Vertical drama news

From Midsumma to Mobile: Grounded AFL Micro Drama ‘Become The One’ Hits Small Screens Everywhere (opens FilmInk in a new tab)

An AFL-themed micro drama called Become The One, which began in connection with Midsumma, is now available on mobile devices. It is another example of a local production moving into the vertical, phone-first format.

Krafton Weighs 100 Billion Won Investment in Short-Drama Startup Spoon Labs (opens Seoul Economic Daily in a new tab)

Krafton is considering an investment of 100 billion won in Spoon Labs, a startup that makes short dramas.

Drew McIntyre, Jacob Fatu & More Featured in WWE x ReelShort Movie Trailer (opens 411MANIA in a new tab)

WWE wrestlers including Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu appear in a trailer for a project made with ReelShort, the vertical drama app. It points to a tie-up between the wrestling company and the short-form series platform.

Vertical short dramas recognised at Vietnam-hosted Asia Top Awards (opens DTiNews in a new tab)

Vertical short dramas received recognition at the Asia Top Awards, an event hosted in Vietnam. The awards point to growing regional attention for the format.

Compressed Time, Narrow Space: The Visual-Temporal Aesthetics of Mobile Microdrama on ReelShort (opens Sage Journals in a new tab)

An academic study looks at how mobile microdramas on ReelShort handle time and space visually. It examines the aesthetic style of the short vertical format as it appears on that app.

Micro-drama seminar spotlights diverse storytelling, AI challenges (opens China Daily in a new tab)

A seminar on micro-drama looked at the range of storytelling approaches in the format and the challenges that AI brings to production.

Story TV's Nafrat Mein Ishq Microdrama Review: Tries Too Hard, Delivers Too Little With An Overused Plot (opens IWMBuzz in a new tab)

Story TV has released a microdrama called Nafrat Mein Ishq. A review finds that it leans on an overused plot and delivers little despite trying hard.

Bullet TV Micro Drama Malamaal Machine Review: High Curiosity, Uneven Execution (opens IWMBuzz in a new tab)

A review looks at Malamaal Machine, a micro drama on the Bullet TV platform. It finds the premise sparks curiosity, but the execution is uneven.

Even Realities microdrama explores the horrors of smart-glasses surveillance (opens Ad Age in a new tab)

Smart-glasses company Even Realities has produced a microdrama that dramatizes the privacy and surveillance fears people associate with wearable glasses. It is an example of a brand using the short vertical series format for marketing.

Chicago Cubs TikTok Microdrama Tests The Reach Of Sports Brands (opens Forbes in a new tab)

The Chicago Cubs made a microdrama for TikTok, a test of how far a sports brand can reach with the short vertical format.

‘My screaming is real’: Lim Yan Xin gets genuinely spooked while filming horror microdrama with Fauzi Azzhar (opens Stomp in a new tab)

Lim Yan Xin is filming a horror microdrama alongside Fauzi Azzhar. She says her screams on set are real because the shoot genuinely frightened her.

Neighbours AI microdrama: who should control old TV performances? (opens TV Central in a new tab)

An AI-made microdrama tied to the TV series Neighbours has prompted a debate about who should control the use of actors' past performances. It raises questions about consent and rights as AI tools reuse older TV work.

Creator Commerce Agency SuperOrdinary Debuts First Microdrama In Partnership With TikTok (opens Net Influencer in a new tab)

Creator commerce agency SuperOrdinary has released its first microdrama, made in partnership with TikTok. The release shows an agency moving into vertical drama production alongside a major social platform.

RTS Midlands Industry Insights: Microdrama (opens Royal Television Society in a new tab)

The Royal Television Society's Midlands centre has put microdrama on its industry insights agenda, a sign that British television professionals are paying attention to the vertical short drama format.

From Rakesh Bedi to Karan Patel: TV stars in the microdrama world (opens StoryBoard 18 in a new tab)

Television actors including Rakesh Bedi and Karan Patel are taking roles in microdramas, showing how established TV names are moving into the short vertical format.

Life Tak is now the official home of India Today Group’s premium microdramas. Short series, big twists, daily slice of life (opens Business Today in a new tab)

Life Tak has become the dedicated home for India Today Group's premium microdramas. The platform will carry short series built around twists and slice of life stories, with new content arriving daily.

Sheeba Chadha calls microdrama ‘Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe’ a ‘love at first sight’ story (opens Telangana Today in a new tab)

Actor Sheeba Chadha has spoken about the microdrama Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe, describing it as a love at first sight story. The comments suggest she is involved with the vertical series.

GUEST COLUMN | India didn’t import microdramas. It is finding its own way to export them (opens Indian Television Dot Com in a new tab)

A guest column argues that India's microdrama industry is developing on its own terms rather than copying imported models, and that the country is positioning itself to export these short vertical shows to other markets.

