Shortdramas: How the Format of Short Vertical Series Emerged
How vertical mini-series became a new entertainment format.
A series with a hundred episodes you can finish in an hour. That's exactly how shortdramas work — vertical mini-series with episodes running 1–3 minutes, made specifically for smartphones. Over the past few years, this format has grown rapidly from a niche Chinese trend into a global industry with audiences in the millions and hundreds of new releases every year.
How shortdramas came about, and which mini-series are worth watching — in this DeTalks article.
How Shortdramas Emerged and Evolved
The shortdrama format took shape in China in the late 2010s, when local video platforms began experimenting with short series for smartphones. Among the first to introduce this kind of content were China's Kuaishou and Douyin (China's version of TikTok).
The apps started rolling out mini-series shot specifically in vertical format for mobile viewing, with episodes running just a few minutes. The earliest such projects were melodramas or romance stories.
In 2019–2020, platforms like Douyin and Kuaishou saw their first professionally produced series that audiences publicly started calling 'short drama' or 'micro drama.' Shows like I Want to Live to the Finale, for instance — with 26 one-minute episodes — or were among these Game of True Love, packed with short scenes about romantic relationships.
Over time, standalone platforms began appearing that specialized specifically in short series — ReelShort, DramaBox, or NetShort, for example. It was through these that shortdramas began spreading beyond China.
The share of US ad spending tied to shortdrama platforms stood at around 68% in 2025. Most of that budget went to social media: Facebook — 25%, TikTok — 19%, Snapchat — 16%, and Instagram — 8%. The microdrama market, in other words, has quickly become integrated into the advertising ecosystem.
Why Mini-Series Became Popular
The shortdrama format gained popularity precisely because of the rhythm of social platforms and dramatic elements audiences already find familiar. Episodes of 1–2 minutes, shot vertically, are easy to consume on smartphones, and social media algorithms push clips from the videos further.
This approach makes watching fast, accessible, and intensely 'bingeable': viewers fall for the endless cliffhangers and come back for a new dose of story every day.
The popularity of shortdramas is also explained by their emotional payoff and their role as an escape from daily routine. Viewers say that after work or during a break, they want simple but emotionally packed stories that don't require a long watch.
Short, dramatic plots, often with exaggerated twists, romantic conflicts, or sudden scandals, deliver exactly that kind of 'one-minute emotional dose' and work well within today's culture of fast media consumption.
Shortdramas Worth Watching
Among the hits of the mobile shortdrama scene is How to Tame a Silver Fox — a romance about a student and an older partner that caught audiences' attention with its unexpected plot twists and high emotional pace.
There's also Breaking the Ice — a drama about a returning ex that features pregnancy, conflict, and tangled relationships — which has also become a cult favorite among genre fans.
Another format within shortdramas is the seasonal or themed mini-series. Examples include Rented a Billionaire Husband for Christmas, which combines romance with a holiday mood, or Audrey in Full Bloom — a series with more than 60 episodes about a young woman's rise as a CEO.
Other storylines that drew attention include Your Love Arrived After Goodbye (a dramatic story about a canceled wedding) and No, Your Majesty (a tale of life and love at a royal court).
Ukrainian Shortdramas
Even though the shortdrama format originated in Asia, Ukrainian companies have also started experimenting with short vertical series. Ukrainian media-tech company Holywater, for instance, developed a platform called My Drama, which specializes specifically in short series built for mobile viewing.
Media service Megogo also added Holywater's first vertical series to its subscription lineup in 2025. Among these mini-dramas are 'A Couple Made in Hell,' 'A Billionaire Disguised as a Gigolo,' and 'Pretend You Love Me.'
The series were shot by the Kyiv-based team AMO Pictures with Ukrainian actors, and all the content comes with Ukrainian voiceover and subtitles for easy viewing.
Beyond Holywater, Ukrainian company Storyby has also been developing its own streaming platform, DramaShorts. As of 2025, DramaShorts already has over 15 exclusive series, produced in-house in Europe and the US, which have been watched by over 12 million viewers worldwide.
Available stories on the platform include storylines about romance, intrigue, and tension, such as Undercover Cop and Mafia Boss, Spy Mission Gone Hilariously Wrong, and Legally Bound to Love.