Over the past five years, a multitude of both trendy and traditional Chinese cultural elements have ridden the wave of digital internet dissemination to go global, creating one wave after another of "C-Culture" trends that have taken the world by storm.
From the old cliche of "learning Chinese, making jiaozi, and practicing Tai Chi" to the new trio of "online literature, web dramas, and online games"—and even more forms—Chinese cultural works are now going global in a more systematic, industrialized, and youth-oriented manner, carving out new pathways on the globally-dominant Western cultural map.
The overseas expansion of Chinese social media platforms like TikTok has provided core channels for cultural exports in the new era. The enhancement of cultural soft power has led to phenomenal cultural works emerging across various fields. From the previous dominance of kung fu movies and period dramas to the current blossoming of long dramas, web series, micro-dramas, music, novels, games, and online literature, these works have attracted global Gen Z audiences. They tell Chinese stories in a more equal, engaging, and diverse manner, showcasing the multifaceted charm of Chinese culture.
Li Ziqi sparks global yearning for Chinese culture
When Chinese video blogger Li Ziqi returned after three years of silence, her new work garnered over 100 million views on overseas platforms within five hours and received more than 5,000 comments in just 10 minutes, demonstrating the world's enduring fervor for traditional Chinese culture and lifestyle aesthetics. Micro-drama apps like Reelshort have swept through European and American markets, achieving a comprehensive export of Chinese film and television from "content" to "channels." Games like Black Myth: Wukong and Genshin Impact use digital technology to revitalize the unique charm of traditional culture and convey it to global markets through localization and regionalization strategies. Chinese online literature has evolved from a niche interest to a global phenomenon, becoming the emerging market with the fastest-growing user base worldwide. It has also supported the adaptation of numerous IPs into dramas, further fueling the "C-Drama" (Chinese Drama) craze overseas and extending the chain of cultural dissemination.
"Step out of the circle"
China's 14th Five-Year Plan proposed exploring overseas cultural markets and encouraging the "going global" of outstanding traditional cultural products and digital cultural products such as films, TV dramas, and games. The high-quality exported works that have emerged over the past five years are a testament to the development of China's digital cultural industry.
According to an online literature development research report, the overseas market size of Chinese online literature exceeded RMB 5 billion in 2024, covering more than 200 countries and regions with over 350 million global users. Based on online literature, various segments of the IP industry chain, including adapted dramas, animations, audio works, games, and physical publications, have also made breakthroughs overseas.
Taking the leading online literature platform China Literature as an example, in 2024, the number of its works signed for overseas publication authorization increased by 80% year-on-year. The total views of its animated works on YouTube reached 1.237 billion, a 35.4% increase from the previous year.
Accelerated pace of game exports
The pace of game exports is also accelerating. In 2024, the actual sales revenue of China's self-developed games in overseas markets reached US$18.557 billion, accounting for 10% of the global game market. In the first half of 2025, this figure reached US$9.501 billion, an 11.07% year-on-year increase.
From the early exploration of overseas markets with client games as the vanguard, to the mobile era where mobile games became the main force for exports, and to the recent phase where mini-games have become growth engines, China's game exports have formed a pattern of multi-category collaboration, with leading large companies and small-to-medium-sized developers working side by side.
By balancing tradition and innovation, and complementing lightweight and in-depth experiences, a multidimensional product system has been created, building a more competitive matrix of exported products.
Global "China Travel" craze
The other side of this cultural export wave is the deepening influence of Chinese culture. The popularity of Chinese cultural works overseas has garnered widespread acclaim among foreign audiences, leading more and more international viewers to approach China, understand China, and fall in love with Chinese culture.
Data from China's Ministry of Education show that 85 countries have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems, with cumulative learners and users of international Chinese exceeding 200 million. Coupled with convenient policies like visa-free transit, foreigners are personally coming to China to explore the country, sparking a global "China Travel" craze. They may follow cultural clues from literary and artistic works to form genuine connections with China, continuing the story of "mutual pursuit" in the wave of Chinese cultural exports and highlighting the charm of Chinese culture.
Highlights of Chinese cultural exports over past five years
- Domestic dramas spark global viewing craze
Chinese TV drama Minning Town was translated into more than 20 languages, including Malay and Spanish, and broadcast in over 50 countries and regions, including Hong Kong (China), North America, and Southeast Asia. Legend of Zang Hai sparked an overseas viewing frenzy, entering trend lists in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Ukraine, India, and other regions on its premiere day. Its overseas distribution covered 15 countries and regions.
- Micro-dramas experience phenomenal breakout
Since breaking through in 2023, micro-dramas have rapidly expanded in overseas markets such as North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Micro-drama apps like ReelShort, FlexTV, and GoodShort have emerged as dark horses, creating new models for content export and business.
- Domestic games participate in global competition
In 2024, the actual sales revenue of China's self-developed games in overseas markets reached US$18.557 billion, a year-on-year increase of 13.39%, with the scale exceeding RMB 100 billion for five consecutive years. Black Myth: Wukong broke numerous records, selling over 10 million copies within four days of its release and winning two TGA awards.
- Domestic films screen globally to popular acclaim
Films such as Ne Zha 2, The Wandering Earth 2, and Creation of the Gods II were released overseas. Among them, Ne Zha 2 has grossed a total of RMB 15.44 billion at the box office, ranking fifth on the global all-time box office chart and first on the global all-time animation box office chart.
- Online literature gains massive popularity overseas
In 2024, the overseas market size of online literature exceeded RMB 5 billion, nurturing 460,000 overseas online writers and attracting over 350 million overseas users, covering more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. The user base in the Japanese market surged by 180%, making it the emerging market with the fastest-growing user base globally.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Li Ziyan; English Editor: Darius)
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