You might have come across ads on your TikTok or Instagram feed for Chinese micro-dramas: short episodes lasting only a few minutes with highly addictive plots. Think scandalous affairs, hot vampires and over the top acting (and lots of slapping). They might be a little cheesy, but they’re big business, with China’s micro-drama market expected to be worth $14bn by 2027. The apps like ReelShort or DramaBox, that produce the dramas are racking up downloads around the world - but what does this mean for the TV and film industry as a whole? And what does it say about the effect our phones are having on our attention spans?
BBC Global China Unit journalist Mengchen Zhang joins us for a special micro-drama screening - and explains how they’re behind a growing multi-billion dollar industry.
Get out the popcorn and put up your feet!
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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde
