Quick Summary of the Key Points
This summer, the domestic long drama market experienced something unprecedented: More than 30 new dramas, produced with hundreds of millions of yuan in investment by various platforms, featuring top actors, and based on popular IPs, were released en masse. These dramas gained a lot of attention on social media, and short video clips of them were shared extensively. However, not a single one of them became a nationwide sensation, with only one drama achieving over 1 billion views in its entirety. The overall market performance was as lukewarm as during the off-season after the Spring Festival in previous years. In contrast, the 9-year-old drama "My First Half Life" suddenly became a sensation, thanks to a meme created by young people who used it to joke about "He Han coming to pick me up after work" during a typhoon. This meme led to 4.9 billion views on short videos and 2 billion reads on Weibo, overshadowing all the new dramas. Meanwhile, cinema ticket sales surged, reaching 12.498 billion yuan and attracting 340 million viewers, the highest figures in recent years. The industry had always blamed short videos for stealing viewers, but it turned out that the new long dramas were simply copying the tactics of short videos, abandoning their unique advantage of being able to deeply explore complex human emotions and connect with viewers. As a result, people preferred to watch old dramas for a more authentic experience.
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Detailed Analysis of the Key Points
1. The stark contrast between the success of "My First Half Life" and the failure of the new dramas completely shattered the industry's previous assumptions
Many people assumed that the decline in long dramas was due to viewers shifting to cinema. However, this is not the case. People have only so much leisure time each day, and cinema is not a new phenomenon; why hasn't it affected long dramas in previous years? This year, cinemas didn't rely on promotional tactics like selling tickets for 9.9 yuan at a loss. Instead, they offered a variety of high-quality films, from big-budget blockbusters to low-budget niche films and re-released classics, which attracted viewers. In contrast, the number of viewers who actually watched the new dramas peaked at 179 million per day, but by late August it had dropped to 121 million—a figure usually seen only during the off-season before the Spring Festival when fewer people watch dramas at home. Ironically, the biggest hit of the year was an old drama that became popular through short video adaptations, effectively disproving the notion that short videos are the enemy of long dramas.
2. The failure of the new dramas cannot be entirely blamed on short videos; the industry itself has gone down the wrong path
The problem with long dramas lies in their creative approach. Three major mistakes have driven viewers away:
- Making dramas for short videos: Instead of crafting a well-written script first, producers now create a list of "highlight moments" that can be used in short videos, stuffing each episode with conflicts and omitting any context. This leads to a disjointed narrative that viewers quickly dismiss after watching a few clips.
- Platforms being too risk-averse: Platforms used to invest heavily in one or two hit dramas, which could generate widespread discussion. Now, they spread resources across multiple dramas, resulting in none of them becoming successful. They also air old dramas that have been in storage for years without any promotion, leading to their failure.
- Advertisers becoming more cautious: Advertisers no longer invest upfront; they wait to see the drama's performance before making a decision. This discourages producers from investing time in creating quality content, forcing them to focus on attracting viewers in the first few episodes.
3. The sudden popularity of "My First Half Life" reflects a deeper connection with the audience
Why did this old drama succeed? It's not because of nostalgia; it's because the audience has grown up. When it was first released, the viewers were mostly students or recent graduates. Nine years later, these viewers, now middle-aged professionals with busy lives, relate to the characters' struggles—whether it's Chen Junsheng's dilemma or Ling Ling's determination to advance in her career. The drama's realistic portrayal of human emotions resonates with them. In contrast, new dramas often feature perfect, error-free characters, leaving viewers without any relatable experiences.
4. Long dramas are facing challenges from both sides
Their survival space is being eroded by two factors: short dramas (around 10 episodes) with fast-paced, action-packed content, and AI-generated low-budget shows that target the lower-tier audience. Producers are trying to adapt to these trends, but they are forgetting the unique value of long dramas, which allow for a deep exploration of characters' growth and emotions. This combination of factors is threatening the long drama format.
In conclusion, the only way for long dramas to survive is to avoid competing with their own weaknesses and focus on their unique strengths. They need to take advantage of their longer runtime to create stories that can connect with viewers on a deeper level.