ByteDance has launched its first overseas micro drama product, Melolo, and formed a new team to oversee its global short-form content strategy, according to Chinese media outlet 36kr. The company is also recruiting for several positions related to overseas short-form content.
Why it matters: The micro drama market has already shown immense potential in China, and ByteDance is eager to replicate this success in its overseas markets. Melolo could be a crucial step in that direction.
Detail: Micro dramas are bite-sized, fast-paced videos or mini-series that pack a punch in just a few minutes. With gripping stories and relatable characters, they capture the viewer’s attention quickly, making them perfect for today’s on-the-go audience.
- Melolo, a free-to-use short video app, is ByteDance’s first entry into the international micro drama market. The app features a mix of exclusive original content and partner-supplied short films across a variety of popular genres, including drama, thriller, and historical costume pieces. Melolo officially launched in mid-November 2024 in markets such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
- Currently, the content and services on Melolo are all free of charge.
- According to TikTok’s global marketing platform, TikTok for Business, the popularity of micro drama has surged since 2023. The number of monthly global users watching micro drama is expected to hit 200 to 300 million, and the market could reach a valuation of $10 billion in the coming years.
Context: In 2024, micro drama became a surprise hit, surpassing mainland film box office revenue for the first time. According to industry researcher DataEye, China’s micro drama market is projected to grow by nearly 35 percent in 2024, reaching RMB 50.44 billion ($7 billion), and is expected to surpass RMB 100 billion ($14 billion) by 2027.
- ByteDance’s TikTok, with its vast global user base, has provided a shortcut for many of its overseas products. One example is Lemon8, a product in the influencer-driven community space, which has grown into a global hit.
- In November 2023, micro drama app owned by Crazy Maple Studio, ReelShort, surpassed TikTok as the most popular entertainment app in Apple’s app store. As a micro-drama app that has successfully entered the US market, ReelShort tailored content for Western audiences, with plans to include supernatural elements like werewolves and vampires to better cater to viewer preferences in Europe and North America.
- On January 6, 2025, China’s national broadcast and television conference announced plans to implement stricter regulations for short-form video content, including new guidelines for micro-dramas. This regulatory shift could present new challenges for micro drama content production, but it also signals the industry’s continued growth and maturation.
Correction: An earlier version of the article misidentified ReelShort as tailoring content for Western audiences as ByteDance tailoring content for Western audiences.
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