GOKKO brings Smartphone Short Dramas to Japan by partnering with a Chinese company

Leading Short Drama provider - Reelshort

In Japan, vertical short dramas for smartphone viewing will be launched. Japanese startup GOKKO is partnering with a Chinese company to launch nearly 60 episodes of short dramas this month. According to reports, the size of China's short drama market is nearly 1 trillion yen (100 million Japan Yen is about 4.68 Chinese Yuan), and short dramas are also increasingly popular in the United States. Short dramas with only 90 seconds per episode have the potential to be promoted in Japan, especially among young people who efficiently utilize their time.

The newly produced short drama by GOKKO is 60 to 90 seconds per episode. If you watch 58 episodes in a row, it will take about 90 minutes. In China, where short dramas are popular, this is a conventional standard. Chinese company Jiashu Technology provides original stories for short dramas for GOKKO. GOKKO regards the cooperation with Jiashu Technology as the cornerstone of its overseas expansion. According to the prediction of Chinese research company iMedia Consulting, the market size of Chinese short dramas will exceed 100 billion yuan by 2027.

The head of GOKKO, Satoshi Tanaka, said, "Even in a fiercely competitive market, as long as Japanese culture can be well showcased, there is room for entry." He said that vertical short dramas are easy for startups to participate in because production costs can be controlled within "less than 1/10 of a commercial film with an average cost of 350 million yen per film.". This is because the camera is placed vertically, minimizing the need for actors and props. At the same time, if subtitles and dubbing are used, a piece of content can be disseminated to various parts of the world.

"In fact, short dramas are more popular among young people such as Generation Z than TV dramas," said Hideki Yasuda, senior analyst at Toyo Securities

After comics and games, can short dramas occupy a place in the new entertainment market? People have high expectations for startups that combine flexibility and a spirit of challenge.