S2E6 | Forum 25Q3 — Drama Shorts: Europe’s Challenger to China’s Vertical Drama Giants

In this episode, we sit down with Leonid (Leo) Ovdiienko, Co-Founder and CEO of Drama Shorts, one of the fastest-growing vertical drama platforms outside of Asia.

Leo started with Alpha Novel, a marketplace for web novels, and quickly pivoted into producing short dramas based on popular IP. Today, Drama Shorts is ranked among the top 15 players worldwide, with an ambitious goal to break into the top 3 this year. The company is producing over 50 exclusive titles across Europe, the U.S., and Ukraine — aiming to reach 100 by the end of the year.

In our conversation, Leo explains how his team defines vertical movies (not just “short dramas”), why pace and cliffhangers are essential to hook audiences, and which genres — from CEO romance to paranormal, detective, and fantasy — drive engagement. We also discuss the challenges of expanding into the U.S. market, the role of AI in script development, and what it takes to compete with Chinese platforms that dominate this space.

If you’re curious about the future of vertical storytelling and how a European challenger is reshaping the market, this episode is a must-listen.