Peng, 30, graduated from the Central Academy of Drama and began his career in television before moving into short-form dramas during China’s 2025 micro-drama boom at the suggestion of fans.
He became known for playing domineering CEO characters and, at the peak of his career, often filmed 15 to 16 hours a day, according to Hong Kong media outlet HK01.
The industry’s rapid adoption of AI has since transformed the business. Reports said around 122,000 of the 128,000 micro-dramas released in China during the first quarter of 2026 were produced using AI, accounting for more than 95% of all new releases.
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Chinese actor Xu Peng. Photo from Weibo |
Xu said the surge in AI-generated productions severely affected his career. After wrapping up his last drama in March, acting offers largely disappeared, prompting him to return to his hometown to help with the family’s vegetable business.
Most days, he drives his family’s electric vehicle to a local market to sell vegetables grown by his grandfather. Photos and videos of Xu working at the market have spread widely on Chinese social media, where many users praised his resilience and willingness to earn an honest living.
His experience reflects broader disruption across China’s short-drama industry. Recent reports estimate that AI-generated productions have affected nearly two million jobs.
Top micro-drama actors who once earned up to 20,000 yuan (US$2,940) a day now often struggle to find work even at daily rates of around 1,200 yuan, according to Channel News Asia.
AI is now used throughout nearly every stage of production, from scriptwriting to character modeling and post-production editing, allowing entire short dramas to be completed within days at a fraction of the cost of live-action productions.
Although some relatives and friends were initially puzzled by his decision, Xu said he remains unfazed by the career change.
“Acting is just a job. If there are no roles to take, I will find another way to make a living,” Malaysia’s The Star quoted him as saying. “As long as I make an honest living through hard work, there is no obstacle I cannot overcome.”
