China's Short Drama Users Reach 851 Million in May
The short drama industry in China reached 851 million unique users by May, according to QuestMobile data. App-based platforms and WeChat mini-programs show significant user growth.
China's short drama industry saw its user base reach 851 million unique individuals by May, according to a report released by QuestMobile on July 28. Short drama applications accounted for 402 million users, while WeChat mini-programs reached 508 million, and Douyin mini-programs garnered 14 million.
Short drama app user numbers increased by 77.1% year-on-year, whereas WeChat mini-programs saw a 25.4% rise. In contrast, Douyin mini-programs experienced a substantial decline of 83.3%. Content platforms such as the main versions of Douyin and Kuaishou reached 472 million users with their short drama content, marking a 27.1% increase.
The Hongguo Free Short Drama app emerged as the leading platform, with 356 million monthly active users in May, experiencing a 79.1% year-on-year growth. AI-driven platforms like Hongguo Free Comic Drama and Huolong Comic Drama have also carved out their own niche in the market.
Users of short drama apps spent an average of 26.9 hours per month and accessed them 125.6 times, surpassing online video services in engagement. User demographics vary by platform; short drama apps tend to attract older demographics (70s and 80s generation) and users from second-tier to fourth-tier cities, while content platforms reach younger users (90s and 00s generation) and those in third-tier and below cities.
Popular genres include romance, grievances, and fantasy. Within AI-generated short dramas, fantasy themes are particularly dominant. The report indicates a trend of user traffic concentrating on leading titles, with marketing efforts also focusing on top-performing projects.