Over the past few years, a new category of mobile apps has quietly exploded into a multibillion-dollar business. These are called “microdramas,” which are short, mobile-first scripted shows designed to be viewed vertically on mobile phones. Think of it as soap opera meets TikTok. Packed with a billionaire’s secret romance, a werewolf stepmother’s disapproval, and a cliffhanger designed to keep you tapping. Its leading app, ReelShort, generated $1.2 billion in consumer spending last year alone.
In this episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan and TechCrunch senior reporter Amanda Silberling sit down with Watch Club founder Henry Soong, who believes the microdrama industry is still in the “age of MySpace.” He has a vision of what a Facebook moment could be.
Listen to the full episode and hear what’s next.
How Watch Club targets a completely different audience than ReelShort or Drama Box. The tension between building intentional social experiences and optimizing engagement like on TikTok. Will AI appear in the werewolf billionaire’s romance script? Amanda has an idea.
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