Short drama star-making only has the first half
The idea of creating stars through short dramas has been around for nearly two years.
The industry is no stranger to data miracles. News of a short drama hitting 1 billion views in just three days after its release pops up on the screen every now and then. The list of dramas on platforms keeps getting longer. The number of production companies has swelled from dozens to thousands, and the number of short - drama actors is also rapidly increasing. From complete amateurs to various internet celebrities, graduates from film and television institutes, and even professional long - drama actors, countless faces are flocking to this industry.
However, behind the massive number of new releases, the names and faces of most actors are swallowed up by algorithms, and they don't even have the chance to be discussed. Only a few can build a stable fan base. Among them, the number of those who can be called "top - tier stars" with appeal and business negotiation power may not even fill a table.
Since Ke Chun unexpectedly became popular during the Spring Festival in 2025 with "What a Goody - Two - Shoes" and gained 4 million followers on Douyin, it seems that a door has been opened for creating stars through short dramas. Later, Liu Xiaoxu and Guo Yuxin skyrocketed to fame overnight with the 3 - billion - view short drama "Summer Fendra". More recently, Zhang Chi's super - like data exceeded 10,000, reaching a level comparable to that of mid - tier long - drama actors. It seems that short dramas have indeed produced a few top - tier stars.
However, upon closer inspection, most of the domineering CEOs produced in batches quickly disappear from the charts, and the leading ladies and sweet girls have changed several times. Compared with the speed at which short dramas produce hit shows, the efficiency of creating star actors is extremely low. Compared with the traditional long - drama star - making system, these so - called top - tier stars still have a visible gap in terms of commercial value, industry recognition, and public awareness. What's even more interesting is that when short dramas finally manage to produce a few stars, the first thing they do is to move towards long - drama projects.
When the top actors in an industry are all seeking to leave, it fully indicates that the ceiling for creating stars in this industry may really be approaching.
How Many Top - Tier Stars Has Short - Drama Star - Making Produced?
In the past two years, not many short - drama actors have had their names truly remembered. Measured from the aspects of fan - base size, work influence, business - cooperation level, and industry presence, Zhang Chi, Liu Xiaoxu, and Guo Yuxin are among the few who have emerged in the short - drama circle.
The most basic criterion for measuring an actor's transformation from an ordinary actor to a star is the possibility of converting fans into commercial value. Zhang Chi currently has the most impressive fan data in the short - drama circle. His super - like count in the super - topic first exceeded 10,000, which is unique among short - drama actors. You know, even for a long - drama actor like Li Yunrui, who has a hit drama "Ninefold Purple" and an out - of - the - box CP "Yunqian Mengrao", it's not easy to reach 10,000 super - likes.
With a powerful fan base, business opportunities naturally follow. He has successively become the Heartbeat Spokesperson for HomeFacialPro, the Brand Friend for Panasonic's Silent Series Hairdryer, and the Brand Star Promoter for Estée Lauder. It's worth mentioning that at Zhang Chi's offline event for Estée Lauder in Zhengzhou in May, the number of attendees far exceeded the reported scale, and the event was urgently stopped. This kind of offline popularity is almost comparable to that of Zhang Linghe after "Chasing Jade". The latter recently canceled an offline event in Nanning because too many fans crowded in and broke the glass door. A year ago, no one would have believed that a short - drama actor could have such offline appeal.
After the phenomenal hit short drama "Summer Fendra" was released, the male and female leads, Liu Xiaoxu and Guo Yuxin, gained one million followers each. In early 2026, they respectively topped the list of the most popular male and female actors at the Red Fruit Annual Awards. In terms of business, Liu Xiaoxu became the spokesperson for Avita 12, which is the first time a short - drama actor has endorsed an automobile brand. In addition, he is also the brand ambassador for ZMEIA and the spokesperson for UNISKIN. His quotation for short - video commercial orders has risen to a minimum of 600,000 yuan, and he recently appeared in "Esquire".
