'Business Proposal' to get short-drama adaptation as Studio S enters micro-drama market

Studio S, the drama production and distribution arm of SBS Media Group, is making a full-scale push into the short-drama market.

Studio S said it has partnered with Mediacorp, Singapore's leading media company, and Sunshot, a micro-drama platform, to co-produce global micro-dramas. Sunshot is a K-drama-based micro-drama platform operated by ADG Company, which was co-founded by comedian Lee Kyung-kyu.

The three companies signed a strategic partnership agreement Tuesday on the sidelines of the Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) 2026 market at COEX in Seoul, committing to co-produce at least four micro-dramas. The partnership aims to go beyond the shock value and rapid-fire pacing that currently dominate the micro-drama space, instead delivering short-form content that balances entertainment with artistic quality.

Under the agreement, the three companies plan to showcase the new potential of short-form content through strong storytelling, compelling characters and high production values. They also intend to cultivate "K-short-form" as a distinct global content genre, building on the international momentum already generated by K-dramas.

Studio S will kick off its short-form push by adapting proven SBS drama intellectual properties to suit the micro-drama format for global audiences.

According to a study by Media Partners Asia, the global short-drama market was worth about $5 billion in 2023 and more than doubled to $12 billion by 2025. It is projected to reach $26 billion by 2030.

The first title out of the gate will be "Still 17," the 2018 romantic comedy starring Shin Hye-sun and Yang Se-jong, with a release targeted for the end of this year. The mega-IP "Business Proposal" is also in development as a short-drama adaptation.

Actors from both South Korea and Singapore are set to appear in the co-productions. Finished titles will reach viewers worldwide through Sunshot, Mediacorp's platform and other global streaming services.

Studio S said it will use the partnership as a springboard to accelerate its push into the global short-form market, with plans to steadily expand the adaptation of competitive K-drama intellectual properties into micro-dramas and pursue further international co-productions.

"We want to extend Studio S's accumulated drama production expertise into micro-dramas and help define a new content grammar," Studio S CEO Hong Sung-chang said. "We will also actively leverage new technologies such as AI to sharpen our production competitiveness and continue expanding our global distribution reach and audience touchpoints."

Virginia Lim, Mediacorp's head of content and artists, said it was meaningful to present high-quality micro-dramas built on solid storytelling and strong production values.