On March 1 and 2, discussions surrounding Youku’s alleged new policy—limiting television series to a maximum of 12 episodes or requiring them to air in full within a year—went viral on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo and Zhihu.
However, a source familiar with the matter at Youku dismissed these claims as rumors, clarifying that the platform is not enforcing a strict 12-episode cap on its self-produced or commissioned dramas. “There are just too many watered-down dramas, so we’re cutting back on excessive content,” the source said. The person also noted that iQiyi and Tencent Video have been making similar moves. iQiyi’s Light On series, for instance, is known for its shorter episode counts and more condensed storytelling.
While Youku has not officially confirmed a sweeping change in policy, industry insiders have been discussing its shift toward shorter dramas since the second half of 2024. According to The Paper, several ongoing projects have reportedly been asked to reduce their episode counts to align with this trend.
For years, bloated dramas have been a fixture across both streaming platforms and traditional TV networks in China. The reason? Business incentives.
Historically, drama licensing fees were calculated on a per-episode basis. To maximize profits, production companies frequently padded their scripts with unnecessary content, stretching a 30-episode story into 50 episodes or more. Longer dramas also meant more advertising slots, helping offset high licensing fees and gargantuan actor salaries.
But this practice has sparked growing backlash from audiences frustrated with filler content, dragging storylines, and redundant flashbacks. The National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) has also been tightening regulations, making it clear that overinflated dramas are no longer viable.
Now, with streaming platforms shifting toward revenue-sharing models instead of per-episode licensing, the incentive to artificially extend shows is disappearing.
Beyond regulatory pressure, another major factor driving shorter dramas is the explosive rise of short-form content.
For years, high production costs and long payback periods kept major streaming platforms in the red. It wasn’t until around 2022 that many finally started turning a profit. But just as they began recovering, a new competitor emerged: short dramas.
With their bitesized episodes and fast-paced storytelling, short dramas are quickly capturing audiences’ attention, particularly among younger viewers. This shift is forcing traditional long-form content providers to adapt, making their narratives tighter and more engaging to compete.
In response, major platforms have taken defensive measures. One clear sign of this shift is the dedicated short drama sections now appearing on homepages, featuring high-quality content to differentiate themselves from competitors. Another strategy? Reducing episode counts for long dramas.
According to 36Kr, all major platforms have been working to shorten their series. In 2023, Tencent Video introduced its “X Theater” series, with most shows capped at under 20 episodes.
At the Weibo Vision Conference in November 2024, Youku vice president Xie Ying revealed that over 50% of users stop watching a drama within the first five episodes, and the completion rate for most series hovers around just 20–30%. This data further reinforces the need for a shift toward tighter storytelling.
As viewing preferences evolve, long-form dramas are incorporating the fast-paced storytelling techniques commonly found in short dramas. Some of these experiments have already seen remarkable success.
For instance, the director of the hit drama The Double previously worked on short dramas and brought the genre’s condensed storytelling style into the longer format, resulting in strong market reception. Other standout examples include iQiyi’s Light On, the 12-episode thriller The Bad Kids, and Tencent Video’s To The Wonder, which was just eight episodes long. All were praised for their gripping narratives and commercial success.
Industry data reflects this shift. According to Enlightent, the total number of newly released Chinese dramas in 2024 amounted to 7,610 episodes, marking a 14% year-on-year decline. The average drama length dropped slightly to 28.1 episodes, down by 0.8 episodes from the previous year. Additionally, the proportion of dramas falling within the 21–28 episode range grew to 37%, an eight percentage point increase from 2023.
This suggests a clear trend: while ultra-long dramas are fading in popularity, mid-length series (21–28 episodes) are emerging as the new industry standard.
For years, Youku’s most iconic long-form drama has been Empresses in the Palace, a sprawling 76-episode epic released in 2011. But the platform is now officially embracing the industry’s shift toward shorter content.
As audience tastes evolve and streaming platforms refine their strategies, the future of long-form content in China will likely be defined by a balance between immersive storytelling and the efficiency demanded by modern viewers.
Whether this trend signals the end of multi-season sagas or simply a new phase in content evolution remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: in an era where attention spans are shrinking, the days of needlessly stretched-out dramas are numbered.
KrASIA Connection features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Lan Jie for 36Kr.