When U.S. microdrama platform ReelShort announced its multi-year global partnership with Hong Kong-based AR Asia Productions this month, a new chapter in the short-form arms race across the Asia-Pacific region began.  

The deal fast-tracks ReelShort’s expansion in the region and leverages AR’s network just as interest and engagement soar along with intense industry focus on who/what makes it over the micro finish line.  

The ReelShort deal makes AR, founded in 2022 by Anne Chan with partners former HBO Asia boss Jonathan Spink and Ronan Wong, the platform’s exclusive agency responsible for broadening the reach and accessibility of ReelShort’s microdramas and vertical formats across the region.

ReelShort’s push in the Asia Pacific coincides with record views for top shows, including high-school sports romance, "True Heiress vs. Fake Queen Bee". 

The series is about a rich girl ditching her Chanel and Louboutins in favour of torn jeans and a bike in a bid to “make real friends” at her new school. “I don’t want to be known as a nepo-baby,” she tells her horrified father, who insists that “no daughter of mine is riding a bike to school”. In minutes, she is called a “bargain bin reject”. By the end of episode 1, one of the nasty queen bees throws her to the ground and pulls a knife… Episode 2 opens with her bike tyres being slashed. Seconds later,  the daughter of the Kaplan’s maid arrives at the school pretending to be an heiress. 

The 85-episode True Heiress had attracted 396 million views by noon on 8 December.  

Shows like "Found A Homeless Billionaire Husband for Christmas" are not far behind at 395.3 million, followed by "How to Tame a Silver Fox" at 383.6 million.

"Found A Homeless Billionaire Husband for Christmas" is the story of a woman who, cheated by her fiance, marries a homeless man. Of course she is completely oblivious to his true identity – a billionaire CEO. About 30 seconds into episode 1, viewers realise he’s not what he seems. At the 51-second mark, we meet waitress Victoria, who brings him a Crazy Maple burger (nice brand integration from ReelShort’s parent, Crazy Maple Studio). Ep. 1 closes with him discovering that she is marrying someone else. Except, she isn’t… because by the end of ep 2, her cheating fiance drives up to her window with another woman in his lap.  All that action in just under three minutes. 

“The concept no longer needs to be proved. Microdrama has moved to another level,” Chan said just ahead of the opening of the Singapore Media Festival’s ATF market last week.  

Joey Jia, who founded ReelShort owner/operator Crazy Maple Studio in the U.S. in 2022, described the deal as a “milestone in our global strategy”.

Other titles involved in the agreement include last summer’s "Breaking the Ice" (342.4 million views), "Money, Guns, and a Merry Christmas" (266.9 million); "Move Aside! I’m the Final Boss" (297.6 million); and "Bound by Honor" (202.2 million), along with "The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband", which has surpassed 500 million views.

ReelShort is the latest in a two-year-old strategy by AR to add microdramas to its long-form distribution and production businesses. 

A pioneer in the microdrama space, the company has already launched leading global microdrama apps in key markets such as Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, while also distributing microdramas to regional audiences. 

AR also specialises in Chinese and Korean dramas, closing ATF with a deal to represent Huace Media’s epic historical costume drama, "Swords Into Plowshares" in Southeast Asia.

Brought to you by AR Asia Productions

▶ Published in ContentAsia's 8 December 2025 eNewsletter