Since its August launch, Hongguo has exploded in popularity, reaching 430 million users by September and amassing over 12 billion views through its serialized short dramas. As ByteDance’s VP urges caution on hastily adopting AI for content creation, the platform’s growth underscores a new entertainment format gaining ground alongside Douyin’s short videos.
- Hongguo hits 430M users, surpasses Doubao within ByteDance
- Serialized short dramas offer deeper engagement than quick videos
- AI powers majority of new short drama productions in China
What happened
Hongguo, a ByteDance-backed short drama app, has grown rapidly since its debut in August 2026, achieving around 1,000 episodes in 10 seasons of its hit series Armed Into the Song Dynasty. By early November, cumulative views had exceeded 12 billion, underscoring strong audience traction. Its user base reached an impressive 430 million by September, overtaking ByteDance’s AI chatbot Doubao to become the company’s second-largest app after Douyin.
An increasing number of short dramas on Hongguo incorporate AI technology, with official figures showing that over 90% of the approximately 430,000 short dramas released in China during the first eight months of 2026 involved AI tools. This tech infusion reduces production costs and turnaround times, allowing smaller creators to enter the market. However, Douyin Group’s Vice President Li Liang has warned content creators against rushing into AI-generated short dramas without the necessary creative and resource investment.
Why it matters
The rise of Hongguo signifies a shifting landscape in China's digital entertainment where serialized short dramas provide a different appeal from Douyin’s short-form videos. Unlike quick clips designed for brief amusement or information, these episodic dramas engage users with ongoing storylines and character development that encourage repeat viewing and longer platform sessions, helping fill otherwise unoccupied screen time.
This contrast in content style also reflects consumer demand for both immediate and sustained entertainment experiences. Hongguo’s free, advertisement-supported model has proven attractive amid weakening willingness of viewers to pay for episodic content, amplified by rising marketing expenses that are prompting platforms to rethink monetization strategies. At the same time, content moderation policies that have tightened on Douyin may have inadvertently created space for Hongguo’s growth as creators and entertainment verticals adapt to regulatory shifts.
What to watch next
Hongguo faces the challenge of scaling its platform while maintaining the storytelling quality that draws viewers in, especially as content moderation trends continue tightening across China’s internet ecosystem. How it balances regulatory compliance with creative freedom will impact its ability to sustain growth and differentiation from Douyin’s video-centric offering.
For ByteDance, securing audience retention across these platforms amid evolving viewer tastes will be key. As AI technology continues to lower production barriers, competition in short-drama creation could intensify, potentially leading to new content innovation or saturation. Observers should monitor how monetization models evolve and whether Hongguo’s format encourages deeper user locking compared to the bite-sized video format that revolutionized China’s social media landscape.