In recent years, 'domineering CEO' storylines and characters have become a major trend in Chinese micro-dramas, attracting a large following and prompting many discussions among viewers. However, the exaggerated plot designs and unrealistic dialogues have sparked dissatisfaction and criticism from some audiences. In response, the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China has officially stated that it will address such content that has drawn 'strong public feedback', correcting problems such as absurd plotlines, stereotypical characters, and sensationalist titles.
On September 25, China’s State Council Information Office held a press conference at which Han Dong, Deputy Director of the NRTA, pointed out that as a new and popular form of mass art, micro-dramas are developing rapidly, but some works suffer from crude content and single-dimensional character designs. In particular, the overabundance of 'domineering CEO' personas has become a focal point of audience criticism.
Han Dong emphasized that the NRTA will further refine management standards and is currently promoting the 'Micro-drama Management Measures', which are planned to be introduced as departmental regulations to strengthen guidance and regulation from an institutional perspective. He noted that the number of micro-drama users has reached 696 million, and the industry scale is expected to exceed 50 billion RMB (about 29.5 billion MYR) this year. With such rapid growth, it is even more necessary to enhance governance mechanisms to ensure the right creative direction.
To prevent artistic content from becoming superficial, continuous regulatory and special rectification actions have been launched, targeting issues such as 'absurd' plotlines, formulaic character pairings like 'domineering CEO and naïve sweethearts', and exaggerated, eye-catching titles. Han Dong stated that these phenomena not only undermine the social value of dramas but could also mislead young viewers.
Source: on.cc