Micro dramas: Is the rags-to-riches medium a heartbreak for brands?

"What if the story of a Korean drama that usually airs 16 episodes can be summarized into 3 minutes?"

This question is now answered through micro dramas, a content format that packs a complete story in a super short duration with a vertical display for smartphones. Since its birth in China in 2018, the format has not only captured the attention of audiences, but also created promising business opportunities. The micro drama market in its home country is projected to reach over RMB 100 billion by 2027.

These market projections reflect the global appeal of the micro drama format. Short video platforms are an effective entry point for this content into many countries, with a growing audience - especially in Asia. In Indonesia, the presence of dedicated micro drama apps such as FlexTV and the rise of micro drama advertising on social media indicate promising market potential.

The popularity of short video platforms globally enables micro dramas to easily penetrate into various markets, including Indonesia. KaryaKarsa, an online storyteller and work platform, sees this potential as an exciting expansion opportunity.

"Since 2022, we've seen micro drama as the most logical adaptation format for serialized stories but it was only last year that people started to get interested in this format. The market reception to this format is also quite good," said Ario Tamat, CEO of KaryaKarsa.

In collaboration with Seven and art education institution SAE Jakarta, KaryaKarsa has launched the micro drama "Love in a Falling Way" and is preparing another title for Ramadan. Both productions are adapted from the best-selling stories on the KaryaKarsa app, which are generally in the romance genre.

"We always look at which works are bought the most, then consider the storyline, characters, and production feasibility. Our budget is quite limited so we can't produce stories with many characters and locations," Ario explains.

This selection process is important because each story must be adapted to the super short format without losing the essence of the narrative.

Evolution and experimentation

For KaryaKarsa, the move into micro drama is both an evolution and a business experiment. Confidence in the potential of this format must still be balanced with the efficiency of content production and distribution.

"The biggest challenge lies in managing costs and expertise. Our business is profitable enough to produce video content, but we can't be called a micro drama platform yet," Ario says. "There are still many aspects we need to think about, but we are flexible enough to grow the business as long as the focus remains on enriching creators' intellectual property."

This flexibility allows KaryaKarsa to develop various profitable business models, both for platforms and creators.

For distribution, KaryaKarsa's micro dramas can be accessed through their app and TikTok as a paid drama series. The pay-as-you-go model is still the primary choice for monetization, although the team continues to explore other revenue models.

Audience response: A weakness that is alluring

Micro dramas have divided Indonesian social media audiences. This phenomenon is evident from the diverse responses to the micro drama ads that often appear on TikTok, Instagram and X, mostly featuring Chinese and Western productions.

"So I'm interested in watching it maybe because I'm constantly exposed to (advertisements). At first I always skipped the ads," said Liza Kemala, an active Instagram user. "But after a while, I became curious precisely because of the stiff acting of the cast and the theme of the story is all the same. For example, they're often about a child who is treated badly, runs away from home, then becomes a successful person."

It is this uniqueness that attracts audiences like Isyana. "In terms of the story, it's very clichéd and predictable, but that's what's interesting. Maybe it's because I don't have to think about watching it, so it's relaxing and not a burden. The acting is also exaggerated but somehow it becomes entertainment," she explains.

But not all are enamored. Gadis Tri, although she often sees advertisements for micro dramas, admits that she is not interested in watching because the storyline is not realistic. "If something can be made in a concise format and the execution is good, why not? I think it's very interesting, especially for working people, because it's quite time-consuming if you have to finish a drama series that is usually 12 episodes with a duration of 40 minutes," she adds.

Interestingly, the characteristics that are considered weaknesses, clichéd stories, predictable plots, stiff acting, actually become differentiators that attract micro drama fans.

"Maybe what makes micro dramas interesting is the stiff cast and the very soap opera story," says Liza. "If there is a tense dialog, there must be close-ups of each player like in Indian films. If it's produced too well, it might be less interesting."

"I'm still interested in watching it if it's produced better, but it depends on the story. If the story becomes too heavy and serious, it can lose its fun," Isyana adds. This view confirms that simplicity is the main attraction of this format.

The format's success in Indonesia is not surprising, given the similarities with entrenched patterns of entertainment consumption. "micro dramas actually take elements that have proven popular in soap operas, intense personal drama, immediate conflict, and satisfying resolution," says Ario. "The difference is that it's all packaged in a duration that suits the way the current generation consumes content."

Brands need a customised strategy

The success of micro dramas in attracting audiences opens up opportunities for the development of this format as a marketing channel. A number of brands have begun to explore its potential, such as Telkomsel, which collaborates with the FlexTV app through a special bundling package. Lion Parcel even produced a telenovela-style commercial titled "COD Ongkir" using the micro drama format.

 

 

 

 

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But not all product categories are suitable for this format. Biensi Fesyindo, owner of the 3Second, Greenlight, Moutley, Hanna Hijab, and 3Second Kids brands, has no plans to use micro dramas for marketing.

"Built-in micro drama is very effective for products with a strong 'wow' factor. It has nothing to do with product quality," explains Ignatius Untung, Marketing Director of Biensi Fesyenindo. "Everyday products can be interesting but not make people look. Unfortunately the majority of fashion products such as t-shirts, trousers, skirts, blouses, shirts, jackets, the 'wow' factor is not extraordinary. Not at a level that makes people very curious."

An exception applies to haute couture, added Untung, as it has a very niche segment and limited use at certain moments.

Another challenge arises from the potential to deviate from sales objectives, even though this format can create good engagement with the audience. "It is quite difficult to create drama content that is relevant to the audience, not hard selling, but still conveys product knowledge well," says Untung. "We need to find ways to trigger consumer interest with ads that are entertaining but where the brand can subtly enter. This balance is not easy to achieve."

Ario sees this opportunity from a different angle. "Since the development of micro dramas originated from the adaptation of popular text story series, it should be relatively easy for brands to get involved in script development for built-in products or other forms of collaboration," he said. This format, Ario continues, is similar to video series on television and paid services so it is very possible for brands to participate, especially with high audience and engagement potential.

With a wealth of varied and relevant local stories, KaryaKarsa sees great opportunities in the Southeast Asian market. The micro drama format can be a bridge that connects local creators with regional audiences.

"We believe our concept will work well in other Southeast Asian countries to create the best Southeast Asian story IP," Ario concludes. "Thus, these stories can be developed into micro dramas and other formats."