CHINA’S increasingly popular micro dramas, some of which featured themes such as palace intrigue, revenge and romance but were played by children, drew public concern and attracted regulatory scrutiny, reported China Press.
One such drama opened with a brutal scene where the crown prince murders a palace maid and one of his brothers.
All three actors are played by children aged 11 or 12.
Apart from violence, the show also features romantic and intimate scenes between child actors.
Zhao Hui, a professor at the School of Drama and Film at the Communication University of China, pointed out that the themes in these micro dramas could negatively shape the values of both child actors and young viewers.
He warned that such plots exceeded what children can reasonably understand and that it may harm a child actor’s physical and mental well-being.
As such, in January this year, China’s National Radio and Television Administration issued guidelines curbing adult-oriented content involving children.
The new rules from the administration have reportedly led to many micro drama projects featuring children being halted.
Some platforms showing micro dramas have begun removing offending series or requiring parts of the shows cut.
