Viu’s Microdrama Boom: One Fifth of Viewers Already Hooked

Viu is experiencing a notable increase in microdrama consumption, with almost a fifth of the streaming platform’s long-form viewers already engaging with the bite-sized content format mere months following its launch. The announcement came from Janice Lee, chief executive of Viu and managing director of PCCW Media group, who outlined the streamer’s ambitious growth plans during a keynote address at the APOS 2026 conference in Bali. Lee described microdramas as a “snacking behaviour” that enhances without undermining the platform’s current high-quality long-form content, whilst simultaneously unveiling plans to draw in major advertisers and grow production collaborations across Asia’s creative centres.

The Micro-drama Trend Gains Momentum

The accelerating embrace of microdramas amongst Viu’s established user base demonstrates a substantial transformation in consumption patterns across Asia’s on-demand market. With close to one-fifth of extended-content users already sampling the shorter format shortly after launch, the platform has unlocked a profitable viewer demographic seeking out content that fits into increasingly fragmented daily routines. Lee’s characterisation of microdramas as a “snacking behaviour” proves especially fitting, as audiences turn to entertainment that offers narrative payoff without demanding the prolonged engagement needed for traditional series. This shift mirrors wider market movements, as international platforms contend with shifting consumer preferences and the imperative to boost viewer interaction across different watching contexts.

Viu’s strategic positioning of microdramas as complementary to its high-tier content rather than a replacement showcases sophisticated audience segmentation. The platform acknowledges that viewers retain demand for both formats, consuming lengthy dramas throughout scheduled viewing periods whilst turning to microdramas on commutes, during breaks and in spare moments. This dual-format approach optimises viewing engagement across the entire customer journey, transforming potential dead time into revenue-generating viewing slots. By positioning the growth as an continuation of current offerings rather than a strategic pivot, Viu has successfully launched a new income source whilst providing confidence to investors that its primary full-length drama strategy stays sound and sustainable.

• Nearly 20 per cent of long-form users consuming microdramas within months
• Format designed as supplementary consumption habits, not substitute programming
• Attracts advertisers looking for rapid turnaround and flexible production timelines
• Expands engagement opportunities throughout dispersed consumption habits

Strategic Development Via Brand Collaborations

Viu’s embedding of branded content into its microdrama strategy represents a deliberate framework to monetising the format whilst creating mutually advantageous collaborations with major corporations. By positioning microdramas as an ideal vehicle for advertiser partnerships, the platform has identified a persuasive offering for brands seeking cost-effective content creation with rapid turnaround capabilities. This model transforms traditional advertising constraints into creative opportunities, allowing companies to embed their messaging within absorbing plots rather than relying on conventional promotional vehicles. The approach proves particularly attractive to brands managing an rising consumer scepticism fatigued by direct marketing approaches.

The branded content model also handles production economics that have long challenged streaming platforms. Shorter formats naturally necessitate reduced budgets and tightened production timelines, allowing speedier launch to audiences and swifter financial returns. By securing advertiser funding alongside platform investment, Viu meaningfully decreases fiscal exposure whilst maintaining creative control and audience interaction. This combined funding approach permits the streamer to broaden its content catalogue substantially without proportionally increasing operational expenditure, creating a scalable framework that is able to support several brand collaborations at the same time across its pan-Asian footprint.

Samsung and More

“Abracadabra,” Viu’s Indonesia-based travel adventure series produced in partnership with Samsung, exemplifies the branded content model in action. The series leverages South Korean actor Ji Chang-wook together with local performers, establishing cross-cultural appeal whilst weaving Samsung’s products seamlessly into the story structure. Instead of jarring product placement, the partnership demonstrates how premium brands can elevate storytelling through strategic integration. This approach creates genuine viewer engagement moments, as audiences witness products functioning inside engaging stories instead of encountering forced promotional moments that disrupt narrative flow.

