iWorld
Korea’s VoD market tops $1.1 bn as Netflix stays ahead, TVING–Wavve plot fightback
SEOUL: South Korea’s premium video-on-demand market hit $1.1 billion (€0.94 billion) in the first half of 2025, with paid SVoD subscriptions climbing to 24.5 million after 1.5 million net additions, according to data from ampd, the measurement arm of Media Partners Asia (MPA).
Growth was led by scale players and turbocharged by connected TV measurement, introduced in the second quarter. This added roughly 35 per cent more monthly active users per platform and nearly doubled measured viewing hours to 1.2 billion.
Netflix retained the crown with 8.2 million subscribers and 47 per cent of premium VoD viewership, fuelled by Squid Game season three, a steady pipeline of licensed films, and its Naver Plus tie-up offering the ad-supported standard plan free to members. TVing posted the biggest net gains thanks to a low-priced ad tier, drama and variety hits, and live sport. Coupang Play grew with a free ad-supported tier and its Sports Pass, while June’s TVING–Wavve merger sets up a 9.2 million-subscriber challenger to Netflix by year-end.
“Korea’s premium VoD sector is consolidating around a handful of scaled leaders,” said MPA executive director Vivek Couto. “Local storytelling remains the foundation of engagement and monetisation, while CTV is unlocking new audiences and advertising opportunities.”
Local content dominated, accounting for 86 per cent of all viewing hours in Q2, led by dramas (48 per cent) and variety/reality shows (27 per cent). US films were the largest foreign category at just six per cent.
“K-dramas, comedy and variety shows drive cross-platform reach,” said MPA and ampd lead analyst Dhivya T. “Ad tiers are now central to subscriber growth, especially in urban and price-sensitive segments.”
iWorld
Amazon MX Player launches free micro-drama destination Fatafat
New platform offers serialized short-form stories with Munawar Faruqui campaign.
MUMBAI: Amazon MX Player just made micro-dramas free because the only thing shorter than the episodes is now the price tag (zero). Amazon MX Player has launched Fatafat, India’s first completely free premium micro-drama destination, giving mobile-first audiences access to fast-paced, serialized short-form stories without any paywall. Designed for quick viewing bursts, Fatafat features a growing catalogue of romance, drama, thriller and youth-led narratives in bite-sized episodes that are instantly bingeable. Unlike most micro-drama platforms that charge for access, Fatafat removes the barrier entirely, expanding the format’s reach across India.
The launch is supported by a humorous digital campaign fronted by comedian-actor Munawar Faruqui. The spots playfully highlight how small spends on paid micro-drama apps could be better used elsewhere, positioning Fatafat as the smarter, no-cost choice for engaging entertainment.
Amazon MX Player head Karan Bedi said, “Our vision has always been to make premium entertainment accessible to everyone, free of cost. With Fatafat, we are extending that promise to the rapidly growing micro-drama category quick, engaging and mobile-first while remaining completely free for viewers across India.”
Amazon MX Player head of content Amogh Dusad added, “Micro-dramas open up exciting creative possibilities for storytelling. With Fatafat, we are building a diverse slate of serialized stories across genres while keeping the experience fast, engaging and accessible to viewers everywhere.”
Munawar Faruqui said, “Today’s entertainment landscape is defined by content that is fast, engaging, and instantly accessible. Shooting for the campaign was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, especially as the scenarios felt incredibly authentic and relatable.”
Fatafat will continue to expand its library with several new titles in the coming months. The destination is available to stream for free on the Amazon MX Player mobile app.
In a country where attention spans are shrinking faster than episode lengths, Amazon MX Player isn’t just joining the micro-drama party,it’s throwing the doors wide open and telling everyone the snacks (and stories) are on the house.
