网剧 (wǎngjù) represents a major shift in China's media landscape over the last decade. While they started as low-budget, amateur productions, they are now the dominant force in Chinese entertainment, often eclipsing traditional television in terms of budget, star power, and cultural buzz. The closest Western equivalent is a “streaming original” (like a show from Netflix, Amazon Prime, or HBO Max). However, the cultural impact of 网剧 in China is arguably more profound. Because online content historically faced less stringent censorship than state-run broadcast television, 网剧 became a space for more creative freedom and diverse storytelling. This allowed for genres like supernatural thrillers, time-travel stories, and “Boy's Love” (BL) adaptations (called 耽改 - dāngǎi) to flourish, capturing the attention of younger audiences. These shows are not just entertainment; they are cultural phenomena. A hit 网剧 can create nationwide trends, make its actors into A-list celebrities overnight, and generate weeks of non-stop discussion on social media platforms like Weibo. For any learner of Chinese, understanding what 网剧 are and which ones are popular is a key to understanding modern Chinese youth culture.
网剧 is a neutral, everyday term used in all informal and most semi-formal contexts when discussing entertainment.
The term itself is neutral, but the specific 网剧 being discussed will carry its own connotations (e.g., high-quality, “trashy,” romantic, thrilling).