Chinese comedy on screen and online thrives in 2024, driving box office growth

Chinese comedy productions for cinema, TV or online are enjoying happy times in 2024, as audiences lap up lighthearted fare.

Streaming platforms have significantly enhanced their comedic content, offering audiences a broad choice, from stand-up and sketch comedy to web series. This diversification caters to a growing demand for comedic entertainment, as viewers seek to unwind and escape the pressures of daily life.

The box office for comedy films has also reported remarkable growth. During the initial two days of the seven-day National Day holiday, box office revenues experienced a 10-percent year-on-year increase, largely driven by the success of comedy films.

"Actually, the overall performance of comedy films this year has been quite impressive. Among the top ten box office films this year, five have a comedic style. Since cinemas inherently have a social networking aspect, audiences expect a more relaxed environment, and comedy is a very relaxing genre," said Sophia Shen, a cinema manager.

Two highly anticipated comedies, Jackie Chan's action-comedy "Panda Plan" and the comedy "The Hutong Cowboy" starring Ge You, debuted during the National Day holiday, providing fans with the chance to see their beloved super stars on the big screen.

"I think the two comedies this year feature actors I really like, Jackie Chan and Ge You. I grew up watching their movies, so I came today specifically to see these two films," said one eager viewer.

With Chan's recent absence from major films, this collaboration with Mahua FunAge marks a significant return.

"I think their partnership will be quite interesting," said another moviegoer.

While the positive box office figures may lead some to believe that comedy is entering a golden age, Wang Weicheng, the chief producer of Panda Plan, offers a different perspective.

"The comedy film has always held a specific position in the market, and it has consistently been very popular. Audience expectations continue to rise, and we are also evolving. Today's humor must resonate more deeply with viewers," Wang said.

Chinese comedy on screen and online thrives in 2024, driving box office growth

The recent Israeli airstrikes on multiple sites in Yemen, including Hodeidah Port in the north, could have devastating consequences, potentially further worsening the humanitarian situation in the country, an United Nations official said on Friday.

On Dec 19, Israel launched a series of airstrikes against Houthi targets in northern Yemen, resulting in the destruction of two major power stations in the capital, Sanaa, and several ports along the coast of the Red Sea.

A total of three ports in Hodeidah Province were affected by the airstrikes: the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef, and Ras Isa.

On Thursday, Israel launched another round of airstrikes targeting key infrastructure and Houthi-controlled sites in Sanaa and Hodeidah, according to media reports.

Julien Harneis, UN resident coordinator in Yemen, stated that 80 percent of food and nearly 90 to 95 percent of medical supplies needed in northern Yemen rely on Hodeidah Port for passage, making the port extremely important.

He emphasized that if the port were to break down, it would have catastrophic consequences, leading to a rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Yemen.

"So, the airstrikes some days ago which destroyed the two tugs was estimated to reduce the harbor capacity by 50 percent. Now, we don't know how long that reduction in capacity will be and we have yet to done a thorough analysis of what the impact of yesterday's airstrikes. So, we're still collecting information and trying to understand that," Harneis said.

The UN predicts that by 2025, the population in need of humanitarian assistance in Yemen will rise to 19 million people. If the internal conflict in Yemen persists, this situation may worsen even further, Harneis noted.

Israeli airstrikes on Yemen may trigger devastating consequences: UN official