Chinese mini-dramas turn hot overseas

Modern soap operas set in short episode formats manage to keep audiences hooked

A poor female worker reluctantly agrees to an intimate relationship with a wealthy farm owner in Africa, but their initially forced interactions soon blossom into an unexpected romance.

This is just one example of a mini-drama getting ready to be streamed on a Chinese app, though its supervisor deemed it not dramatic enough and sought more twists and turns in each episode lasting one to three minutes.

This novel storytelling format, comprising about 60-80 episodes in one series, usually tends to offer melodramatic hooks at every turn to keep the audience engaged throughout.