Award-winning director Jia Zhangke defends short dramas as valid art that can move audiences
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Award-winning Chinese director Jia Zhangke defends short dramas as valid art capable of moving audiences, acknowledging the format's popularity amid the success of ByteDance's AI-powered short-drama platform Hongguo, which launched in 2023 and has surpassed major streaming platforms through AI-generated and AI-animated content.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Short dramas have surged in popularity in China, driven by mobile consumption and AI-generated content, with platforms like Hongguo gaining traction.
Acknowledging format’s popularity, award-winning director Jia Zhangke defends short dramas as valid art that can move audiences
2 -MIN READ2 -MIN
Ben Jiangin Beijing
Published: 2:00pm, 16 Sep 2026
TikTok parent ByteDance has scored another hit in China with Hongguo, an artificial intelligence-powered short-drama platform.
Launched in 2023, Hongguo quickly became a household name by riding China’s short-drama boom.
A surge in AI-generated content propelled it past some of the country’s biggest professional streaming platforms, while iterations of AI-animated dramas – using AI video models including ByteDance’s Seedance – gave it further lift.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Short dramas will continue to grow in popularity in China due to AI integration
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- How does Jia Zhangke define artistic validity in short dramas?
- What specific AI technologies does Hongguo use beyond Seedance?
- What are the long-term cultural impacts of AI-generated short dramas in China?
