The Trending Korean Drama That Gen Z is Secretly Gatekeeping

In a surprising turn of events, a Korean drama that isn’t dominating in terms of ratings has become a massive hit with Gen Z. The show in question? Short-form dramas. These bite-sized episodes have created a whole new wave of content consumption, gaining traction among younger viewers who prefer quicker, more engaging formats.

A recent Research and Markets report forecasts that the short-form drama market will grow by over three times in the next five years. According to a survey by the Korea Communications Commission and the Korea Information and Communications Agency, 70.7% of domestic users will engage with short-form content by 2024, marking a significant 12.6% increase from the previous year. This is 16.4% higher than the usage rate for OTT-produced content in Korea.

Short-form dramas, originally fueled by platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels, have evolved beyond personal media to feature well-developed characters and plots. As this trend continues to grow, OTT platforms are also catching on. Services like Watcha have launched short-form platforms such as "Shotcha," and Tving has optimized content for mobile devices. Meanwhile, Krafton has made significant investments in short-form startups like Biglu, highlighting the potential for short-form drama.

The popularity of these formats isn’t confined to South Korea—short-form content is gaining worldwide traction, especially in China, which is rapidly becoming the largest market for short-form drama. The Chinese market, valued at 74.1 billion KRW in 2023, is expected to expand to 190 billion KRW by 2027, with typical episodes lasting just 60-90 seconds.

Short-form content is proving to be far more competitive than traditional OTT offerings. According to WiseApp and Retail Goods, a survey of 51.2 million smartphone users showed that the average monthly usage time for short-form content per user is 52 hours, compared to just 7 hours 17 minutes for major OTT platforms like Netflix, Coupang Play, and Disney+.

As modern lifestyles get busier, people are seeking more convenient ways to consume content. Short-form dramas deliver quick, intense immersion in short bursts, and the personalized recommendation algorithms keep users hooked. Moreover, while traditional OTT dramas cost anywhere from 43-291 million KRW to produce, short-form dramas can be made for a fraction of the cost—around 36 million KRW.

Korean and global content companies are swiftly entering the short-form drama space. For example, Tving is producing short-form dramas optimized for mobile, Watcha is expanding its original short-form content, and Naver operates Clips and text-based short-form Shotents. Kakao also offers short-form services through its portal and KakaoTalk.

The Korean government is not sitting idly by either. The Ministry of Science and ICT is establishing a 1 trillion KRW fund for K-Content, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is pushing for a new law to promote new media content, including short-form dramas, alongside expanding financial support for production.

The short-form drama industry’s rapid growth is evident in the success of the 2025 K-Short-form Drama Script Contest, which received more than 300 submissions in various genres, such as romance, mystery, thriller, and infidelity. Winning works will be produced into short-form dramas and released on multiple platforms.

This trend shows that short-form dramas are not just a passing fad but are becoming the future of content consumption. MZ-generation viewers especially prefer quick and powerful content, and with smartphones driving this shift in content consumption habits, short-form dramas are positioned to become a mainstay in the media landscape.

Gen Z has essentially made short-form dramas their own. Not only do they devour these shorter stories with enthusiasm, but they are now gatekeepers of the content—promoting their favorites and keeping the gems of the format exclusive to their community. It’s not just about the content; it’s about the culture of discovery, sharing, and experiencing these bite-sized stories with others.

With government support through funding and initiatives to bolster the Korean short-form content industry, the future looks bright for this new wave of drama. In fact, the 2025 K-Short-form Drama Script Contest has already received hundreds of submissions, showing that even traditional storytellers are now getting on board with this emerging medium.

Short-form dramas may have started as a trend, but they’re rapidly becoming the future of entertainment, and Gen Z isn’t just watching—they’re leading the way.