Guo Yuxin became the Friend of the MISS PORTS series of Ports, the first short - drama actress to have a cooperation with a luxury brand. She was also invited to an offline event of Dior, and her fashion resources are top - notch among short - drama actresses.
Along with their popularity, a complete fan - circle ecosystem has taken shape. The fan circles of these actors have formed a complete closed - loop of signing in, controlling comments, combating negative remarks, and consumption. Zhang Chi's over 10,000 super - likes are the result of his fans' hard work in data - making. The fans of Liu Xiaoxu and Guo Yuxin frequently defend their idols. Regardless of the number of fans, this operating logic is no different from that of long - drama actors' fan circles, which shows that they have indeed succeeded in creating stars in the short - drama world.
Each of these actors has their own unique way to stand out in the short - drama world.
Zhang Chi has carved out a niche in the "yandere and crazy" character type. This kind of extreme character is the current key to attracting traffic. Previously, Deng Kai, the supporting male in "Chasing Jade", also gained a large number of fans with his yandere prince character, and his popularity even exceeded that of the protagonist for a while. However, long - drama actors are limited by the production cycle and their image, making it difficult for them to play similar characters continuously. Fans' loyalty often stems from their unfulfilled feelings towards the characters. Short - drama actors, on the other hand, can repeat the same character type infinitely, using quantity to build memory, and making fans follow them as a personal label. By playing a series of similar characters, Zhang Chi has made the "yandere" character his personal identifier and attracted die - hard fans.
Liu Xiaoxu and Guo Yuxin have different paths. Liu Xiaoxu takes the relatively rare mature - man route among short - drama male actors. His "mature - looking young man" character with a calm and restrained temperament easily attracts mature female fans who are willing to spend money. Guo Yuxin is recognized as the beauty ceiling in the short - drama circle. She graduated from the Central Academy of Drama. After graduation, she kept taking minor roles and couldn't even afford the rent. It wasn't until the short - drama boom that she had a comeback. This kind of "beautiful, strong, and tragic" narrative is very appealing to fans.
More importantly, their breakout work, "Summer Fendra", is a very special case. As a representative work of high - quality short dramas, 42% of its audience are middle - class people over 30 years old, and 70% of them are female. This breaks the stereotype that short dramas can only rely on the sinking market. Through this work, the two actors have attracted a large number of high - quality fans with consumption ability and a willingness to pay for emotional value, which has made their business value stand out among short - drama actors.
Short - Drama Top - Tier Stars Are Flocking to Long - Drama Projects
After reaching the top of the short - drama circle, these three actors have all set their sights on the mainstream film and television industry.
Liu Xiaoxu and Guo Yuxin have confirmed a second collaboration. They will star in the urban drama "Spring Night's Dilemma" produced by Youku. The drama is directed by Zhang Dama, the same director of "Summer Fendra". It has 8 episodes, each 45 minutes long, and started shooting on May 28. Liu Xiaoxu also appeared on CCTV's "Searching for Civilization in Ancient Relics" and had a great acting showdown with Duan Yihong. Before "Spring Night's Dilemma", Guo Yuxin had already participated in the 38 - episode Republican - era long drama "Autumn on the Jade Mat" starring Cheng Lei and Xu Ruohan, playing the second - female lead, Tao Ziyi, steadily expanding her presence in the long - drama market.
Zhang Chi is also in contact with long - drama projects. Interestingly, before becoming popular in short dramas, Zhang Chi had already appeared in many well - known long dramas, mostly in minor roles. Now, there are reports that he is in contact for the second - male lead in a large - scale long - drama project. The improvement in his resources and status is almost a leap. In addition, the hit short drama "A Family of Three in the Same Class" starring Zhang Chi, Wang Xiaoyi, and Wang Yilei has been officially approved for a theatrical film adaptation. The film will feature the same cast, and Zhang Chi is leading the way in the short - drama IP's counter - attack on the big screen.
The collective shift of short - drama top - tier stars to long - drama projects is not an impulsive decision but the result of the combination of personal career paths and the industry environment.
