Back to 1988: Trading My Way Up

Back to 1988: Trading My Way Up is an AI drama on Hongguo, a Chinese short-drama platform, with 197 episodes. Hongguo lists it on its AI drama hot chart, where it was No. 31 when we checked. The official synopsis says Li Minghe wakes up back in 1988. In his past life he drifted and let his family down. This time he starts with nothing: he forages wild greens, heads to the county town, finds buyers and starts trading, until the village good-for-nothing is the one holding his family together, and he wants to bring his neighbors along. Plenty of rebirth dramas exist; this one spends its time on how a small business gets built step by step. Hongguo only says it belongs to its AI drama category. It doesn't say which AI tools were used, which parts AI generated, or who produced it. The platform gives no English title, so the one here is our translation.

Who it's for:viewers who like period stories about second chances and starting from nothing.

Before you watch: Hongguo's website asks you to log in before playing, or you can use the Hongguo app. The app's promo says every episode is free, but the page doesn't explain how. The page doesn't list the dialogue language, subtitles or episode length.

Based on Hongguo's official series page and chart. AI Inspiration World has not watched it.