“It’s short, but I keep watching it” ... Views of ‘one-minute dramas’ jump 130% [Daily IT Pick]

[Financial News] One- to two-minute dramas are emerging as YouTube’s latest hit content. After views of short-form dramas in South Korea surged by at least 130% in a year, YouTube moved to tap the market, combining a binge-watching feature with paid memberships. The strategy is to draw viewers in with short videos and keep them watching the next installment.■ South Korean Short-Form Drama Views Surge 130%; TV Viewing Also on the RiseAccording to Google, views of YouTube short-form dramas in South Korea rose by at least 130% from July last year through June this year compared with the same period a year earlier. Watch time also increased by at least 100%. South Korea’s growth stands out against major Asia-Pacific markets, where views and watch time each rose by at least 70%.
Short-form dramas are also rapidly gaining popularity in global markets. In the first half of this year, views of YouTube short-form dramas worldwide surpassed 6.5 billion, while watch time increased by at least 50% year over year. Contrary to the perception that this is content consumed on smartphones, views on TV screens also rose by at least 90%. Short-form dramas are now being watched not just on mobile devices but on living-room TVs as well.
Short-form dramas are made up of multiple short videos linked together to tell a complete story. They compress dramatic developments—such as romance, family conflict or plot twists—into a short time and encourage viewers to watch one episode after another by making them curious about what comes next. While YouTube Shorts has traditionally focused on the entertainment value and buzz of individual videos, short-form dramas combine the fast pace of short videos with the continuity characteristic of dramas.

Changes in viewing habits are also behind YouTube’s focus on short-form dramas. With individual YouTube Shorts, viewers typically watch one video and move on to other content. Short-form dramas, by contrast, encourage them to follow a single story across multiple episodes. For creators, this offers a way to increase opportunities to connect with viewers and encourage continued content consumption.■ From binge-watching to paid memberships: YouTube ramps up monetizationTo that end, YouTube introduced its “Shorts series” feature. It lets creators group YouTube Shorts videos by season and episode, and makes it easier to find the next installment with custom thumbnails and continuous playback. In effect, viewers can binge-watch a series like a drama without having to search for each video individually.
YouTube is also strengthening its integration with paid memberships. In the coming weeks, it plans to improve how viewers watch members-only episodes on mobile. The key change will let viewers join a channel membership without leaving the video for a separate screen, then continue watching the next episode.
This could also change how short-form dramas are monetized. While YouTube Shorts has relied mainly on advertising revenue, serialized content can attract viewers with free episodes and then encourage paid subscriptions through members-only content. Dramas’ ability to leave viewers waiting for the next installment each time makes them especially well suited to paid memberships.
YouTube touts its ability to keep older videos visible through search and recommendations as a competitive advantage. According to Google, 40% of all views of YouTube videos and 30% of clicks occur once 30 days have passed since they were posted. Creators can put completed drama series in front of new viewers and generate advertising and membership revenue from existing content. By also using multilingual audio and AI-powered subtitle localization, they can bring short-form dramas produced in South Korea to global audiences without a separate overseas distribution network. With the Shorts series and membership feature improvements, YouTube aims to connect viewing, subscriptions and monetization within its own platform.
[email protected] Jang Min-kwon Reporter