Microdramas boom from brands like TikTok, Crocs as TV struggles to hold interest
The premise of “Bound by Honor” makes it sound like a typical soap opera. On her 18th birthday, Aria’s Chicago mobster father tells her that she’s expected to marry Luca, the vicious heir to a rival New York City gang. She agrees only so she can spare her younger sister from the same fate. Crime, chaos and romance ensue. But unlike made-for-television series, “Bound by Honor” isn’t on air or on streaming services. The actors aren’t household names, nor do they have traditional Hollywood résumés. Each episode is one to three minutes long. And over 334 million people and counting have tuned in to the show — from their phones. The series is among the hundreds within a growing genre known as microdramas. The format, which originated in China and has spawned a multibillion-dollar industry overseas, is now booming in the U.S., as everyone from tech brands like TikTok to footwear companies like Crocs rushes to cash in on their popularity. A scene from “Bound by Honor.”ReelShort Microdramas are “sort of the ‘Triple Crown’ of …
