Microdramas, the rapidly growing format of short-form scripted content, are poised to generate $11 billion in global revenues by 2025, nearly twice the expected revenues of FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) channels, which are projected to reach $5.8 billion in the same period. The figures were unveiled at Mipcom 2025 in Cannes by Maria Rua Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia, during a presentation highlighting the transformative impact of microdramas on global viewing behavior.
“Viewers are willing to pay for content that hooks them emotionally within seconds,” Rua Aguete added. “Microdramas prove that attention spans may be shorter, but engagement is deeper — and far more valuable.”
Defined by their compact storytelling format and episodes typically under ten minutes in length, microdramas are engineered for mobile consumption and are capturing audiences with their emotionally engaging, high-intensity narratives. “Microdramas are redefining what premium storytelling means in the digital era,” said Rua Aguete. “They combine the immediacy of social media with the emotional depth of television drama. They are short, snackable, and utterly addictive.”
The monetization model behind the format is a key driver of its commercial success. Most microdrama platforms offer the first few episodes free, while the remainder is accessible through subscription or transactional payments. These revenue streams now account for over 60% of the sector’s total income. According to Omdia, average revenue per user (ARPU) for microdramas can reach as high as $20 per week or $80 per month, far exceeding typical digital content benchmarks.
China continues to dominate the market, accounting for 83% of total global microdrama revenues. The country’s mobile-first audience behavior and sheer market scale have fueled the format’s mainstream popularity. Outside of China, the United States leads all international markets in revenue generation, followed by Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Thailand as fast-growing microdrama hubs.
Omdia’s report positions microdramas not as a passing trend, but as a defining force in the future of digital storytelling. As streaming platforms evolve and mobile content consumption accelerates, the microdrama format is emerging as a viable, premium alternative to traditional scripted entertainment.
“The rise of microdramas is a perfect example of how innovation in storytelling and distribution continues to reshape global viewing behavior,” Rua Aguete concluded. “This is not just a trend — it’s the next wave of content evolution.”
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