Younger generations have led a shift in TV consumption habits, placing the smartphone at the center of how content is watched. Social media platforms have consolidated this trend, creating the perfect environment for the current boom in microdramas, microfictions, and vertical content. This short-form, vertical content phenomenon originated in China but has now become highly popular in the United States, Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America.
According to the China Netcasting Services Association, microdramas generated approximately CNY 50.5 billion (~US$6.95 billion) in 2024, surpassing domestic box office sales for the first time. Data from Sensor Tower shows that since the start of 2024, in-app revenue from short drama apps has grown rapidly, increasing from USD $178 million in Q1 2024 to nearly USD $700 million in Q1 2025, almost quadrupling the market. As of March 2025, global cumulative in-app revenue from short drama apps reached approximately USD $2.3 billion.
In Q1 2025, short drama app downloads in Latin America increased by 69% quarter-over-quarter, reaching nearly 100 million downloads, with DramaWave experiencing a 27-fold increase. This market is also driving strong growth for other emerging apps such as RapidTV, MeloShort, FlickReels, and Swift Drama. Southeast Asia experienced similar momentum, with short drama app downloads rising 61% quarter-on-quarter to nearly 87 million. Apps like DramaWave, FreeReels, and Melolo experienced explosive growth, while ReelShort and DramaBox recorded in-app revenue increases of 31% and 29%, respectively, reaching USD $130 million and USD $120 million. As of March 2025, ReelShort and DramaBox have generated cumulative global in-app revenue of USD $490 million and USD $450 million, respectively.
In China, COL Group has launched its newest microdrama platform, FlareFlow, which has quickly emerged as a global contender in the digital entertainment space. "We launched in late April 2025, entered the United States Top 5 Entertainment apps on Google Play and Top 8 on Apple's iOS Entertainment chart within weeks, crossed 10 million downloads in three months across 177 countries and regions, and saw monthly user spend grow more than 500%. When you see that level of adoption, you build the distribution rails to match it," said Timothy Oh, General Manager at COL Group.
Furthermore, Kedoo Entertainment unveiled Love Drama, its brand-new streaming app dedicated to short-form romantic content, built for the next generation of mobile-first viewers. Nick Okorokov, CEO & Co-Founder of Kedoo Entertainment, explained that one of the most exciting shifts they have observed is the rapid growth of short-form, serialized vertical dramas, fueled by TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, as mobile becomes the primary screen for audiences of all ages. "While this style of storytelling is thriving in Asia, it is still underrepresented in the Americas and other regions. The gap inspired us to launch Love Drama, a go-to destination for bite-sized, emotionally charged, and easily bingeable romantic series for today's mobile-first viewers," he added.
Turkey, a global leader in content production, now faces the challenge of adapting its expertise to emerging formats, delivering measurable results, and showcasing them to the world. "Telling a story with cliffhangers in episodes of up to 90 seconds is the new challenge we are working on," said Umay Ayaz, CEO of Udea Media. "Unlike traditional formats, vertical drama directly engages technology companies: they provide infrastructure, while storytelling gives the format its soul. For decades, Turkish dramas and formats have captivated global audiences, proving that emotional narratives transcend borders. The current challenge is applying that expertise to new screen dimensions and rhythms," she anticipated.
Following the success of the microdramas, VIP 2000 has launched a slate of vertical-format digital series. "The rise of short-form vertical content opened a new creative and business opportunity for us. It's not just a trend, but a new language of storytelling," said Roxana Rotundo and Rosalind Rotundo from VIP 2000 TV. "Our motivation came from seeing how younger audiences engage with fast-paced, visually dynamic narratives on their phones, and realizing we could bring our expertise in scripted series to that space. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that viewers of all ages were also enjoying the content," they explained.
Another company that entered into this trend is SDO Entertainment, which recently announced its first vertical microfiction, "Bon Vivant." "I got really excited to realize there were other opportunities to make fiction, just by changing the format and the business model. That was really encouraging, so I kicked off the research process that eventually led to the production of 'Bon Vivant'. Now we're working on new projects, getting more experienced with the vertical format," stated Loli Miraglia, SDO Entertainment Founder.
