Short-form dramas, typically optimized for mobile viewing with a duration of 1 to 5 minutes and a vertical screen format, are now expanding into theaters. This shift marks an experiment in bringing snack culture content, which was previously consumed online, into offline spaces like cinemas.
The first to enter the theater scene is a high school sports drama targeting idol fandoms. Released exclusively in CGV theaters on July 2, 'Wind Up: The Movie' is a theatrical adaptation of the premium short drama 'Wind Up,' which has garnered 30 million views on the global K-pop short-form platform KITZ. The film explores the friendship between a high school baseball pitcher struggling with trauma and a new student manager, featuring NCT members Jeno and Jaemin in lead roles, directed by Kim Sung-ho, known for Netflix's 'Move to Heaven.'
The strategy behind 'Wind Up: The Movie' is a 'format transformation.' The production team reworked the originally vertical mobile format into a horizontal screen format suitable for theaters, enhancing the visual experience to maximize immersion. The film was officially invited to the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in the 'Platform Showcase: Short-form Cinema' category, showcasing the expansion of short dramas.
Conversely, there is an attempt to screen short dramas in their original vertical format. 'Father's Home Cooking,' directed by Lee Joon-ik, will be released exclusively in Lotte Cinema on September 9. Based on the webtoon of the same name by author Ko Ri-ta, the film tells the story of a father, played by Jung Jin-young, who has ruled the dinner table for 40 years, stepping into the kitchen for the first time to cook for his wife, played by Lee Jung-eun, who has forgotten her cooking skills.
This marks Lee Joon-ik's first foray into directing a short drama, featuring prominent actors like Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun, and Byun Yo-han, who are now entering the short-form ecosystem. Notably, 'Father's Home Cooking' will be screened in its longer vertical mobile format, with a runtime of 2 hours and 36 minutes (156 minutes). Lee Joon-ik stated, "Within the vertical frame, we can observe the characters' deeper nuances clearly," explaining his directorial intent. After its theatrical run, the film will be released in short episodes on the short-form platform Lezhin Snack.
The theater industry views the screening of these short dramas as part of a broader 'content diversification' strategy.
A representative from Lotte Cinema commented, "We are expanding our screening range to allow audiences to experience various content beyond just films," adding that 'Father's Home Cooking' is an attempt to provide a new experience of a short drama that was previously consumed on mobile screens, utilizing the theater's infrastructure for a larger screen and sound. They further stated, "We plan to continuously discover content that transcends the boundaries of format and genre to offer new cinematic experiences."
The key question remains whether short dramas, which are accustomed to mobile formats, can sufficiently attract general audiences to theaters. 'Wind Up,' which seeks cinematic immersion by adapting to a horizontal format, and 'Father's Home Cooking,' which maintains its vertical frame, will serve as a test for the future distribution direction of short dramas in offline settings.
The first to enter the theater scene is a high school sports drama targeting idol fandoms. Released exclusively in CGV theaters on July 2, 'Wind Up: The Movie' is a theatrical adaptation of the premium short drama 'Wind Up,' which has garnered 30 million views on the global K-pop short-form platform KITZ. The film explores the friendship between a high school baseball pitcher struggling with trauma and a new student manager, featuring NCT members Jeno and Jaemin in lead roles, directed by Kim Sung-ho, known for Netflix's 'Move to Heaven.'
The strategy behind 'Wind Up: The Movie' is a 'format transformation.' The production team reworked the originally vertical mobile format into a horizontal screen format suitable for theaters, enhancing the visual experience to maximize immersion. The film was officially invited to the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) in the 'Platform Showcase: Short-form Cinema' category, showcasing the expansion of short dramas.
Conversely, there is an attempt to screen short dramas in their original vertical format. 'Father's Home Cooking,' directed by Lee Joon-ik, will be released exclusively in Lotte Cinema on September 9. Based on the webtoon of the same name by author Ko Ri-ta, the film tells the story of a father, played by Jung Jin-young, who has ruled the dinner table for 40 years, stepping into the kitchen for the first time to cook for his wife, played by Lee Jung-eun, who has forgotten her cooking skills.
This marks Lee Joon-ik's first foray into directing a short drama, featuring prominent actors like Jung Jin-young, Lee Jung-eun, and Byun Yo-han, who are now entering the short-form ecosystem. Notably, 'Father's Home Cooking' will be screened in its longer vertical mobile format, with a runtime of 2 hours and 36 minutes (156 minutes). Lee Joon-ik stated, "Within the vertical frame, we can observe the characters' deeper nuances clearly," explaining his directorial intent. After its theatrical run, the film will be released in short episodes on the short-form platform Lezhin Snack.
The theater industry views the screening of these short dramas as part of a broader 'content diversification' strategy.
A representative from Lotte Cinema commented, "We are expanding our screening range to allow audiences to experience various content beyond just films," adding that 'Father's Home Cooking' is an attempt to provide a new experience of a short drama that was previously consumed on mobile screens, utilizing the theater's infrastructure for a larger screen and sound. They further stated, "We plan to continuously discover content that transcends the boundaries of format and genre to offer new cinematic experiences."
The key question remains whether short dramas, which are accustomed to mobile formats, can sufficiently attract general audiences to theaters. 'Wind Up,' which seeks cinematic immersion by adapting to a horizontal format, and 'Father's Home Cooking,' which maintains its vertical frame, will serve as a test for the future distribution direction of short dramas in offline settings.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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