A good read on global trends

During the 3rd Shanghai International Online Literature Week, which ran from Monday to Wednesday, discussions regarding the global trend of online literature revolved around the theme "Starting with Good Content: The Popularity Code of C Drama". The event brought together overseas online literature writers, Chinese scholars specializing in the field and international industry insiders.

These days, C Dramas, or Chinese Dramas, are as popular as J Dramas (Japanese Dramas) and K Dramas (South Korean Dramas), says Ouyang Youquan, head of the online literature research institute at Central South University.

"C Drama has emerged as a symbolic term, reflecting the widespread popularity of TV series and audiovisual products adapted from Chinese online novels. This also signifies the growing influence of Chinese online literature in the global market," he says.

With captivating stories, online literature allows overseas audiences to understand Chinese culture better, he says.

Daria Kuznetsova, president of the publishing house Freedom under the Russian publishing group Eksmo, says that many young Russians like watching Chinese TV dramas and cartoons and reading Chinese online literature. The cultural elements in those works such as poetry, guqin (a seven-stringed zither), paintings and calligraphy are refreshing to Russian audiences, she says.