Tall tales

Jon Bentley wonders whether the next movie you watch will be a 'vertical drama

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Watching video in vertical format on your phone - reels, stories and Tik Toks - is nothing new. What is new is the popularity of 'vertical dramas'. A vertical drama is different because it's in many episodes (40, 60 or more), and each episode is short, typically just a minute or two. The drama is all over in about the length of a traditional cinema film.

Cliffhanger-filled narratives and exaggerated plots are optimised for fragmented viewing habits. Clickbait titles suggest some steamy activity - How to Tame a Silver Fox, or Escape With Boss's Baby for example. The producers use similar engagement metrics to those avidly studied by successful YouTubers to discover what keeps viewers watching.

Micro-drama apps such as DramaBox and Reelshort, many operated by the dramas' producers, provide convenient ways to consume this new format. DramaBox claimed 40 million monthly active users in June 2025. Reelshort reportedly has 55 million.