Summary of Key Points
Recently, the entertainment industry (movies, long dramas, short-form series, and variety shows) has seen a surge in "warmth" as a trend. Works that don't rely on popular stars, intense conflicts, or melodramatic plots, but instead use everyday details and restrained expressions to resonate with audiences, have become hits (such as the movie *A Letter to Grandma* with a box office of 1.9 billion yuan and the short-form series *Home with Love* with 3 billion views). This collective shift towards warmer storytelling is not accidental; it's the result of a combination of audience fatigue, changes in the economic environment, the aesthetic preferences of the younger generation, and self-adjustments within the industry.
I. Warm Storytelling Has Become a "Dark Horse Maker" Across Various Platforms
From the big screen to small screens, different types of content are breaking through with warmth:
- Movies: *A Letter to Grandma*, without any major promotion or star power, had only 1.6% of its screenings on the first day but became a huge hit with a box office of 1.9 billion yuan, attracting nearly 60 million viewers.
- Long Dramas: Zhang Yimou's *The Lead* explores the life of a Qinqiang opera artist; it's not melodramatic and has a slow pace, earning a rating of 8.2 on Douban (the highest for Chinese dramas in 2026). CCTV's *Good Times* focuses on the daily life of reformed families and consistently ranks among the top viewership ratings.
- Short-Form Series: *Home with Love*, without melodramatic elements, tells a story of mutual healing between girls who have swapped lives and has over 3 billion views. *Inside and Outside Home 2* uses Sichuan-Chongqing dialects and the atmosphere of old industrial areas to reach over 1 billion views in three days.
- Variety Shows: The fourth season of *Let's Farm* features ten teenagers working on a farm; its authenticity and group interactions have made it popular among young people.
The common theme of these works is that they don't rely on "domineering heroes" or "villains being torn apart" to attract attention, but instead find resonance in everyday life.
II. Don't Get It Wrong! Warmth Is Not the Same as Melodrama or "Sugary Soap Operas"
Many people misunderstand what warmth means; it's completely different from these two things:
- Warmth ≠ Melodrama: Melodrama is about forced tears—music, actors crying excessively, and shots taken up close to their eyes. Warmth, on the other hand, is about natural emotional expression, like the life of the Qinqiang artist in *The Lead*, which touches the audience without being overly dramatic.
- Warmth ≠ Lack of Conflict: It's not about a "happy everyone" scenario without any conflicts (such as misunderstandings or extreme family issues). Life has its frictions, and warm storytelling avoids using them as attention-grabbing tools. For example, in *The Love of Innocent Times*, the emotional progression comes from realistic details rather than manufactured suffering.
- Warmth ≠ Slow Pace = Boring: A slow pace doesn't mean lack of content. For instance, *Neighborhood Stories* tells about a residential complex in Suzhou without dramatic ups and downs, but its authenticity makes it appealing to young viewers.
III. The Right Way to Tell Warm Stories
To create effective warm stories, three key elements are important:
- Dramatize Emotional Expressions Less: Actors should act naturally, and directors should edit the footage carefully, avoiding using external techniques (like sad music) to force emotions. Instead, use subtle details (like Grandma sewing or a neighbor passing a bowl of soup) to evoke emotions.
- Make Character Relationships More Realistic: Supporting characters are not just background players; each one has their own story. For example, the judge in *Family Court* is not a perfect saint but has her own struggles, making her seem more relatable.
- Reduce Anxiety in Value Messages: Avoid selling stories of sudden success or workplace stress; instead, focus on simple virtues like kindness, empathy, and companionship. In *Home with Love*, the girls who swapped lives don't hate each other but grow together, showing the power of healing.
IV. Why Do People Prefer Warmth Over Excitement Now?
There are three main reasons for this shift:
- Audience Fatigue from Excessive Stimulation: Constant exposure to short videos and promotional content with intense moments has made people tired of such stimuli. Warm stories provide a soothing effect, like white noise before bed.
- Economic Environment Leads to a Search for Stability: As economic growth slows down, people seek emotional stability in family, hometown memories, and traditional values that remain constant regardless of economic cycles.
- Changing Aesthetic Preferences of the Younger Generation: The post-90s and post-00s grew up in the internet era and naturally reject overly dramatic content. They prefer restrained, natural, and unforced storytelling, which warm stories fit well with.
- Mutual Influence from Industry and Regulation: The National Radio and Television Administration is cracking down on melodramatic content, and market data shows that when exciting dramas become homogeneous, viewers turn to warmer works, prompting producers to change their approach.
V. This Shift Indicates That What Lasts Longer Is What Touches People's Hearts
The popularity of warm storytelling isn't a temporary trend but a return to more genuine forms of entertainment. It realizes that audiences don't want fleeting excitement but something that resonates deeply. The fact that *A Letter to Grandma* attracted 60 million viewers and *Let's Farm* became popular among young people shows that good content doesn't need to rely on loud or dramatic elements to succeed. It simply needs to connect with people's emotions.
In simple terms, while people used to enjoy watching how others experience excitement, they now prefer watching how others lead normal, wholesome lives because that reflects our own reality.
(The entire analysis is written in plain language without technical jargon, hoping it helps you understand this "warmth revolution" in the entertainment industry.)