Hong Kong comedy king Stephen Chow’s (Xingye) first micro-drama “Gold Pig Jade Leaf,” produced by him, failed to go online on TikTok as scheduled on May 29, sparking attention. An insider revealed to the media: “Currently, ‘Gold Pig Jade Leaf’ is still waiting for its filing number.”
“Xinhua Technology” cited sources to disclose that the reason “Gold Pig Jade Leaf” did not premiere as planned is due to the latest work prompt issued by the China National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) regarding micro-drama filings, which will officially take effect starting from June 1. Micro-dramas that have not been reviewed and filed cannot be broadcasted online. Due to the relatively high production cost of “Gold Pig Jade Leaf” and the strict review process, the release date of the drama to meet with the audience remains uncertain.
The document issued by the NRTA shows that different micro-dramas are categorized into three classes based on the total investment amount, with a tiered review process in place: major micro-dramas with an investment amount of over 1 million yuan are reviewed by the NRTA, while ordinary micro-dramas with an investment amount between 300,000 to 1 million yuan are reviewed by provincial radio and television departments. Other micro-dramas with an investment amount below 300,000 yuan are subject to content management responsibilities by network video platforms that provide circulation or promotion.
According to information from WeChat, starting from May 27, for micro-dramas with production costs of 300,000 yuan or less, developers need to upload a “Cost Allocation Report.” After platform review, the drama will be issued a filing number, which is only applicable to the WeChat Mini Program platform. Developers can submit relevant materials through the Mini Program backstage or API interface.
This pertains to the filing status of new micro-dramas costing up to 300,000 yuan. For previously aired dramas, a “Cost Allocation Report” needs to be submitted; if actor information has been previously provided, there is no need for re-submission, but if not, it should be completed. Relevant materials can only be submitted through the API interface for filing, and this needs to be completed before June 25.
In addition, “TikTok” has issued notifications to micro-drama developers and authors that all short dramas that were already online and aired must prepare materials according to a template by May 30. The platform opened the upload portal on May 17 and May 23. For short dramas newly launched from June 1, developers need to fill out a “Cost Allocation Report” and an “Actor Payment Commitment Letter” when uploading to TikTok. These materials will then be submitted to the provincial radio and television departments for filing by the platform.
An announcement from “Kwai” also indicates that starting from June 1, micro-drama works without a filing number will be banned from operating and promoting on the platform. The platform will review micro-dramas, and developers are not allowed to evade or resist related requirements through technical means. Otherwise, depending on the severity of the issue, the platform reserves the right to ban the Mini Program. Existing Micro-drama Mini Program developers need to complete the review system access by May 30, or delayed compliance will affect the normal operation of the Mini Program.
As reported earlier, TikTok launched the “Boutique Drama Master Creation Program” at the beginning of the year, in collaboration with Stephen Chow to launch the comedy brand “9527 Theater.” “Gold Pig Jade Leaf” is the first work of “9527 Theater,” produced by Stephen Chow, directed by Ma Shi, with Shi Yuanting and Xia Ruoyan as lead actors, and starring many comedy actors like Potato, Jiang Shimeng, and Xu Zhisheng. The filming commenced on April 12 in Chengdu and wrapped up on April 25, taking 13 days to shoot.
Stephen Chow, who had never used any social apps before, opened an Instagram account in October 2022 and has been interacting frequently with fans. His first post was a recruitment message, not for actors, but for “Web3 talents,” which read “In the pitch-black, seeking outstanding talents #Web3 to build a creative future.” At that time, some netizens speculated on what “Xingye” was up to, and now the truth has finally been revealed.
According to the insider, “Gold Pig Jade Leaf” is divided into 24 episodes, each 5 minutes long, totaling 120 minutes, and will be freely available in two seasons. They also mentioned, “In a manner that does not affect the viewing experience, there will be some advertising insertions in ‘Gold Pig Jade Leaf’ just to cover costs.”
As per the original plan, this micro-drama was supposed to go online on TikTok at the end of May. Stephen Chow expressed his ambition during an event, saying: “In recent years, short dramas have seen rapid development in technological and media innovation. I’m looking forward to this new attempt and hope everyone will support it!”
Following the new regulation by the NRTA, the “Network Audiovisual Program Filing System” in various provinces and cities across the country has already been launched or is in preparation. Reports indicate that the Hainan Radio and Television Administration has launched the micro-drama filing system, currently in a trial phase, with filing applications taking approximately a month. Stephen Chow, who is gearing up for a significant venture in the field of short dramas, is unsure how long the filing application will take and whether the content review will proceed smoothly.