Short film market grows rapidly
The Chinese short film market (mini-drama) has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, in which "Summer Rose" is considered a notable phenomenon.
The film was released in 2025 on the Hong Qua platform and quickly created a strong effect.
Only 4 days after release, the work reached 10 billion views and then exceeded 44 billion views, becoming the short film with the highest total views of the year on this platform.
The work revolves around the arranged marriage between Chu Thinh An (Luu Tieu Huc) - a calm businessman and Bach Thanh Mai (Quach Vu Han) - a personality female photographer.
The story begins with a contract relationship between the two families but gradually develops into true feelings after both go through many conflicts and upheavals.
The "marry first, love later" motif is familiar in romantic movies, but the way of building situations reasonably and the fast pace of storytelling helps the movie maintain its appeal.
The success of "Summer Rose" also contributed to raising Liu Xiaoxu's name. The actor was honored in the categories "Best Short Film Actor of the Year" and "Best Actor" at the Hong Guan Awards 2025.
In addition to Tieu Huc, the Chinese short film market also has many other familiar faces such as Khuong Thap That, Kha Thuan, Than Hao Nam, Dieu Quan Vu, Ma Thu Nguyen or Chung Hy.
Becoming a new trend of the Chinese content industry
The popularity of "Summer Rose" is not an isolated case. Mini-dramas or super short films in vertical frames are becoming a new trend in the Chinese content industry.
Each episode usually only lasts from a few tens of seconds to a few minutes, but the plot is designed in a rush. Unexpected situations continuously appear to keep viewers' attention.
The script structure usually starts with a shocking situation in the first few seconds, then quickly sets the scene and ends with an open climax, forcing viewers to watch the next episode.
Some platforms allow viewers to watch the first few episodes for free, then require payment to continue watching. This mechanism makes viewers easily fall into a state of "continuous viewing" and willing to spend money.
The scale of the mini-drama market in China is also increasing rapidly. In 2023, the value of this industry is estimated at about 37.4 billion yuan and is forecast to continue to expand in the next few years.
Chinese short-length content distribution platforms have even reached international territory. The ReelShort application, specializing in providing short films to English-speaking audiences, was once in the group of entertainment applications most downloaded in the US.
Another platform, TOPShort, also achieved high download volume in Japan. In Vietnam, DramaWave or StardustTV applications also provide thousands of movies with high access.
Besides technology and business models, film content also helps retain audiences. Chinese producers often build simple, accessible stories but are clearly invested in scripts, filming locations and acting.
The combination of fast storytelling speed and character building helps many short films not create a disjointed feeling.
How to force viewers to spend money to follow further
Minh Phuong (29 years old, living in Hanoi) said that she watched a 2-minute film for the first time on social networks. After being curious about the next developments, she accessed the distribution application and registered a service package of about 300,000 VND/month to watch the full set and many other films.
The short duration helps me to watch a whole movie in my free time. Not having to wait between long episodes makes the viewing experience continuous," Minh Phuong shared.
Minh Phuong's case shows that one of the reasons why mini-dramas are easily "addictive" lies in the script structure.
Each episode is designed with a small climax, making viewers constantly want to know what happens next.
The short duration also gives viewers the feeling that "watching one more episode doesn't take much time", thereby easily falling into a state of continuous viewing.
Huyen Duong (29 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) also often takes advantage of watching short film episodes during lunch breaks. However, just a few initial minutes can be extended into dozens of minutes because each episode ends with a surprising detail.
This is the way the short film industry in China forces viewers to spend money to continue watching.
In fact, the short film model has also begun to be tested in Vietnam. However, the results have not created a similar effect. Some projects are produced in a fast direction, focusing on shocking details but lacking investment in scripts and acting.
The movie "Mother Lao Cong Hoc Yeu" is also made according to the above motif but does not focus on the quality of content, the script is not logical and the cast does not meet the needs of the audience.
