Quality over quantity: China’s AI microdrama producers battle viewer fatigue

Two decades after stepping away from the spotlight, iconic actress Joey Wong made an unexpected return to the screen – not through a traditional production, but via artificial intelligence-powered reconstruction.

In a two-minute video by NetEase this summer, Wong, one of the most well-known actresses of the 1980s and 90s, had some of her most celebrated roles recreated, including the beautiful ghost in A Chinese Ghost Story and an alluring snake demon in Green Snake.

The revival is just the tip of an industry-wide pivot, as AI-generated short dramas have dominated the burgeoning mini-drama market. Known for the fast-paced storylines and frequent twists, microdramas typically run just a few minutes per episode.

More than 90 per cent of the 430,000 microdramas launched online in the first eight months of the year were AI-generated, according to the National Radio and Television Administration, China’s broadcasting regulator.