Over the past five years, Chinese short dramas have leapt from a niche category to a mainstream form of content consumption. Data from iiMedia Research and other institutions show that China’s mini-drama market grew from approximately RMB 0.94 billion in 2020 to approximately RMB 67.79 billion in 2025. Other industry estimates suggest that, on a broader measure of output value, the mini-drama-related market approached or exceeded the RMB 100-billion mark in 2025, putting it at close to, or even more than, several times the film box office over the same period (figures vary depending on statistical scope).
Behind this rapid growth lies maturity on three fronts—user habits, business models and supply capacity: vertical, short-form content suits fragmented viewing; multiple revenue models—paid content, advertising, revenue sharing and branded customization—coexist; and mini-programs, standalone apps, short-video platforms and long-form video channels together form a multi-point distribution network. Meanwhile, continuously improving regulation and growing platform support have pushed the industry from “unchecked growth” toward “balancing quality and efficiency.”
Heading into 2026, published research broadly points to the same conclusion: the user base has reached hundreds of millions, standalone short-drama apps have sizable monthly active users, and free-to-watch models are advancing in parallel with premium content. The focus of competition is shifting from “who releases faster” to “who can produce premium titles that drive repeat purchases, build IP with lasting value, and develop replicable models for international markets.”
HESHU Insight: A RMB 100-billion market does not automatically translate into growth for every company. For content operators, the real moat is closed-loop capability across “content production + distribution and media buying + a shared technology platform”—the ability to consistently deliver high-quality series that pass review, and to achieve efficient distribution and data-driven iteration across multiple devices and multilingual markets.