TelevisaUnivision's streaming platform ViX has produced more than 20 microdramas and is on track to launch 40 original titles by the end of the year. "The launch of our microcontent marks an exciting evolution in Spanish-language storytelling. We saw an opportunity to connect with a young, mobile-first audience that craves fast, bold, and emotionally resonant content," stated Rafael Urbina, President of Streaming and Digital at TelevisaUnivision, who agrees with Rotundo and Miraglia that this new format and approach allows companies to meet audiences where they are: on their phones and social media feeds. "We are building a bridge between social-first storytelling and long-form entertainment," Urbina added.
PRODUCING MICRODRAMAS
COL Group's Timothy Oh has described microdramas as the storytelling language of the mobile generation. "It starts with attention on a phone. We write to hook first. Episodes live in the 60 to 150-second window, emotions are immediate, stakes are crystal clear, and every chapter ends on a cliffhanger that earns the next tap," he described. "The rhythm is simple and powerful. Empathy, conflict, release, and then repeat. It borrows the rhythm of social video but applies series discipline across dozens of episodes. That is why binge curves for microdramas look closer to mobile games than to traditional television," he added.
For Kedoo's Nick Okorokov, short-form romantic dramas, also known as micro-dramas, are the evolution of traditional series, reimagined for mobile-first audiences in today's attention economy. "The stories are fast-paced, emotionally charged, and built for impact. Told in vertical format and under two minutes, each episode ends with a dramatic hook, echoing the classic cliffhanger, perfectly adapted to the scroll-and-binge rhythms of on-the-go viewing. This form of storytelling makes micro-dramas irresistible. They capture attention instantly, keep audiences coming back for more, and provide a quick escape from their everyday lives," he said.
For producers like VIP 2000 and SDO Entertainment, the biggest challenge of producing vertical short-form content is the storytelling economy. "We have to hook the audience within the first few seconds and deliver a satisfying beat in under two minutes," said Rosalind and Roxana Rotundo, who also explained that there's no room for stuffing: every frame and line of dialogue must drive the plot or deepen the character. "The vertical frame demands a different approach to blocking, composition, and editing, so we adapt our production style to keep it visually engaging," they said.
"We also have to work with a solid script with more dynamic and aggressive cliffhangers. People often underestimate how a story is told, thinking that just because it's on mobile, it must be simpler, but it's actually the opposite," Miraglia added. "The narrative has to be built in a completely different way, with shorter arcs not only for the season, but also within the story itself and for the characters. On the directing side, it was also a big challenge to think about everything in 9:16. Scouting locations forced us to explore spaces with different heights and dimensions than when you're thinking in 16:9. The cast rehearsals were also a huge learning experience, because it meant working with them in a process where everything happens very quickly. Every gesture matters, and movements must fit naturally within the shot," she described.
"Vertical storytelling, with shorter attention spans, faster pacing, and unique visual priorities, introduces new rules for production and consumption, demanding a recalibration without changing the fundamental essence of narrative," added Udea Media's Ayaz.
TelevisaUnivision's Urbina added that telling a compelling story in under two minutes, in vertical video, requires an entirely new approach. "It's about grabbing attention instantly, structuring stories for engagement, and adapting for mobile screens. Every element, from script to camera framing, is designed with this audience and format in mind. We've built a nimble, in-house model to support this, with full production coming out of our Televisa San Ángel studios in Mexico," he explained.
While any new format presents challenges, microcontent has opened the door to innovative storytelling. "The global industry is increasingly shifting toward shorter, digital-first, and vertical formats, yet the essence of storytelling remains unchanged. Turkey, already recognized for its proven success in scripted and unscripted content, is now demonstrating its adaptability to new consumption models," Ayaz argued.
MONETIZATION MODEL
Kedoo's Love Drama offers several monetization models, including subscriptions and token-based access for batches of episodes. "We design the monetization model to be flexible, giving audiences multiple ways to enjoy Love Drama: free, level up with tokens, or paid subscription," Okorokov commented. Users can access content for free via a freemium model, unlocking episodes after sampling the series by watching ads and completing daily missions. For those who prefer quicker access, users can obtain token bundles via optional in-app purchases to unlock content instantly, starting at around US$1.99 for 20 episodes. "Additionally, we offer subscription plans providing premium features, including full ad-free viewing, early access to exclusive content, and offline downloads, which will be available soon. Rather than tailoring the models for specific markets or user segments, our goal is to provide options that meet individual preferences. As our audience grows, we can gain deeper insights into which model resonates best in different regions and user groups," he said.
