AI-Generated Drama Debuts In Prime Time On Hunan TV

Mainland China’s first AIGC long-form drama, "The Journey After the West," will air in Hunan TV’s 8 p.m. prime-time slot tonight, making it the first AI-produced series to be broadcast in a satellite TV prime-time window, according to ETNet. The 30-episode first season was fully AI-produced with technical support from Seedance 2.0 and Seedance 2.5. Each episode runs 40 minutes and will air once a day. Before its television debut, the series also went live on Mango TV at 6 p.m. tonight, giving paying subscribers early access. A-share media and entertainment stocks reacted strongly, with Mango Excellent Media (300413.SZ), H&R Century (000892.SZ), China Television Media (603721.SH) and COL Group (300364.SZ) among the names hitting limit up. ETNet reported that the market reaction reflected the view that AI content has entered mainstream television programming for the first time. The report said the series also marks the first drama to use a "review while broadcasting" model after mainland regulators issued the so-called 21 rules for film and television creation in August last year. It said the approach could shorten review cycles from months to weeks or even days, allowing producers to adjust later content based on audience response.