Microdrama viewership study finds men are joining the romance rush
Owl & Co. and Holywater say microdrama use is up 28-fold, with romance dominating and Sunday nights leading the watch clock.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
A microdrama viewership study from Owl & Co. and Holywater says the fast-growing vertical video format is pulling in more men, keeping romance at the top of the chart and turning Sunday nights into prime time.
The 55-page report, titled “The State of Microdrama,” was released Thursday and is based on user activity from Holywater’s My Drama and My Muse apps, according to the companies. My Drama carries live-action microdramas, while My Muse offers AI-created vertical media.
Owl & Co. found that microdrama viewership has expanded 28-fold over the past two years. The report also says the category is getting big enough that the word “microdrama” may be too narrow for the wider vertical media market now taking shape.
What does the microdrama viewership study say?
The study says the audience is younger, more male and more engaged than many people assume. Holywater’s share of male users rose from 1.1% in late 2024 to 30.3% in the most recent quarter, according to the report.
Men still watch less per person than women, according to Owl & Co., but the report says male users over-index on sci-fi and fantasy at 1.4 times the average. It also says they respond to adapted intellectual property at about half the average rate and arrive through YouTube and app-store search 1.5 times more often.
Romance remains the big magnet. Owl & Co. says romance stories account for 76% of female viewing and 54% of male viewing. For men, the next strongest genres after romance are comedy, action, sci-fi and thrillers, according to the report.
What is a microdrama?
The report treats microdrama as part of vertical media, a field of app-based series designed for upright viewing. Owl & Co. says these shows are often watched during spare moments such as commutes, lines and chores, making them more of a rival to scrolling than to traditional TV in those situations.
That habit is still fresh for many users. The report says 65% of microdrama users have been watching for less than a year, while 31% began less than three months ago.
The clock matters, too. Owl & Co. says My Drama activity is strongest on Sunday nights from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., echoing old-school television’s prime-time rhythm. The weakest window is weekday mornings from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m., according to the report.
Bedtime is another major slot. The study says 70% of users describe microdramas as part of a pre-sleep routine. It also says 59% watch while relaxing on the couch, 35% use them during meals or work breaks and 22% watch while using the toilet.
AI does not appear to scare off Holywater’s heavier users, according to Owl & Co. The report says engagement with AI-generated content on the same infrastructure matches live-action, and retention for Holywater’s flagship AI titles runs slightly ahead.
The money picture is growing along with the audience. Owl & Co. says vertical media apps are expected to become a $4 billion business in 2026 outside China. In China, estimates cited in the report put the market above $15 billion in 2025.
The study also suggests viewers are not sticking to one app. More than half of Holywater subscribers, 60%, use three or more apps in a week, according to the report, which says competition is about winning a larger share of microdrama viewing time rather than exclusive loyalty.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.