Chinese short-drama apps like ReelShort and DramaBox are taking the world by storm, with overseas revenue surging 12x in 2024. Western audiences pay premium for addictive "werewolf CEOs" plots, while Southeast Asia drives downloads. But TikTok's free-model challenger "Melolo" could disrupt the $4B market.

After Western sanctions, Russia’s e-commerce market surged, with Chinese sellers filling the $100B+ gap. Ozon’s GMV grew 64% in 2024, while Chinese goods dominate 90% of cross-border sales. High rewards come with risks: payment delays, logistics hurdles, and tightening regulations.

In Q1 2025, Thailand emerged as TikTok Shop's top market with $2.5-3B GMV, fueled by stable policies (e.g., "SME Thailand" program), advanced live commerce (70% user penetration), and logistics excellence (next-day delivery). While surpassing the tariff-impacted US market, Thailand presents both opportunities in cosmetics/fashion sectors and challenges like regulatory changes, requiring localized warehousing and compliance strategies.