China's short drama market has expanded rapidly in recent years. In pursuit of traffic and cost reduction, many production teams commonly adopt 'compressed filming' methods, condensing series that would normally take several months to film into just one week. In July this year, there were reports of an actor allegedly dying suddenly during shooting, and in August, a short drama actress was diagnosed with stomach cancer due to long-term irregular work and rest schedules. On the 28th, news broke again that at the Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang, a short drama director named Li Kaiwen, only 28 years old, reportedly died of overwork after working through many nights to catch up on filming. The tragic news has sent shockwaves through the industry, with colleagues mourning his loss in tears.
It is reported that Li Kaiwen collapsed on set after working for several consecutive days and sadly passed away. His colleagues, overwhelmed with grief, wrote on social media: 'Commemorating our first production, which is also our last. Director, I miss you. In our next life, we'll definitely work together again.' Although the incident is still pending further confirmation from the police and family members, related posts and tributes have gone viral online, once again bringing attention to the 'high-pressure dark side' of the short drama industry.
Hengdian is known as the 'Hollywood of China,' but its behind-the-scenes working environment has long been criticized by many insiders as too harsh. Actress Dai Jiaoqian once revealed that she had encountered a director who collapsed and never woke again after working seven consecutive days; there have also been cases of makeup artists suddenly dying from overwork and assistant directors being hospitalized for stomach hemorrhages. In order to keep up with shooting schedules, many crew members rely on caffeine or medication to push through, leaving them physically and mentally on the edge. These cases highlight the huge price paid behind the high output of the short drama industry.
Source: NOWnews Today