Watcha Launches Short-Form Drama Platform 'Shortcha'

Seoul, South Korea—South Korean streaming service Watcha announced on Tuesday that it has launched 'Shortcha,' a platform dedicated to short-form dramas.

Shortcha offers vertical-format content optimized for mobile viewing, with episodes typically lasting around one minute. 

The platform features multi-national content from South Korea, China, Japan, and the United States, spanning romance, thriller, and comedy genres.

Watcha aims to provide a seamless viewing experience for users during brief moments, such as commutes or short breaks. 

The platform adopts a freemium model, offering free episodes followed by paid content or ad-supported viewing.

Watcha plans to collaborate with emerging writers and directors to bolster its competitiveness in the K-short drama market. 

The company intends to develop storytelling techniques and production systems tailored to the short-form format.

A Watcha representative stated,

 "We are introducing Shortcha to respond to rapidly changing media consumption trends and provide viewers with a richer content experience."

According to research firm Sensor Tower, the global short-form content market has seen significant growth, with in-app purchase revenue for short-form content apps tripling since 2019 to exceed $14.3 billion in 2023. 

The firm projects revenues to approach $17 billion in 2024.