Microdrama Makers in Taipei Explain How They Hook Viewers in Seconds

Makers of microdramas, short serial dramas filmed for phone screens, have laid out how they keep people watching past the first few seconds. Turkish and Japanese producers spoke about their methods at a session in Taipei during the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF), which runs from 6 to 9 November 2026 and is organised by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency.

Ilkin Kavukcu, founder and CEO of Turkish studio Iki Dakika Creative House, told the session that a strong opening does not always need a dramatic twist. Variety His studio looks instead for moments of emotional recognition, the kind that make a viewer stop scrolling. Iki Dakika describes itself as Turkey's first professional company fully dedicated to vertical series, meaning shows shot to be watched upright on a phone. It distributes its work on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

The company wants its stories to run longer and to revolve around characters, not one-off plot twists. Kavukcu said Iki Dakika has worked with around 30 local and global brands. He added that it can shoot in both vertical and horizontal formats, provided the production schedule is long enough. Companies in Turkey, including Disney, are interested in trying vertical and horizontal microdrama adaptations, he said.

Iki Dakika is also developing co-productions with Italy. Kavukcu linked the idea to shared cultural themes such as family and tradition. The studio has already moved into Italy, according to Il Sole 24 Ore, which reported in May 2026 on two-minute vertical series shared free on social media and paid for by brands.

Sawamura Naomichi, CEO of emole Inc. and founder of the Japanese short-form drama platform Bump, named four popular genres in Japan. They are female rivalries, hidden identities, infidelity and revenge, and lightly suggestive dramas aimed at men. He said Bump tracks how many viewers leave in the first 30 seconds, and whether they go on to Episode 2.

Sawamura said a strong opening should set out the lead character's emotional stakes, the central conflict and the payoff the audience can expect. He also said a villain who behaves badly enough can make viewers want to see them punished.

The production schedule is where the work becomes concrete. Bump typically spends about two months developing a project before script approval, followed by roughly 30 days of filming and post-production. A 25-episode series with about 45 minutes of total runtime can be filmed in four days. Sawamura said Bump has 20 to 30 projects in production at any one time.

Bump says it has passed 4 million downloads and more than 7 billion social media views. The company has also tested co-productions in the United States and South Korea.

For the crews behind these shows, the pace is the real story. A four-day shoot, a two-month development window and a queue of 20 to 30 projects means a steady stream of work, with a short gap between one story and the next.