This Week in Vertical Issue 2026-w39
This Week in Vertical — 21–27 September 2026
17 reports on the vertical-drama business dated 21–27 September 2026, each labelled with the basis it rests on and linked to its sources.
The lead
- SoonShot discloses user and subscription metrics, and a reported pre-Series A
The Korean microdrama app said cumulative users reached 1.15 million and that the US accounts for 60% of revenue. Money Today reported a pre-Series A of about KRW 3bn; investors were not named.
- COL Group discloses $12.4m arbitration over unpaid FlareFlow advertising fees
An advertising agency has filed an arbitration claim against COL Group's Singapore unit FlareFlow Pte. Ltd., the parent and two others, seeking $12.1m in unpaid Facebook and TikTok ad fees for October 2025 to February 2026.
- German study puts under-30s at 47 minutes a day of social-media video
The ARD/ZDF media study for 2026 records non-linear video drawing level with linear television. It does not measure microdrama as a category.
More this week
Market data
- Snap-commissioned Ipsos study says short-drama viewers on Snapchat spend over $50 a month
A survey of 3,000 daily social media users in the US, UK and Saudi Arabia, commissioned by Snap Inc. from Ipsos, reports that Snapchat users spend more than $50 a month on average on short-drama platforms.
Platforms
- aTwist and Hartbeat Vertical release first three microdramas from partnership
Trapstar: Queen of the Game, Circle of Lies and Mirror are the first titles to premiere from the companies' content partnership, according to Blex Media.
- YouTube adds seasons and episodes to Shorts, citing microdrama growth
Shorts series lets creators group Shorts into seasons and episodes with sequential playback on web, mobile and TV. YouTube says microdramas on the platform passed 6.5bn views in the first half of 2026.
- BET to run its first aTwist microseries on linear television first
Her Baby premieres on BET on 7 October in horizontal long-form episodes, moving to aTwist's vertical platform afterwards. No date has been given for the vertical release.
Regulation news
- Bundestag holds first reading of German streaming investment bill, refers it to committee
The Bundestag debated the MedienInvestVG for the first time on 24 September and referred it to its committees, with the Committee for Culture and Media leading. A public hearing has been reported for 14 October.
- China names 165 titles in second 2026 batch of microdrama action plan
The regulator's list records the distribution platform, production company and nominating provincial bureau for every title. Hongguo carries 110 of the 165.
Americas
- New York City media office produces its first microdrama
The city's Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment made a five-episode vertical series about film-permitting, its first work in the format, ahead of a dedicated festival in October.
- The Tonight Show renews its billionaire microdrama satire for a 12-episode second season
The NBC late-night show will premiere season two of "Who Billionaire? Me Billionaire" on 27 September, with episodes released on Peacock and the show's social channels. TheraBreath is the sponsor.
- Alza microdrama festival sets New York lineup, including Denmark's Glaze
The Alza Festival, scheduled for 16 to 18 October in New York, has announced a programme of vertical series including literary adaptations, an Eric Roberts romantic comedy, a Tokyo-set anime and a Danish original.
- Mansa Studios and Macro Television Studios to co-own vertical series IP
The two US companies will develop, finance and produce vertical series together and share ownership of the underlying intellectual property. No financial terms, slate size or platform were disclosed.
- Great American Media plans Latino streamer Pure Flix Familia with Minivela
Great American Media has widened its partnership with Minivela to develop Pure Flix Familia, a Spanish-language family streaming service due to launch in early October with films, series and mobile-first microdramas.
Asia
- Busan's content market gives microdrama two dedicated sessions
The Asian Contents and Film Market runs 10 to 13 October with programming on microdrama and generative AI, including a partnership with Kling AI.
Germany & DACH
- StoryReel ranks 12th among top-grossing entertainment apps in Germany's App Store
Apple's German entertainment charts for 23 September place StoryReel, first released in April 2026, 12th by revenue and fourth among free downloads, behind DramaBox and NetShort in the grossing list.
- UFA names vertical content among new business fields under Christian Rohde
UFA managing director Christian Rohde has taken the additional title of chief transformation and AI officer and is building a central unit for new business that includes vertical content, DWDL reported.
Regulation tracker
MedienInvestVG (federal investment obligation for audiovisual services), draft
- 25 September 2026Trade outlet THE SPOT (Blickpunkt:Film) reported that the Committee for Culture and Media has scheduled a public hearing on the bill for 14 October 2026, and that coalition speakers said the rules could be amended in…