Original story platform YanYan Stories, under the Zhihu umbrella, has released new data indicating significant growth in its intellectual property licensing collaborations. For the first quarter of 2026, the volume of IP copyright partnerships saw a year-on-year increase of over fivefold and a sequential increase of more than twofold. The total copyright income for authors grew by 5.6 times compared to the same period last year.

In the first half of this year, the number of copyrights sold by YanYan Stories reached a new high. A total of nine authors have each sold the rights to more than ten of their works.

In 2026, YanYan Stories is fully implementing its latest strategic shift, evolving from a singular "subscription monetization" model to a comprehensive "full-chain IP operation and development" approach. The platform is collaborating with leading domestic short drama production studios, including Tinghua Dao, to accelerate IP development.

It has been reported that during the first half of 2026, the seven short dramas co-produced and launched by YanYan Stories and Tinghua Dao consistently topped various charts. Looking at the full year, the partnership between the two entities has entered a new phase, achieving upgrades across three key dimensions.

The scale of collaboration has been upgraded, with the annual plan for copyright development expanding to encompass dozens of titles, representing a substantial increase in production capacity. Resource allocation has also been enhanced, as YanYan Stories is committing more of its high-quality IPs, while Tinghua Dao will continue its premium production strategy to generate more hit series.

Furthermore, there is an upgrade in content diversity. Beyond live-action short dramas, the partnership will now also explore and develop other content formats such as AI-generated short dramas and animated series.

Zhang Rongle, the Chief Operating Officer of Zhihu, stated that the commercial value of a high-quality story extends beyond initial member subscriptions at the front end. It can be further expanded into various content forms including short dramas, animated series, film and television adaptations, and game adaptations. The collaboration with short drama studios, including Tinghua Dao, represents a crucial step in executing this broader strategy.