Zhengzhou bets big on microdrama sector

Li's company, for example, now employs nearly 80 people and produces 20 to 30 microdramas per month, mainly targeting male audiences with modern themes.

To further support the industry, the city government released an industrial development plan in July, aiming to build one or two influential microdrama industrial parks that cover the entire production chain and nurture more than 10 competitive production and distribution companies.

The city will also integrate local cultural and tourism resources — historic sites, museums, as well as the Shaolin Temple — into microdrama projects, further enhancing Zhengzhou's city brand and diversifying its business models. Through development of microdrama-themed tourism, promotion of microdrama creation activities and construction of interactive experience zones, the city aims to transform online audience advantages into industrial advantages.

Zhengzhou seeks to grow its microdrama market to 10 billion yuan by 2027, according to the plan.

The Dazhi Film and Television Cultural Industrial Park in the city's Jinshui district embodies this vision. It offers a complete service chain — from scriptwriting and filming to post-production and talent training.

Since starting trial operations in April, the park's 50 indoor sets have hosted nearly 600 film crews.

Once fully operational, it is expected to generate over one billion yuan in annual revenue and create more than 2,000 jobs.

"The sector has brought unprecedented opportunities to local professionals while contributing significantly to the regional economy," said Wu Zhijun, chairman of the industrial park.

Local companies are also expanding overseas. Happyshort, a Zhengzhou-based microdrama company, began its global expansion in 2023 and officially launched its overseas platform in September 2024. According to Zhou Chunxu, director of public affairs at Happyshort, the platform has already produced nearly 2,000 translated dramas and over 100 premium original local series, reaching more than 200 countries and regions in languages including English, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Thai and Arabic.

Qi Xin contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn