Micro-Drama: From Chinese Phenomenon to Global Trend - Peer Reviewed Preprint Version

Preprint notice: This manuscript is a preprint and has been peer-reviewed and subsequently revised. The peer reviews are also available in this repository. It is shared to invite feedback and foster open scholarly discussion. The version, when peer-reviewed for a journal publication, if produced, may differ from this version.

This article examines the emergence of Chinese micro-dramas (duanju) as a platform-native form of short-form serial storytelling and considers their significance within contemporary screen media cultures. Characterised by vertical video aesthetics, ultra-brief episodic structures, and mobile-first modes of address, micro-dramas have developed into a large-scale industry shaped by algorithmic recommendation systems, accelerated production cycles, and integrated monetisation models. Drawing on scholarly literature, industry reports, and journalistic discourse, the article analyses the industrial organisation, aesthetic conventions, and narrative strategies that underpin the format’s rapid consolidation in China. Particular attention is given to the role of platforms and multi-channel networks (MCNs) in standardising production, optimising content for platform metrics, and scaling serial output. The article also examines debates surrounding audience engagement, regulation, and content quality, situating these within broader discussions of platform governance and cultural production. Moving beyond a purely national frame, it places micro-dramas in comparative perspective through discussion of international circulation and adaptation, including emerging engagements in the UK. Rather than presenting micro-dramas as a radical break from existing screen forms, the article argues that they represent an intensified reconfiguration of serial storytelling under mobile, data-driven, and platform-oriented conditions.

This paper was prepared by Dr Roy Hanney (University Nottingham Ningbo China) with the assistance of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which was used to synthesise literature, draft sections, and support editing. All content was reviewed, edited, and approved by the author.

© Roy Hanney, 2025. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-NC 4.0).