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Out-of-work Chinese actors turn to theme parks as immersive characters after AI squeezes short-drama jobs_我的网站

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    Chinese actress Luo Xinyuan played Huang Rong, a beloved wuxia heroine, at Hengdian World Studios. Photo: Courtesy of Luo XinyuanAs China's once-thriving live-action short drama industry looses speed due to the weight of AI-generated content and shrinking investment, a growing number of young actors who once starred in micro-dramas are moving to a different kind of stage: playing roles at cultural tourist attractions. 
There, they play martial arts heroes and folk characters for live audiences, finding steadier income and real-time connection with viewers. 
"Earning a living with your own hands is nothing to be ashamed of," actress Luo Xinyuan told the Global Times, even as many still hold out hope, waiting for good scripts.
The migration reflects a stark reality. In the first quarter of 2026, AI micro-dramas accounted for more than 95 percent of all micro-dramas released industry-wide, sharply squeezing the space for live-action productions. 
By July, pay for leading actors had shrunk by over 50 percent, mid-tier actors by more than 80 percent on average, and daily wages for bottom-rung extras had fallen into double digits, China's CCTV reported.
Luo, a 21-year-old actress, experienced the downturn firsthand. She came to Hengdian, China's largest film and television production base, to shoot short dramas. "When I first arrived, there were many crews preparing in one hotel. Now sometimes there are only one or two, or none," she told the Global Times. 
This May, she began playing the role of Huang Rong, a beloved wuxia heroine, at Hengdian World Studios. Her daily routine includes interactive stage competitions, parades and live audience interactions, working nearly 13 hours daily during the peak summer season.
"It's tiring but fulfilling," Luo said. "There are no scripts here. It's more about playing with visitors face to face." The change has eased her anxiety. "When I was filming, I kept worrying about the next job. Now I feel more stable."
Yin Jiaxuan, 25, took a different route. He started his career as a professional character performer at major theme parks, starring in immersive shows based on popular game and film IPs before transitioning to short dramas and online movies in mid-2024. 
At the industry's peak, he moved seamlessly between sets. 
"One crew wrapped, and the next was already arranged. I'd go straight to makeup the next day and start filming the day after," he said. Now he keeps both identities, taking film roles when they come and returning to scenic spots during holidays.
Yin rejects the stigma that screen acting is the only proper path. 
"Screen acting is seen as the professional main road, while street-level performance is treated as amateur work. This invisible prejudice has trapped many performers," he said. Yet the tangible stage offers something the camera cannot. 
"Performance comes from life and is higher than life - that is the core of film creation. But now I realize that beyond artistic expression, performance is about building human connections."
Both actors shared that theme park characters must do more than act; they must draw tourists into the scene, delivering emotional value on demand. Visitors come to the scenic spot not just to sightsee, but "to step into a fantasy."
    Yin Jiaxuan Photo: Courtesy of Yin JiaxuanScenic areas are reaping the benefits. Media outlets have reported that in Kaifeng's Wansui Mountain Martial Arts City, Central China's Henan Province, tourists who interacted with these characters stayed an average of 2.3 hours longer per day. 
Every extra 30 minutes of stay raises the probability of secondary consumption by about 25 percent, according to local data. Revenue jumped from about 80 million yuan ($11.86 million) in 2022 to 1.27 billion yuan in 2025. 
While Hengdian World Studios has used characters to boost repeat visits, with annual pass holders returning multiple times "for a specific character."
Cultural scholar Yu Jinlong told the Global Times that the influx of trained actors is upgrading immersive tourism. 
"In the past, theme park characters were mostly amateurs doing costume photos. Now professional actors can build complete characters, improvise and connect storylines, turning scenic spots into open-air theaters," he said. 
Yu pointed out the uniqueness of China's character boom compared with global immersive entertainment. 
"Unlike Western theme parks that rely heavily on mature imported IPs and standardized performances, China's scenic character culture is rooted in local wuxia (martial hero) history and folk customs, encouraging personalized improvisation. Many local scenic spots create hit immersive projects with small investments, forming a unique online-offline communication loop via social media," Yu said. 
As China's cultural consumption shifts from sightseeing to participation, Yu said the young actors swapping short drama sets for scenic spots may be shaping a new hybrid career for the country's entertainment workforce.
For Luo, the recognition from visitors is a reward in itself. 
"There are tourists who travel from far away just to see my performance. It feels good to be recognized," she said. "Actually, I'm still exploring too. But I think you should do what you love, as long as you have the ability."
。    BRUSSELS -- A European Union decision on whether to authorize the use of the controversial chemical herbicide glyphosate in the 27-nation bloc for at least 10 more years was delayed for a month after member countries failed to agree on Friday.The chemical, which is widely used in the 27-nation bloc, is approved on the EU market until mid-December. Representatives of the EU’s executive arm and member countries voted Friday in favor of renewing its authorization until 2033, despite protests from environmental groups. But to be adopted, the 10-year extension proposed by the European Commission required a “qualified majority,” defined as 55% of the 27 members representing at least 65% of the total EU population of some 450 million people. Several member states abstained, and that was not achieved. The European Commission is now expected to amend its proposal before another vote takes place next month. Ultimately, if no consensus is found, the Commission will have the final say.Green members of the European Parliament welcomed the delay and urged member states to vote for a complete ban of glyphosate.“It is irresponsible to again renew the authorization of the use of glyphosate,” said Bas Eickhout, the vice-chair of the Parliament's environment committee. "This would give the big agri a blank check to earn billions by selling a pesticide for which there are still big gaps in knowledge about the effects on our health, and at the same time poses large risks for European biodiversity.”Over the past decade, glyphosate, used in products like the weedkiller Roundup, has been at the heart of heated scientific debate about whether it causes cancer and its possible disruptive effect on the environment. The chemical was introduced by Monsanto in 1974 as an effective way of killing weeds while leaving crops and plants intact.The France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified it as a “probable human carcinogen” in 2015. The EU’s food safety agency had paved the way for the 10-year extension when it said in July it “did not identify critical areas of concern” in the use of glyphosate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found in 2020 that the herbicide did not pose a health risk to people, but a federal appeals court in California ordered the agency last year to reexamine that ruling, saying it wasn’t supported by enough evidence.EU member states are responsible for authorizing the use of products including the chemical on their national markets, following a safety evaluation.In France, President Emmanuel Macron had committed to ban glyphosate before 2021 but has since backpedaled. Germany, the EU's biggest economy, plans to stop using it from next year, but the decision could be challenged. Luxembourg’s national ban, for instance, was overturned in court earlier this year.Greenpeace had called on the EU to reject the market reapproval, citing studies indicating that glyphosate may cause cancer and other health problems and could also be toxic to bees. The agroindustry sector, however, claims there are no viable alternatives.“Whatever the final decision that emerges from this re-authorization process, there is one reality that member states will have to face up to,” said Copa-Cogeca, a group representing farmers and agricultural cooperatives. “There is as of yet no equivalent alternative to this herbicide, and without it, many agricultural practices, notably soil conservation, would be rendered complex, leaving farmers with no solutions.”。

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