15 short dramas honored at 38th Hundred Flowers Awards event

Fifteen short dramas were awarded at the short drama honor section of the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards held in Beijing on Aug. 9.

Jury members, organizers, award-winning teams and upcoming short drama production teams pose for a group photo at an event held in support of the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards in Beijing, Aug. 9, 2026. [Photo courtesy of the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards Organizing Committee]

The five award categories — most popular short drama, most innovative short drama, outstanding series short drama, most influential short drama and outstanding quality short drama — recognized works based on audience reception, genre innovation, series production, social relevance and production quality.

The honored works covered family dramas, romance, social realism, action and costume dramas, reflecting the industry's transition from rapid expansion toward greater emphasis on content quality, character development and production values. Winners included "Enemy," "Love Makes Home," "Northeast Love Story: Flash Marriage Rose," "Undercurrent," "Hair Family Fortune" and "Little Sniper." Many of the works were produced by Hongguo Short Drama, a Chinese short-form drama platform.

Seven upcoming short dramas were also introduced at the event. "God of Cookery 2026" was a particular highlight, drawing attention for reviving Stephen Chow's classic 30 years after the original film's release. Co-produced by Douyin, the series is expected to retain the spirit and warmth of the original while addressing real-world issues such as food safety.

Other much-anticipated projects include the historical drama "Six Daughters of the General's Family" and "Bentour," a comedy set in Northeast China.

"God of Cookery 2026" is promoted at a short drama event of the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards in Beijing, Aug. 9, 2026. [Photo courtesy of the 38th Hundred Flowers Awards Organizing Committee]

Several young short drama actors also shared their experiences at the event. Actor Chen Si said short dramas had changed her career and that the industry was shifting from rapid output to more refined production. Zhang Jinyi said the inclusion of short dramas as a supporting event of the Hundred Flowers Awards signaled growing professionalization and regulation. Meanwhile, Yu Yin added that what truly moves audiences is not episode length but the weight of sincerity.

Li Ran, a Beijing Film Academy professor and jury member, said short dramas are gradually establishing clearer production standards and aesthetic frameworks, with greater attention being paid to script structure and audiovisual expression. The event, she said, represents formal recognition of the emerging format and provides clearer direction for the industry's move toward higher quality and greater professionalism.

This year's Hundred Flowers Awards were also handed out on the night of Aug. 9, with "Ne Zha 2" emerging as the biggest winner. The film has grossed 15.9 billion yuan ($2.35 billion), making it China's highest-grossing film and the world's fourth-highest-grossing, and took home the best picture award.