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

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

Post from CNBC on July 22, 2025

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