On September 28, the Chinese outlet 163 reported that the Kaiwen collapsed and died on the set in Hengdian, one of the largest Chinese recovery centers. Graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), he had previously directed several art films that had been screened at the First Youth Film Festival in China. Many fans and colleagues have expressed pain for the loss of such a promising talent so soon in his career.
The short dramatic market in China has grown rapidly, reaching a total value of 50.44 billion of yuan (about 6.91 billion dollars). To reduce costs and maximize profits, production crews often cross extreme programs, producing 60 to 100 episodes (about 5 minutes each) in just seven days. Workers are required to put up to 20 hours a day, often taking multiple roles without adequate rest or health safeguards.
Reports indicate that the death of Li Kaiwen is not an isolated accident. Other crew members previously collapsed from exhaustion, with a direction assistant who suffered a gastric hemorrhage after working without pauses. Actors also face overload, with some memories to drugs to support long hours while they receive little wages.
At the funeral of Li Kaywen, Accress Dai Jaiaqian said ten: “I starred for 20 years, but I have never seen a crew working so hard. Hard work is not wrong, but life matters more than anything else. Lifeless, how can you do more dramas?”
The tragedy highlights the dark side of the dramatic dramatic industry in Chinese expansion, where rapid production and profit often have precedence over the safety and well -being of creative staff. According to Deng, Chinese producers release 5,000-8,000 short dramas every year, ten times more than the rest of the world put together. Supported by advertising revenues and spending for users, the short dramatic industry has now exceeded the revenues of the China national box office, with over 500 million internet users who consume these contents and over a third of guard every day.
The death of Li Kaiwen serves as a painful reminder of the human cost behind a sector that gives priority to speed and profit on art and survival.
Sources: Kenh14
