The domestic AI short drama series "Armed Entry into the Song Dynasty" premiered on August 22. Within just over two months, it released ten consecutive seasons, totaling approximately 1,000 episodes, each under two minutes long. Disclosed data indicates that the series has surpassed 6.6 billion views across all platforms.
"Armed Entry into the Song Dynasty" once topped Hongguo Short Drama's AI recommendation chart. In the first week of November, Season 1 still ranked among the top ten on Hongguo's AI drama list. Disclosed data also shows that the series accumulated 11.41 million favorites across all seasons on Hongguo, with the highest single-season heat index reaching 82.06 million. The average heat index for the top ten seasons was close to 50 million per season.
The project's core team had almost no prior experience in the film and television industry. Zhang Hansheng, the 54-year-old creator, began learning AI generation technology in March 2025 and adopted the online alias "Old Eleven," based on his student number during training. Reports indicate that he earned income from the series, paid off previous debts, and the team has now expanded to over 30 members.
The initial six-person core team behind "Armed Entry into the Song Dynasty" came from diverse professions, including ride-hailing drivers, freight workers, wholesalers, and regular office employees. Members were distributed across Guangdong, Anhui, Hubei, and Hebei provinces, collaborating primarily online, with many initially participating on a part-time basis.
Head screenwriter Li Chaohua revealed that the entire series required over 1 million RMB in computing power investment, ultimately yielding commercial returns in the tens of millions. Douyin Vice President Li Liang also publicly mentioned the series, noting that AI technology is enabling more ordinary creators to produce hit shows. Viewership figures, investments, and returns are based on data disclosed by related reports and project personnel; existing materials do not provide independent audit verification.