A+E Global Media and Lifetime Expand Original, Adapted Microdrama Slate (opens Variety in a new tab)

A+E Global Media and Lifetime are adding more microdramas to their lineup, including both original series and adaptations. The move shows another established media company putting resources into the short vertical format.

The micro drama industry is booming. It's giving Meta two wins at the same time. (opens Business Insider in a new tab)

Growth in the micro drama industry is benefiting Meta in two ways at once, according to the story. Details are limited, but it ties the format's rise to the social media giant's business.

New Queer Vertical Drama “Situationship” Set to Premiere on National Coming Out Day, Starring Lawrence Hawkins, Guy Vadas, And Danielle Cormack (opens The Curb in a new tab)

A new queer vertical drama called Situationship is set to premiere on National Coming Out Day. The cast includes Lawrence Hawkins, Guy Vadas, and Danielle Cormack.

COL Group expands into EdTech with Lingopie partnership and microdrama co-productions (opens Prensario Internacional in a new tab)

COL Group is moving into education technology through a partnership with Lingopie. The deal also includes co-productions of microdramas.

SPH Media launches horror-comedy microdrama Connected drawn from ghost stories, urban legends (opens The Straits Times in a new tab)

SPH Media has launched Connected, a horror-comedy microdrama based on ghost stories and urban legends. The release shows a media company moving into short vertical-style episodic storytelling.

TikTok Wants Brands to Make Mini Dramas (opens TechJuice in a new tab)

TikTok is encouraging brands to produce mini dramas on its platform, pointing to a push to bring advertisers into short episodic storytelling made for phones.

Myntra deepens micro drama play as short form content gains consumer attention (opens StoryBoard 18 in a new tab)

Myntra is expanding its use of micro dramas as short form content draws more consumer attention. The move shows a retail brand putting more into the vertical drama format.

TikTok and Sundance Collab Launch Micro-Series Storytelling Program (opens sundance.org in a new tab)

TikTok and Sundance have teamed up to start a program focused on micro-series storytelling, linking a major social platform with a well-known film organization around short episodic content made for phones.

Meta captures micro drama ad spending in the U.S. (opens Traders Union in a new tab)

Meta is reportedly taking in advertising spend tied to micro drama in the U.S., suggesting the platform is becoming a key channel for promoting these short episodic shows to American viewers.

From Home to Hollywood and Back: East End Natives Team Up for ‘Love in the Hamptons’ Microdrama (opens 27east in a new tab)

A group of East End natives have joined forces to make a microdrama called Love in the Hamptons. The project brings people from the Hamptons who worked in Hollywood back home to produce a vertical series.

Tencent’s 4 Failed Short Drama Market Attempts: Can WeChat "Green Bubble" Finally Succeed This Time? (opens 36Kr in a new tab)

Tencent has tried and failed four times to gain ground in the short drama market. The story asks whether its newest push, tied to WeChat, can finally work.

Microdramas are booming. AI could make it even harder to stop binge-watching (opens The Conversation in a new tab)

Microdramas are growing quickly, and the piece raises the possibility that AI tools used in making them could make the format even more binge-prone for viewers.

Mario Lopez, Paris Hilton, Jesse Tyler Ferguson Join Microdrama Platform aTwist’s October ‘To Die For’ Lineup (EXCLUSIVE) (opens WTYE FM in a new tab)

Mario Lopez, Paris Hilton, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson are set to appear in the October lineup called To Die For on aTwist, a microdrama platform. The announcement points to the platform drawing well-known names to its slate.

Hoop Entertainment adds 2 micro-dramas to JioHotstar’s Tadka (opens Exchange4Media in a new tab)

Hoop Entertainment has put two more micro-dramas on Tadka, the vertical drama offering on JioHotstar, adding to the platform's lineup of short episodic series.

Verticals For Good Challenge Brings Purpose to the $14B Micro-Drama Boom (opens The Courier-Journal in a new tab)

Story TV's X Ray Nazar Wala Hero Microdrama Review: Familiar Fantasy Drama That Falls Flat (opens IWMBuzz in a new tab)

Story TV has released a microdrama called X Ray Nazar Wala Hero, a fantasy drama. A review finds it familiar and unconvincing.

Dutch Core shops teen microdrama, doc investigating Europe’s narco trade (opens C21media in a new tab)

Dutch Core is taking a teen microdrama to buyers, along with a documentary looking into the narco trade in Europe. The distributor is adding a vertical drama to its sales slate.

LumoTV reveals drama commission brief as it seeks first deaf-led microdrama (opens C21media in a new tab)

LumoTV has put out a commissioning brief for drama and is looking for its first microdrama led by deaf talent.

Secret Billionaires, Mafia Brides, Alpha Kings: The Insane World of Microdramas (opens The New York Times in a new tab)

A feature looks at the world of microdramas, the short phone-based series known for melodramatic plots such as hidden billionaires, mafia brides and alpha kings.

Horror microdrama “BITE CLUB” (with a “CHOPPING MALL” reunion!) premieres in NYC this month (opens RUE MORGUE in a new tab)

A horror microdrama called Bite Club is set to premiere in New York City this month. The series includes a reunion of people connected to the film Chopping Mall.

