LayarHijau – Chinese short-drama actor Zhong Yufei’s (钟宇飞) recent account of his experience on a short-drama set has gone viral, attracting attention not only in China but also internationally. Zhong said he was pressured into filming dozens of kissing scenes after a female investor, who also played the female lead, allegedly forced additional intimate scenes into the script. His story has since sparked a broader discussion about the challenges facing short-drama actors as the rapid rise of AI-generated productions makes jobs harder to find, while delayed and unpaid wages have also become increasingly common. The experiences of actors such as Shu Hanyu (殊晗煜), who said she went three months without landing a new project, and Xu Mengqiang (徐梦强), who turned to selling liangpi, a traditional Chinese dish made from chilled wheat- or rice-flour noodles served with sauces and seasonings, highlight just how sharply the industry is changing.
The shift comes as China’s short-drama industry undergoes a major shake-up. Data from the China Network Audiovisual Association showed that around 128,000 short dramas were released in China during the first quarter of 2026, with more than 95% reportedly being AI-generated productions. At the same time, the number of live-action short dramas entering production plunged by about 75% year on year.
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Yet AI’s dominance in production volume does not necessarily mean audiences have abandoned live-action dramas. During the 2026 Lunar New Year period, the number of live-action short dramas was reportedly only around one-fiftieth of AI productions, while their total viewership was about 25 times higher.
Zhong Yufei Says He Was Forced Into More Than 60 Kissing Scenes
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