Changing Viewing Habits in the Age of Micro Dramas
Recently, while taking the bus and MRT, I often see people scrolling through their phones to watch online micro-dramas, realizing that audience viewing habits are rapidly changing. In the fast-paced daily life, many can watch an episode during their one-minute commute, subverting the traditional concept of watching series. Viewers are only interested in specific themes, and the mass-produced micro-dramas are akin to instant noodles, ready to consume after just three minutes, regardless of the content; the taste and satiety are all that matter.
Famous film critic YouTuber Super Particle mentioned that a Netflix editor posted on Threads suggesting binge-watching with fast-forwarding over the holidays, which sparked considerable discussion. Some agreed, as modern people are pressed for time, and fast-forwarding saves time. Detractors argue that watching a show should be a nuanced experience to appreciate the efforts of the writers, directors, and actors, asserting that one must watch the entire credits to truly complete the viewing. A harsh reality is that there are indeed more people who enjoy short videos; the market is vast with high returns, and quick production to serve viewers aligns with market demand.
The first short drama platform in Taiwan, MeowShort, has launched on iOS, released by Meow Star Media, and will successively introduce multiple series of micro-dramas on mobile apps, planning to release a hundred original Taiwanese micro-dramas this year. The idol drama “Embrace You Through the Darkness,” invested in by artists Huang Guolun and Kou Naixin, is a Taiwanese original production, aimed at encouraging more young people to engage in creation. Huang Guolun expressed at the first Short Drama Summit in Taiwan his hope to invite various sectors to participate, providing opportunities for young people’s dreams.
Yvonne Chen, the platform manager of MEOW SHORT, stated that the scale of micro-dramas in China has reached $6 billion, and the global market is expected to reach $130 billion by 2027. The production time for short dramas is brief, taking only 3 to 5 days to create a piece, with costs and time significantly lower than movie production. Micro-dramas can also facilitate brand placements and advertising marketing, making them generally attractive for brand collaborations.
Andrew Hsu, COO of Meow Star Media, mentioned that the short production cycle allows for higher leverage and returns. The micro-drama platform profits simultaneously from subscriptions and ad placements, highlighting its immense market potential.
What Are Micro Dramas?
Micro dramas have risen with the wave of TikTok short videos, with each episode lasting only 60 to 90 seconds. Each series can contain dozens of episodes, mostly in popular soap opera genres such as romantic love, campus youth, domineering CEO, supernatural adventures, and sadistic love stories, all classic themes. The videos are typically produced in a vertical format to fit mobile app screen specifications, hence they are also known as vertical screen dramas. The market for micro dramas is vast; their IP can be adapted and supports multiple languages, with low production costs and high advertising profitability, making it an emerging blue ocean.
The MeowShort micro-drama app has launched on iOS. MeowShort (released by Meow Star Media) is Taiwan’s first micro-drama video app. Yvonne Chen, the platform manager of MEOW SHORT APP, was once a member of the Taiwanese variety show Super Idol. The business of Meow Star Media includes film and drama production, incubating local creative teams, and digital advertising collaborations. MeowShort’s business model consists of both free and paid subscriptions, with paid users able to become VIPs to unlock and view video sequels.
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