Time-traveling stepmom back to the 80s. Exorcists and shadow sects. Immortal (Xianxia) heroines descending from the skies. Hooked on utra-short dramas? You're not alone. 

Welcome a whole new universe of micro-dramas, also known as duanju, where plots are chaotic and episodes last a couple of minutes at most. Booming demand and high production values are widely credited for the bite-sized shows' vertical screen domination in China and projected takeover of the U.S. entertainment industry. They're becoming a new engine for both cultural influence and economic growth. 

In Quzhou City, east China's Zhejiang Province, a micro-drama hub is rising from the ground and aiming for the sky. At the Meigao Short Drama Super Factory, more than 200 ready-to-shoot sets – from hospitals and airports to villas and courtrooms – are packed into a single production zone. Young creators can walk in and start shooting. Fast, efficient, nonstop storytelling. It's a smart local strategy, blending traditional assets with digital creativity to fuel industrial transformation.