 2025 while keeping up with the ever-changing market? Will there be any adjustments to the censorship standards?

Ding Yaping: In 2025, policies may further adjust the content review mechanism to balance the requirements of creative freedom and social values. Short dramas will implement differentiated filing and review processes based on factors such as subject matter, audience and payment model, lowering the approval threshold for high-quality works while strengthening the control of sensitive content. In addition, policies may set up special funds and support plans. In terms of supervision, the management of short drama charging models may be strengthened to avoid excessive inducement of consumption. In terms of technical means, AI can reduce costs and increase efficiency, launch personalized subscription models, and improve user stickiness, which is also a good way worthy of attention.

In 2025, the review standards for short dramas may be optimized in the following aspects: the classification review system will be more refined, and short dramas will be managed in different levels according to the subject matter, market positioning, and audience groups, with different review mechanisms and standards applicable to different categories; content supervision will be more precise . The "one-size-fits-all" phenomenon will be reduced to avoid affecting the creative space of high-quality content, while maintaining high-pressure supervision on marginal marketing and vulgar plots; in response to the trend of short dramas going overseas, content standards that meet overseas markets may be formulated to help short dramas enter the international market.

In the face of five development trends, the industry should establish a quality certification mechanism

The Paper: From your observation, what are the characteristics of the main audience groups of short short plays in 2024? With regard to the increasing number of middle-aged and elderly audiences, are their needs fully met? How should short short play creators adjust their strategies in the future for the silver-haired group?

Ding Yaping: The main audience groups of short dramas in 2024 have the following characteristics: Young people aged 18 to 35 are the core audience. They prefer fast-paced, strong plot reversals, and invisible enlightenment calls, such as sweet pets, domineering bosses, suspense, fantasy and other themes. Among them, female audiences are significantly more than male audiences, so female-oriented themes are also on the rise; users in the sinking market of third-tier and lower-tier cities are also the main audience group. This type of audience has a high stickiness to short videos and short dramas, and likes content with easy plots, strong sense of substitution, and close to life, such as rural revitalization, urban counterattack, inspirational stories, etc.

Indeed, in recent years , the proportion of short dramas watched by the silver-haired group has continued to rise , and they especially prefer short dramas on family ethics, urban themes, history and culture, and health and wellness. However, the overall micro-short drama market is still dominated by content that young people like, and the content supply for middle-aged and elderly audiences is still insufficient . First of all , the subject matter is less adaptable, and there are few short dramas on history and culture, family emotions, and health and wellness that really suit the interests of the silver-haired group. Secondly, many short dramas use high-intensity editing and fast-paced narratives, which may not be in line with the viewing habits of middle-aged and elderly audiences. At the same time, the operation of some short drama platforms is complicated and not friendly to silver-haired users. In addition, many short dramas adopt a single-episode on-demand or advance unlocking model, but the willingness to pay and consumption habits of silver-haired audiences are different from those of young users, which may affect their viewing experience.

Short dramas about middle-aged and elderly people have flooded into the market, but there are few short dramas about history and culture, family emotions, and health and wellness that truly suit the interests of the silver-haired group.

In view of the rise of the silver-haired audience group, adjustments can be made in the following aspects to better meet their needs.

The transformation of content creation to be suitable for the elderly is a core element. Short drama creators should conduct in-depth research on the cultural needs and psychological characteristics of the elderly population and launch themes that are more in line with their values and life experiences. For example, they should focus on the creation of themes such as family ethics, intergenerational relationships, historical reviews, and health and wellness.

At the same time, the irritation and pressure of the editing rhythm should be reduced to ensure that the storytelling is smoother and suitable for middle-aged and elderly people to watch. Optimize the details such as subtitles, font size and background music to make the short play content easier for the elderly to accept. In addition, it is also possible to develop aging-friendly player functions such as one-click zoom, voice broadcast, simplified operation interface, etc., to reduce the obstacles faced by elderly audiences during use.

The optimization of communication channels cannot be ignored. Although traditional short video platforms are very attractive to young people, for the elderly, smart TVs, elderly care social platforms, and digital tools and applications commonly used by the elderly are often more familiar and comfortable viewing channels. Therefore, short drama creators should pay attention to the user characteristics of these platforms, choose appropriate communication methods , and ensure that the content can accurately reach the target audience.