From the perspective of individual actors, the growth space in short dramas is relatively limited. Even at the top, the supply of roles is still relatively single. Especially for actors who become popular with a certain character type, the sense of repetition in creation will quickly turn into a bottleneck. Long dramas can provide a more complete character growth line, more complex emotional levels, and a longer performance cycle, which gives actors the opportunity to break out of a single label and truly hone and display their acting skills.
In terms of income, although the daily pay of top short - drama actors is not low, the project cycle is short and there are many gaps between projects, so the annual total income is not stable. Although the per - episode pay in long dramas may not be higher, the subsequent playback cycle is longer, and the associated business renewals and continuous exposure are better. The quality of film and television resources and business resources that long - drama actors obtain is generally one level higher than that of short - drama actors.
The industry environment is also forcing this choice. The short - drama market has shrunk after a period of rapid expansion in the past year. The oversupply has led to a shorter average life cycle of single dramas, and the cost of buying traffic has been continuously rising. Production companies are now cutting costs, and the actual income of top actors is under downward pressure.
What's more impactful is the large - scale entry of AI - generated content. The number of live - action short - drama productions has dropped significantly in the past year, and a large number of typed and tool - like roles have been replaced by AI actors. This forces live - action actors with a certain fan base to move to the long - drama field, which relies more on the texture of live - action performances and is more difficult to be replaced by AI.
Barriers between Short - Drama and Long - Drama Star - Making
Although short - drama top - tier stars are desperately trying to enter the long - drama field, it must be admitted that there is a barrier between short - drama and long - drama star - making that is difficult to break through in a short time.
The vertical - screen format and fast - paced editing of short dramas naturally cover up the actors' shortcomings in terms of lines, body language, and adaptability to camera scheduling. The vertical - screen frame cuts off body language, and the rapidly switching shots make up for the awkwardness of emotional transitions. However, long dramas use horizontal screens, long takes, and a slow pace. Body postures, micro - expression control, line intonation, and the rhythm of opposite - actor scenes are all magnified and examined. Many actors who seem competent in short dramas become timid when they enter the long - drama set, which not only affects the quality of the finished product but also directly affects the quality of subsequent project invitations.
Long - drama actors usually have a complete management team, publicity team, and business team behind them. From script selection to public - opinion management to resource exchange, there is a mature industrial process. Most short - drama actors come from humble backgrounds. Some work independently, and some are affiliated with small MCN agencies. They lack the channels and bargaining power to connect with large - scale long - drama projects. Without a mature management team to handle resources, negotiate contracts, and deal with public opinion, short - drama top - tier stars will quickly fade away after entering the long - drama circle.
In addition, short - drama actors also have to overcome an identity barrier. In industry forums, mainstream media reports, and the public's perception, short - drama actors are still mostly classified as "non - mainstream" or in a "transitional stage". Even when they occasionally appear at TV gala events or industry activities, the outside world mostly looks at them with a sense of novelty. There is still a long way to go before they are truly treated equally. The most obvious manifestation is in the brand - business titles. Brands usually offer short - term and low - level cooperation to short - drama actors, which is significantly different from the endorsement levels given to long - drama actors.
Ultimately, short dramas can create stars, but what they can currently achieve is mostly just the first half of the star - making process. They can use strong character designs, high - density new releases, and algorithm - based distribution to quickly push actors in front of the audience, enabling them to have a fan base and the first round of commercial premium. However, to truly become a star, they still need repeated verification through stable works, public recognition, business levels, and the mainstream film and television system.
What Zhang Chi, Liu Xiaoxu, Guo Yuxin, and others are doing is precisely this test. The first half of short - drama star - making is to prove that short dramas can also produce stars. In the second half, they have to enter the mainstream system for acceptance. Those who can pass the test will truly complete the leap from short - drama actors to stars. Those who can't will just be another pixel on the short - drama assembly line, quickly made popular and then forgotten.