Artwork: official platform ↗
The Mermaid’s Curse
Vertical short drama 2026 35 episodes · ~1–2 min each Short Drama
Nerida, an injured mermaid, buys her freedom with a blue diamond. It makes poor fisherman Jack rich and hungry for more. He breaks his vow, locks her away, and demands another gem. But she won't shed another tear for him… — official synopsis, NetShort
Where to watch
Viki ↗YouTube ↗iQIYI ↗WeTV ↗Netflix ↗MyDramaList reviews ↗
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Origin & tropes
Remixes the Chinese tropes 追妻火葬场 (Regret & Chase) + 打脸 (Face-Slap) + 狼人/吸血鬼 (Werewolves & Vampires).
Chinese tropes it remixes
- 追妻火葬场 zhuīqī huǒzàngchǎng — Regret & ChaseLiterally 'chase the wife into the crematorium': a cold husband realises what he had only after losing her, then grovels. Peak angst; comment sections rate how much he suffers.
- 打脸 dǎliǎn — Face-SlapThe hero is mocked, cheated or dumped, then returns with wealth, power or the truth and watches every tormentor eat their words. Chinese audiences call the satisfying moment 爽 (shuǎng, 'release'). Western verticals borrowed the structure wholesale.
- 狼人/吸血鬼 lángrén / xīxuèguǐ — Werewolves & VampiresNot a Chinese trope at all — Western paranormal romance (alpha/omega/fated mates) poured into the Chinese vertical format. ReelShort's werewolf line was its first North American breakout.
Platform tags
All-Too-LateSudden WealthKarma Payback
Data: NetShort public catalog.
