{"id":2446253,"date":"2026-06-05T13:31:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2446253"},"modified":"2026-06-05T13:31:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T13:31:59","slug":"microdramas-are-exploding-here-are-5-ways-people-are-talking-about-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/microdramas-are-exploding-here-are-5-ways-people-are-talking-about-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Microdramas Are Exploding: Here Are 5 Ways People Are Talking About Them"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n

Joey Jia, the CEO of the leading microdrama platform ReelShort, knows that the future of his format is driven by artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I\u2019m 100% a businessman, I would stop live-action today, because AI response for market is way better than live-action,\u201d he told a roomful of creators, studio executives and investors this week. \u201cWe rely on independent and talented freelancers to create a story, but AI will definitely improve the efficiency of producing this content.\u201d<\/p>\n

The co-founder, whose platform made $1.2 billion in consumer spending<\/a> alone last year, spoke at Owl & Co.\u2019s inaugural Vertical Media Summit this week.<\/p>\n

AI was one of the hot button themes at a conference held to discuss the explosion of the microdrama medium, which is starting to attract major players like Fox, NBCUniversal and TikTok. At the event, Owl & Co. revealed new data that estimated that the vertical video industry will reach $150 billion in revenue, excluding China, in 2026 \u2014 up 42% year-over-year from $106 billion.<\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>
\n

Owl & Co. estimates that the vertical video economy will reach $150 billion in revenue, excluding China, in 2026 \u2014 up from $106 billion in 2025. (Owl & Co.)<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The numbers illustrate how microdramas \u2014 which conference attendees began referring to as microseries (more on that later) \u2014 continues to be one of the rare areas of growth in an entertainment industry wrestling with box office revenue just coming back from the pandemic dip, shrinking linear ratings and declining ad revenue. It\u2019s why there\u2019s so much rabid interest in the space.<\/p>\n

Over 250 investors, entrepreneurs and entertainment industry professionals gathered at the event to discuss where it\u2019s heading next. Leaders from TikTok, Google, NBCUniversal, My Drama, Hoorae Media and Fox Entertainment, among others, gave insights into how their businesses are actionably approaching this new format and where they see it going in the next six months.<\/p>\n

\u201cWednesday\u201d and \u201cTop Gun Maverick\u201d executive producer Tommy Harper said that the microseries mainstream moment is imminent.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019ll happen this year,\u201d he told Owl & Co. founder Hernan Lopez. \u201cIt\u2019s going to take some impact with either a social media actor or a brand that comes in and infuses it to get in the zeitgeist of the world.<\/p>\n

AI is having a vertical moment<\/h2>\n

While Jia surprised the audience with his AI admission, he wasn\u2019t the only one to talk about the game-changing impact of the new tech.<\/p>\n

Other platforms like Holywater\u2019s My Muse have leaned fully into AI-generated microseries. Founder Bogdan Nesvit said that his company\u2019s AI series have the same retention, conversions and engagement as the microdramas on its accompanying live-action app My Drama. My Muse was first just a testing ground for new stories for the company, but it has turned into its own entertainment ecosystem.<\/p>\n

Jia, for his part, stressed that ReelShort will approach AI\u2019s integration into the platform\u2019s content through a hybrid model. He stated that ReelShort \u201ccannot stop making live-action\u201d content and that they remain committed to helping content creators make better stories.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Owl