Douyin VP Li Liang Says Short Drama Quality Is Core, Calls for Open Competition

Li's framing pushes back against the idea that short dramas are a lesser format, which matters for a platform whose distribution power shapes how the category is perceived. The call for open competition is notable coming from a Douyin executive, given the platform's scale in short-form video. Whether that rhetoric translates into how the company treats rival creators and traditional studios is the open question.