3 6 Ke·2025-11-11 00:43Core Insights - The overseas short drama market is experiencing rapid growth, with 2024 revenues exceeding $1.8 billion (approximately 127.6 billion RMB), marking a 34.9% increase year-on-year [1][2] - Despite the growth, major players in the overseas short drama sector are facing significant losses, with 80%-90% of productions failing to break even [1][6] Market Overview - The Chinese micro-short drama market reached 504.4 billion RMB in 2024, surpassing the total box office revenue of films (approximately 470 billion RMB) for the first time [1] - The overseas short drama market generated $10.88 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, a staggering 249% increase year-on-year [1][2] Key Players - Leading platforms in the overseas short drama market include ReelShort and DramaBox, which together account for over 70% of the market share [2] - ReelShort reported a revenue of $384 million in the first half of 2025, a 270% increase, but also faced a net loss of 46.51 million RMB [2][3] Financial Performance - Chinese Online reported a revenue of 4.55 billion RMB in Q3 2025, with a net loss of 294 million RMB, and a total loss of 520 million RMB for the first nine months of the year [3][4] - Kunlun Wanwei's DramaWave platform achieved an annualized revenue of $240 million, but the company still reported a net loss of 665 million RMB for the first nine months of 2025 [5] Production Challenges - The cost of producing overseas short dramas has increased significantly, with production costs rising from approximately $120,000 to $150,000 per project [10] - The market is becoming more competitive, with a higher emphasis on localized content and the need for overseas talent, leading to increased production costs [7][10] Market Dynamics - The market is witnessing a shift towards exclusive content, with many mid-tier companies preferring to focus on unique releases rather than joint launches [8][10] - The overall market is undergoing a reshuffle, with some companies exiting while others focus on survival strategies amid rising costs and competition [12] Investment and ROI - Companies are now focusing on long-term user value and setting higher ROI thresholds to ensure sustainability [11] - The pricing for joint release dramas has halved, reflecting the changing dynamics in the market [11]