For VIP 2000 executives, vertical short-form content represents a new way to monetize their brand. "We have developed a new business model around this format, one that we're not quite ready to share publicly yet, but that we believe will redefine how we approach content production and distribution," Rotundo said.
TelevisaUnivision's Urbina mentioned that microcontent has allowed them to unlock a new level of creative opportunity for brand integration. "Because the format is short-form, native, and highly engaging, brands can show up in ways that feel organic, from custom-branded storylines to in-content placements. The content is sponsorship-ready," he described. "It's an ideal environment for brands looking to connect with digitally native, Spanish-speaking audiences in a meaningful way. Additionally, a micro-transaction model is emerging where consumers pay for access to content, which we are also exploring," they added.
Reflecting on the future of mobile-first storytelling, Col Group's Oh stated that AI is increasing both speed and specificity. "Creatively, we can prototype multiple openings, alternate twists, and poster lines, then publish the version that wins in testing. Operationally, AI assists with scripting, editing, and multilingual localization, which enhances quality without increasing the cost curve. That is how we sustain hundreds of experiments a month while keeping a consistent creative voice," he described. Looking ahead, expect more dynamic personalization: market-specific cuts, viewer-selectable branches, and release schedules measured in days rather than months. As the ecosystem formalizes and licensing becomes clearer in major markets, we will see higher quality pipelines, more cross-border co-production, and a premium layer that still respects the grammar of mobile storytelling," he anticipated. Looking ahead, Kedoo aims to explore potential expansion beyond romance into a broader range of genres, such as anime and reality, to demonstrate that microdramas are just testing grounds for innovation and that other content types can also be created and optimized for mobile viewing.
FLAGSHIP TITLES
COL's microdrama "From Rags to Rank One" has achieved extraordinary traction, leaning into a status-climbing story that resonates strongly with male viewers, according to Timothy Oh. On romance and revenge titles, they open with a shock, resolve nothing, and raise the stakes again within ninety seconds. "Then we iterate in public. If early episode retention dips, we re-edit the open, refresh the trailer, and test new poster lines. That test-and-learn cadence is how we scale winners and quietly retire the rest," he added. Oh mentioned that they have applied the same formula in "Mommy, It Hurts… Where's Daddy," which translated a familiar emotional core for overseas audiences and turned immediate engagement into measurable subscription lift. "Our library now aggregates more than 1,700 titles across 11 languages, with originals ramping through 2025 and 2026 to meet global demand," he described.
COL Group executive also mentioned that in the United States and Japan, mobile-first streamers and super apps have shown the strongest interest in COL microdramas. "Their users already understand small transactions and short-form subscriptions. Broadcasters tend to start with digital exclusives or late-night windows while they validate unit economics. Telcos in high-growth markets use microdrama to lift engagement and data plans," he said. India is a top priority for the COL Group, where there is a massive consumption of short videos and free short dramas, which points to AVOD platforms and telcos as natural partners, with broadcasters testing these through their digital arms. "We package genre bundles for India and deliver platform-ready vertical cuts with Hindi and key regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, and Marathi so partners can move quickly," he said.
Kedoo's Love Drama flagship titles, including top three fan favorites, "Billionaire's Secret Baby," "Married for the Inheritance," and "Your Ladyship's Escorting CEO, "From Gate A to Her Heart," and "Wings After 40," are carefully curated from Europe and the U.S., outside of Asia, ensuring the stories feature themes, characters, and cultural nuances that resonate with international audiences, particularly in the Americas. "All of the content follows the same storytelling approach that reflects our commitment to quick, emotionally compelling, and binge-worthy entertainment," Okorokov stated.
VIP 2000's stand-out project "Modo Millonaria" is a fun, aspirational romantic dramedy about a housekeeper who is mistaken for a millionaire. What begins as a simple misunderstanding quickly turns into an adventure filled with love, ambition, and self-discovery—all told in bite-sized episodes of under two minutes. "Our goal was to create truly aspirational content, and we achieved it. Following its great reception, we are already developing new vertical series in a variety of genres, all designed specifically for short-form platforms," Rotundo anticipated. VIP 2000 short content focuses on mobile-first entertainment platforms like ReelShort and DramaBox, but they also adapt their content for social media channels such as Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. "Our strategy is to meet the audience wherever they already consume this type of content, while maintaining the quality and storytelling depth that defines VIP 2000's productions," they said.