AI Drama Sparks Rally in Mango Shares, Traders Bet on Next Growth Engine

Shares of Chinese broadcaster Mango Excellent Media surged by as much as 64% in its biggest weekly gain since January 2015. The jump was triggered by the premiere of 'The Later Journey to the West', a fully AI-generated long-form television drama, which debuted on August 31 under a new 'review-while-broadcasting' model.

This regulatory framework allows producers to submit episodes for approval in phases, rather than finishing an entire season first. The approach gives creative teams room to adjust later episodes based on audience feedback as the series airs.

The success of the AI drama not only boosted Mango's stock but also lifted shares of Kunlun Tech and China Literature. Traders are betting that AI-made content could become the next growth engine for the industry.

Analysts Rebecca Xu from Morgan Stanley and Brian Gong from Citigroup offered different perspectives on the rally. Xu framed it as a positive trend for streaming platforms, while Gong argued investors are overlooking the near-term commercial upside in China's AI video models themselves.