The Samsung collaboration sets a framework for forthcoming branded partnerships across Viu’s broadening portfolio. By pairing established international talent with local talent, the platform maximises viewer engagement whilst maintaining authenticity within local markets. This formula appeals to premium brands looking for sophisticated integration opportunities that boost their market position beyond traditional marketing. As Viu continues expanding its content partnership programmes, the success of “Abracadabra” delivers compelling evidence that brands have come to see content partnerships as deliberate investments in brand narrative rather than conventional ad buys.

International Key Ventures and Area-Based Alliances

Viu’s signature cornerstone strategy demonstrates two distinct approaches to scaling content throughout Asia and internationally. “The Season” represents a strategic shift toward English-language storytelling with Asian representation, positioning the platform to access markets in the West whilst maintaining regional authenticity. Conversely, “Kidnap Game” embraces collaboration across Asia, uniting Japanese, Korean and Malaysian creative forces to produce a culturally rich suspense film with global appeal. This dual strategy allows Viu to simultaneously strengthen its position within mature Asian markets whilst developing new audiences in traditionally underserved territories, optimising investment returns across diverse geographical regions.

Artificial Intelligence and Future Innovation

Viu’s approach to AI demonstrates a pragmatic, three-pronged strategy designed to improve business operations whilst unlocking fresh revenue possibilities. CEO Janice Lee explained how the streaming platform is utilising AI across distinct areas: operational efficiency improvements that optimise technical infrastructure and delivery systems; additional income sources linked to short-form drama creation, where AI tools can accelerate production processes and reduce development schedules; and extended research initiatives investigating new technical developments that could transform how viewers find and consume content. This layered strategy enables Viu to realise immediate productivity gains whilst also funding experimental initiatives that may establish the platform’s competitive positioning within an rapidly evolving AI-powered media landscape.

The incorporation of artificial intelligence into short-form drama creation represents a especially significant application, given the format’s emphasis on quick production cycles and cost efficiency. By automating certain production elements and utilising AI-driven analytics to recognise compelling narrative patterns, Viu can generate material at remarkable volume without diminishing artistic standards or cultural relevance. This advantage demonstrates particular worth for commercial partnership arrangements, where advertisers demand rapid turnaround times and quantifiable viewer engagement data. As the platform proceeds refining its AI capabilities, the technology promises to serve as a critical driver of the company’s growth plans, particularly within short-form content segments where speed and data-driven decision-making increasingly determine business performance.

• Streamlined operational gains streamlining core infrastructure and content delivery systems
• Additional revenue opportunities through artificially intelligent short-form drama creation and faster delivery
• Long-term innovation experiments investigating emerging technologies transforming audience engagement models

Strategic Partnership Redefines Southeast Asian Streaming

Viu’s strategic expansion increasingly leverages collaborative partnerships that utilise area-specific capabilities and creative infrastructure across Asia. The platform’s renewed cooperation with South Korea’s Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) illustrates this model, producing a diverse slate of new shows encompassing both scripted and unscripted formats. Recent launches include the dating reality series “Rak Rak” and sweet-making contest “Bite Me Sweet,” whilst the scripted drama “One of a Kind Romance” is scheduled for November launch. These partnerships enable Viu to tap into proven production resources and creative talent pools whilst retaining content authority over content that resonates with multi-market viewers.

Beyond Korean co-ventures, Viu’s major titles showcase progressively advanced global production frameworks. “Kidnap Game,” launching in October, represents a notably bold undertaking—a pan-regional survival thriller uniting Japan’s Kentaro Sakaguchi and Korean star Lee Joon-gi, produced collaboratively by Fuji Television Network, PCCW Media’s MakerVille, and South Korean outfit SimStory. Production filming extended across seven Asian cities, embedding authentic regional perspectives into a narrative intended for international audiences. This approach differs from “The Season,” an English-language production built from the outset as a international property, demonstrating how Viu tailors content approaches to target specific markets whilst building integrated multi-territory content environments.