Guide2 min read
What is a vertical drama?
A vertical drama is a scripted series filmed in portrait (9:16) to watch on a phone. Episodes last about 1–2 minutes, a show runs 20–100 episodes, and almost every episode ends on a cliffhanger. The same format is called a short drama, microdrama or mini drama; in China, where it started, it is called duanju.
Updated · By the Sidehop team
01Vertical drama, short drama, microdrama: is there a difference?
No. They are names for the same format. "Vertical drama" describes the portrait framing, "short drama" and "mini drama" the episode length, and "microdrama" both. App stores and the press use all of them interchangeably.
02How vertical dramas work
- Format: 9:16 video, made to fill a phone screen without rotating it.
- Length: episodes of about 1–2 minutes; a full show takes one to two hours.
- Story: fast plots built on big reveals: secret billionaires, revenge, forbidden romance, werewolves, true crime.
- Price: the first episodes are free; later ones cost coins (roughly $0.30–$0.60 each) or a weekly pass.
03Where vertical dramas come from
The format began in China as duanju and spread to the U.S. from 2022, led by ReelShort. U.S. short drama revenue was about $1.3 billion in 2025. Production is fast and cheap, and AI is now a large part of it: The Hollywood Reporter found that two-thirds of short dramas released outside China in Q3 2026 were AI-generated. See AI short dramas.
04Popular vertical drama genres
Romance dominates: billionaire and CEO romance, contract marriages, revenge after a divorce, werewolf and mafia romance. True crime retellings, thrillers and animated romance are growing. On Sidehop you can browse every category, including true crime and animated shows.
05Where to watch vertical dramas
Most people use an app such as ReelShort, DramaBox, GoodShort or ShortMax; see the best short drama apps. You can also watch in a browser on Sidehop, ReelShort, NetShort, FlexTV and My Drama. Sidehop's 60 shows start free, with no account.
Popular on Sidehop
Start any of these in your browser. The first episodes are free.
Frequently asked questions
What is a vertical drama?
A scripted series filmed in portrait for phones, with episodes of about 1–2 minutes that usually end on a cliffhanger.
What is a microdrama?
Another name for a vertical or short drama: a phone-first series of very short episodes.
How long is a vertical drama episode?
About 1–2 minutes. A show has 20–100 episodes, so a full story takes one to two hours.
Why are vertical dramas so popular?
They fit into short breaks, every episode ends on a hook, and the first episodes are free, so it is easy to start and hard to stop.
Are vertical dramas free?
The first episodes usually are. Later episodes cost coins or a weekly pass on most apps. Sidehop makes the first 3 episodes of every show free.
What does duanju mean?
Duanju is the Chinese name for short drama, the format that vertical dramas grew out of.