Finally, the integration of health education and knowledge dissemination is another key direction for the development of short short dramas. With the advent of an aging society, the silver-haired population has an increasing demand for practical health management and medical knowledge. We can launch "health short dramas" and "medical science dramas" and other types of short dramas, and appropriately implant health knowledge into the plot to enhance the fun, practical value and audience stickiness of the content.

The Paper: Large Internet companies have entered the field of micro-short dramas. What challenges and opportunities will this bring to the existing market structure?

Ding Yaping: In terms of opportunities, first, large Internet companies have sufficient funds, technical resources and operational experience. After entering the micro-short drama market, they can promote the transformation of the industry from shoddy production to high-quality content. Moreover, the platform attracts professional screenwriters, directors and actors, accelerates the industrialization of short dramas, and breaks the limitations of "Internet celebrities and amateurs" .

Second, Internet companies have their own traffic platforms, which can enable short dramas to be quickly and accurately distributed and promoted efficiently, thereby increasing the exposure and monetization capabilities of the works . Platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou rely on short video algorithm recommendations, while long video platforms will promote the commercialization of short dramas.

Third, making short drama platforms pay more attention to compliance management and content review will help reduce vulgarity, homogeneity, excessive marketing and other chaos .

Of course, it also brings new challenges. First, Internet giants control traffic entrances and platform resources, which squeezes the market of small and medium-sized short drama production companies, which may lead to increased industry concentration and the formation of an oligopolistic competition pattern . If small and medium-sized companies cannot obtain platform traffic support, it will be difficult to compete with large companies. Secondly, relying on big data and algorithm recommendations may lead to the market pursuing "maximum traffic", thereby reducing innovative attempts, and homogeneous content is still difficult to avoid .

Thirdly, Internet companies control the entire chain of short drama production, distribution, and monetization, which may restrict the creative freedom of independent creators and even set higher entry barriers for small and medium-sized production companies. Short drama production companies are more dependent on platforms, their bargaining power is reduced, and their profit margins are compressed.

The Paper: Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, what development trends do you think short dramas will present? What preparations should platforms and the industry make for this?

Ding Yaping: Judging from the market trend, the scale of short dramas is continuing to expand. According to the "2024 Short Drama Industry Ecosystem Insight Report" produced by the China Internet Audiovisual Association not long ago, the market size of short dramas will reach 50.44 billion yuan in 2024, and will create 647,000 jobs. We can predict that the short drama market will continue to grow after 2025, and short video platforms and streaming media will continue to increase investment.

"2024 Micro-Short Drama Industry Ecosystem Insight Report"

In terms of content creation trends, there will be a shift from "cool writing" to diversification . Due to the increase in production investment, short dramas will develop from fast-moving consumer content to movie-level quality and high artistic value. The "short drama + star" model will become a new development trend and enhance market competitiveness.

In terms of business model trends, in 2024, the market share of free short dramas will exceed that of paid short dramas, and the free model (IAA) will rise . Of course, paid short dramas still have potential, and users are willing to pay for high-quality content. Business models such as brand-customized short dramas and live-streaming short dramas are beginning to emerge, and micro short dramas are gradually becoming an important carrier of content marketing.

In terms of technological innovation trends, the development and application of AI have brought new opportunities.

In terms of overseas dissemination trends, on the one hand, Chinese micro-short dramas are growing rapidly in the Southeast Asian, European and American markets. Localized adaptation and cross-platform cooperation will become a trend, and short dramas may be launched in multiple languages in the future.

In the face of these trends, platforms should support high-quality content, set up creator funds, and encourage strong teams to launch high-quality dramas; they also need to optimize recommendation algorithms, improve user retention rates, and avoid content homogeneity; the industry should promote standardized production, establish a micro-short drama quality certification mechanism, and encourage high-quality content creation. At the same time, explore short drama IP derivatives to improve the content value chain. In addition, short drama companies should strengthen international cooperation and establish a global distribution system.