What in the World - BBC Journalists SHOCKED By ADDICTIVE And SEXY Chinese TikTok Dramas

Download BBC Journalists SHOCKED By ADDICTIVE And SEXY Chinese TikTok Dramas

You might have come across ads on your TikTok or Instagram feed for Chinese micro-dramas: short episodes lasting only a few minutes with highly addictive plots. Think scandalous affairs, hot vampires and over the top acting (and lots of slapping). They might be a little cheesy, but they’re big business, with China’s micro-drama market expected to be worth $14bn by 2027. The apps like ReelShort or DramaBox, that produce the dramas are racking up downloads around the world - but what does this mean for the TV and film industry as a whole? And what does it say about the effect our phones are having on our attention spans?

BBC Global China Unit journalist Mengchen Zhang joins us for a special micro-drama screening - and explains how they’re behind a growing multi-billion dollar industry.

Get out the popcorn and put up your feet!

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Presenter: Hannah Gelbart
Producers: Emily Horler and Chelsea Coates
Video Journalist: Baldeep Chahal
Editor: Verity Wilde

Published on Thursday, 26th June 2025.

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