China organizes its hit format Duanju with new rules

Across China, the once chaotic boom in micro-short dramas, those fast, emotional, and vertical-screen stories designed for phone viewers, is entering a new era of structure. Platforms and regulators are now setting formal rules for what began as a digital gold rush. From runaway hits like Escape from the British Museum to countless “rebirth,” “hidden identity,” and “CEO love” plots, micro-dramas have captured the attention of hundreds of millions. But with this success has come a reckoning: how to balance the thrill of fast storytelling with the responsibility to uphold cultural and aesthetic values.

China’s new standard: “Fun, but in moderation”

According to Zhang Yanli, Executive Deputy Director of the New Perspectives Center for Radio, Film, and Television, short dramas must remain enjoyable but avoid “vulgarization.” The challenge now, she says, is to pursue excitement without losing cultural depth or artistic quality. The government’s approach is both administrative and creative. As Ye Mingrui, Vice Dean at the Communication University of China, explains, regulators are defining clearer boundaries of acceptable storytelling including content lists, review mechanisms, and incentives for creators to tell richer, more positive stories. The message is clear: China doesn’t want to stop the short drama boom it wants to shape it into a cultural export with defined moral and aesthetic standards.

Ethics, payment, and the youth audience

Beyond creative content, oversight is tightening around business models too. Authorities are scrutinizing misleading pay-per-episode tactics like hidden auto-renewals and “0.9 yuan unlocks,” which have drawn consumer complaints. Platforms are being urged to rebuild trust and transparency, echoing reforms in China’s long-form streaming sector. Another key area is youth protection. Regulators and scholars alike stress the need for youth modes, parental controls, and content filters that promote positive storytelling. Micro-dramas, they argue, must inspire not mislead young audiences about success, relationships, or morality.

Europe’s window of opportunity

While China writes the rulebook, Europe stands at the frontier of creative experimentation. With platforms like ReelShort and TikTok opening new avenues for monetized micro-storytelling, European creators have the chance to define their own auteur style intimate, experimental, and emotionally intelligent without the heavy moral regulation seen in China. The global rise of vertical drama is no longer just a trend; it’s a format demanding craftsmanship, policy, and purpose. China’s playbook may be strict, but it sets the foundation for the medium’s longevity one that Europe can learn from, even as it shapes its own voice.

Article written by Blessing Azugama

#BlessingAzugama

Sources:

• Guangming Online, August 29, 2025

• Reuters, February 5, 2025