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Drum Tower| China
Why is China cracking down on one of its most addictive entertainment exports?
Our weekly podcast on China. This week, we examine the global rise of Chinese micro-dramas—and why the Communist Party is trying to regulate them
An ancient empress, thrust into the modern world, must win over a CEO and his family. After a one-night stand, two people wake up married, and their wedding goes viral. Micro-dramas deliver non-stop twists in under two minutes and audiences can’t stop watching. This booming industry has outpaced China’s box office and Chinese production companies are looking to replicate its success abroad. Meanwhile, the Communist Party is trying to regulate these micro-dramas and adopt the format to spread party-approved values.
Alice Su, The Economist’s senior China correspondent, and Gabriel Crossley, our China correspondent, ask: why is China cracking down on its most addictive entertainment export?