Microdramas Pulled in $7 Billion in China in 2024 as AI Accelerates Production

In 2024, Chinese microdramas, known as duanju, generated $7 billion, marking the first time they outperformed the domestic box office, as reported by Johnny Chan, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. These shows, typically lasting around one minute per episode and designed for smartphones, draw in hundreds of millions of viewers and are gaining traction in the United States. Chan's study indicates that the interaction between viewers and algorithms complicates disengagement, diminishing natural stopping points. Early episodes are available for free, with cliffhangers prompting viewers to pay for subsequent content. A survey conducted in the US in 2025 revealed that 45% of consumers were aware of microdramas. Suggested measures for improvement include episode pauses, clearer pricing, and increased transparency in recommendation systems, although evidence supporting these proposals is scarce.