China’s AI Microdrama Boom: More Output, Copycat Content, Less Money (opens New Fortune Times in a new tab)

China's AI-assisted microdrama sector is producing more titles, but copycat content is spreading and revenue per title is shrinking. The shift is changing the economics of making these shows.

Gen Z’s bitten by micro dramas (opens Metro India in a new tab)

Younger viewers in India are taking to micro dramas, the short episodic shows made for phones, pointing to growing audience interest in the format among Gen Z.

AI Dramas Are Crowding Out the Human Actors of China's Micro-Drama Boom (opens Trending on Weibo in a new tab)

AI-generated dramas are increasingly displacing human actors in China's fast-growing micro-drama market, raising concerns about work for performers as producers turn to AI tools to make these short shows.

Allen Ren denies "entry into short dramas," issues emergency statement over spread of fake accounts. (opens Record China in a new tab)

Allen Ren has denied reports that he is moving into short dramas. He issued an urgent statement after fake accounts spread the claim.

[Vantage Point] Inside the addictive architecture of the AI microdrama (opens Rappler in a new tab)

An opinion piece looks at how AI-made microdramas are built to keep viewers hooked, examining the design choices behind these short episodic shows and the role AI plays in producing them.

Lights, camera, tourists! Short dramas rewrite the script for "China's Hollywood" (opens Xinhua in a new tab)

Short dramas are changing how people see a Chinese filming hub often called China's Hollywood, with the shows apparently drawing tourists to the area. The story ties the format's growth to local tourism.

Ex-CBC, Blink49 exec Dylen Postnikoff enters Room418 with new microseries outfit (opens C21media in a new tab)

Dylen Postnikoff, a former executive at CBC and Blink49, has joined Room418, which is launching as a new company focused on microseries.

Can AI predict a microdrama hit? BULLET says its hit rate has risen to 20-25% (opens StoryBoard 18 in a new tab)

BULLET, a company using AI to forecast which microdramas will succeed, says its prediction hit rate has climbed to between 20 and 25 percent. The claim speaks to growing use of AI in picking projects for the format.

Microdramas to overtake film business in India by 2030: Story TV CEO (opens afaqs! in a new tab)

The CEO of Story TV predicts that microdramas in India will grow larger than the country's film business by 2030, pointing to fast growth in the short episodic format.

HONOR 600S launch brings tech and vertical drama together with ‘The CEO’s New Jowa’ (opens LionhearTV in a new tab)

HONOR launched its 600S phone alongside a vertical drama called The CEO's New Jowa, pairing the product release with a short episodic series made for phones. It is a brand using the format as marketing.

Night of the Living Dead Getting Microdrama Adaptation From Room418 (opens Bleeding Cool News in a new tab)

Room418 is making a microdrama adaptation of Night of the Living Dead, bringing the classic horror property into the short vertical series format.

Story TV: The Brilliant 60 Second Drama App Taking Over India! (opens AltBollywood.com in a new tab)

An app called Story TV offers 60 second dramas and is gaining traction in India, pointing to growing local interest in short vertical drama on phones.

AI rewrites microdrama production line (opens SGGP English Edition in a new tab)

AI tools are changing how microdramas get produced, reshaping the workflow behind these short episodic shows made for phones.

Hidden payment maze behind AI microdramas (opens SGGP English Edition in a new tab)

A report looks at the hidden payment structures behind AI-made microdramas, pointing to murky money flows in this part of the short drama business.

IMDA and TikTok Launch Microdrama Programme to Develop Singapore Media Talent (opens Alvinology in a new tab)

Singapore's media regulator IMDA and TikTok have launched a microdrama programme meant to develop local media talent. It points to growing institutional support for short-form drama training and production in Singapore.

Eloelo Group’s Dolphin AI targets the biggest bottleneck in Microdrama: production at scale (opens Adgully.com in a new tab)

Eloelo Group's Dolphin AI is an AI tool aimed at the production side of microdrama, with the goal of helping studios make these shows at greater scale.

India’s microdrama audience isn’t who the industry expected. Men are watching, but are they staying? (opens StoryBoard 18 in a new tab)

India's microdrama viewership includes more men than the industry predicted. The open question is whether those male viewers keep watching over time, which matters for how platforms and producers think about their audience.

Mastercard Weaves K-Microdrama Into Payment Security With ‘Tap Into My Heart’ (opens Branding in Asia in a new tab)

Mastercard has produced a Korean microdrama titled Tap Into My Heart, using the short-form format to promote its payment security message. It is an example of a financial brand turning to vertical drama for marketing.

From Prime Time To Scroll Time: 7 Top TV Stars Who Have Entered The Microdrama World (opens News18 in a new tab)

Seven well-known television actors have moved into microdrama, taking roles in short vertical series made for phones. The story points to more TV talent crossing over into the format.