The Blue Book of China TV Series 2025, presented by Peking University’s Chen Xuguang and Zhejiang University’s Fan Zhizhong at the Tokyo International Film Festival’s TIFFCOM Market, outlines an industry undergoing structural reinvention and creative renewal.
Despite global economic uncertainty and intense competition from short-form video and gaming platforms, drama registrations increased in 2024, showing that investor confidence in long-form television remains resilient. The report identifies quality-led transformation as the decisive direction for the sector, underpinned by stronger storytelling, diversified intellectual property and improved production standards.
IP adaptations continue to dominate, accounting for approximately 60% of new scripted series. Literature and online fiction have become important sources of material, driving highly skilled character-focused dramas such as “The Tale of Rose,” “War of Faith,” and “The Misplaced.” Warm realism remains a key creative force, reflected in “She and Her Girls,” “Romance in the Alley,” and “A Common People’s Song,” which blend social commentary with emotional optimism.
Costume drama takes inspiration from online short-form content, incorporating faster pacing and modular storytelling. Blue Book reports that China’s miniseries market will grow from RMB 36.86 billion ($5.1 billion) in 2021 to RMB 373.9 billion ($51.5 billion) in 2023, and could exceed RMB 1 trillion ($137 billion) by 2027. This growth is prompting traditional producers to experiment with condensed narrative structures while maintaining film depth.
Finally, Mr. Huang emphasized that Wong Kar-wai’s “Flowers in Shanghai” symbolizes the artistic revival of this medium and the maturation of the industry. “Quality is life,” he said, summarizing the Blue Book’s message that the future of Chinese television lies in a combination of disciplined storytelling and the agility required by a rapidly evolving screen economy.
In a Q&A session, Hwang described the microdrama sector as “barrier-free production,” creative democratization, and an economic shock that will force existing studios to rethink their audience engagement and monetization models.
