Why China’s $7 billion duanju (micro drama) industry is taking over U.S. screens

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.