The New Soap Operas Are Just 2 Minutes Long — The Power Of Micro Dramas

Duanju, the Chinese term for micro dramas known for wild plots and vertical, bite-sized videos, made headlines in China in 2024 as the industry surpassed the country’s box-office revenue for the first time.

The short-format videos, which typically consist of episodes ranging from 90 seconds to two minutes long, initially gained popularity in China after capitalizing on the short-form video trend from other short-video apps in the country. And it now has its sights set on the U.S. entertainment industry.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:43 Rise of China’s micro dramas
4:28 Bringing micro dramas to the U.S.
5:38 Entertainment disruptor or disaster?
8:01 What’s next?

Produced by: Jeff Huang
Edited by: Andrea Miller
Graphics by: Emily Park, Jason Reginato
Managing Producer: Anuz Thapa
Senior Director of Video: Lindsey Jacobson
Additional Footage: Getty Images, ReelShort, Quibi

» Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC
» Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision
» Watch CNBC on the go with CNBC+: https://www.cnbc.com/WatchCNBCPlus

About CNBC: From ‘Wall Street’ to ‘Main Street’ to award winning original documentaries and Reality TV series, CNBC has you covered. Experience special sneak peeks of your favorite shows, exclusive video and more.

Do you want to buy a home but don’t know where to begin? Take CNBC’s new online course How to Buy Your First Home. Register today: https://cnb.cx/3STNNhr

Connect with CNBC News Online
Get the latest news: https://www.cnbc.com/
Follow CNBC on LinkedIn: https://cnb.cx/LinkedInCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Instagram: https://cnb.cx/InstagramCNBC
Follow CNBC News on Facebook: https://cnb.cx/LikeCNBC
Follow CNBC on Threads: https://cnb.cx/threads
Follow CNBC News on X: https://cnb.cx/FollowCNBC
Follow CNBC on WhatsApp: https://cnb.cx/WhatsAppCNBC

#CNBC

How China’s $7B Duanju Micro-Dramas Are Taking Over U.S. Screens

source