Summary of Key Points
The long-form drama market during the 2026 summer season was lackluster, with the new generation of actors failing to sustain the popularity of the season. Long-form dramas have lost their distinctiveness by blindly imitating the fast-paced and exciting style of short-form dramas. The rise of AI-powered actors is beginning to threaten the livelihood of traditional human actors, leading to a new landscape in the entertainment industry: top-tier artists can still drive drama success, moderately famous actors gain popularity through variety shows, while less well-known ones may be replaced by AI, even having to rely on controversial topics like financial difficulties to attract attention.
1. New Generation Actors: Not Yet Ready to Take on the Burden
In the past, stars from the 85s (such as Yang Yang and Tang Yan) and 90s (such as Yang Zi and Dilireba) were responsible for driving drama popularity, and it was time for newcomers to step up. However, the new generation of actors in the 2026 summer season performed poorly:
- Meng Ziyi became popular with "Jiuzhongzi," but her new drama "Baihuashā" only reached a heat score of 28,000 on Tencent and was criticized for having repetitive costumes in traditional Chinese dramas;
- Chen Duling's "Qiaochu" achieved over 10,000 views on Youku, but with only 835 million impressions, lower than "Yaoyan"’s 876 million during the same period;
- Zhang Jingyi and Song Weilong's "Yegoudouguǐ" had 1.152 billion views, which is not impressive for a summer drama (even the May release "Liangchen Meijin" reached 1.282 billion).
In contrast, veteran actors like Yang Yang with "Shengwanshu" and Xiao Zhan with "Canghaichuan" remain highly popular, indicating that the new generation needs more works to prove themselves. They either face criticism for their performances or have mediocre ratings, currently unable to sustain a entire season on their own.
2. Long-Form Dramas Have Lost Their Essence: Copying Short-Form Dramas Leads to Failure
The original strength of long-form dramas lies in their depth and ability to generate discussion, but now, in order to attract viewers, they have adopted the fast-paced and exciting style of short-form dramas, only to achieve the opposite effect:
- "Qiaochu" has a plot that moves so quickly it leaves no lasting impact, with a豆瓣 rating of just 4.9, and viewers complained about poor dubbing, dialogue, and overall quality;
- The formula of "unrestrained heroines" in "Baihuashā" was already overused in earlier dramas like "Yanxi Gaolüe" and " Moyu Yunjian," leaving viewers indifferent;
- The preview of the民国 drama "This Second Is Too Hot" was more interesting than the actual episode, with scenes like arguments on an airplane becoming a laughing point, leading to criticism of using the format of long-form dramas for short-form content.
Ironically, older dramas like "My First Half Life," "Zhi Fu," and "Zhen Huan Chuan" have seen a resurgence during the summer season—viewers are looking for meaningful content and classic storytelling, which long-form dramas no longer provide.
3. AI Actors Compete with Human Actors: A Threat to Traditional Careers
While human actors struggle to support the success of dramas, AI-powered actors are becoming increasingly influential:
- The AI actor "Fang Taozǐ" gained 400,000 followers on TikTok through the short drama "The Girl Who Was Fired" and can also take on commercial roles, offering benefits to her fans;
- On short-video platforms, AI actors' vlogs, daily lives, and singing/dancing performances receive thousands of likes, with a growing variety of categories (villains, singers, reality show participants);
- AI-generated short dramas can mimic Korean and American TV series styles and even develop their own IP.
Although AI cannot yet replace outstanding actors like Yang Yang and Yang Zi, it poses a significant threat to less well-known ones. AI has lower production costs, avoids scandals, and with limited viewer attention, it can steal the audience from human actors.
4. New Approaches in the Entertainment Industry
The survival strategies for artists have changed:
- Top-tier Artists: Actors like Yang Yang and Xiao Zhan, who have already proven their abilities, continue to rely on quality scripts to drive drama popularity;
- Moderately Famous Actors: Use variety shows to create buzz, such as Zhang Yaqi and Fang Zhurong;
- Less Well-Known Actors: Either get replaced by AI or adopt a more relatable approach—for example, Luo Zheng uses the topic of financial difficulties to engage with viewers and regain popularity.
In summary, the future of long-form dramas is still uncertain, but the rules for artists have changed: either become top-tier stars to lead drama success or rely on variety shows or engaging content to survive, otherwise, they may be eliminated by AI.
5. The Future of Long-Form Dramas
The good news is that viewers haven't given up on long-form dramas; the resurgence of older ones shows their desire for meaningful content. The bad news is that the 2026 summer season failed to offer a solution to these issues: the combination of long and short-form dramas isn't working, the new generation of actors isn't making a difference, and AI is becoming a growing threat. If long-form dramas cannot find their unique appeal again, they may have very little time left.