ByteDance, Soonshot debut AI-powered short-form K-dramas across SEA

BytePlus, the enterprise arm of ByteDance, has partnered with Soonshot, a pioneer in short-form international K-dramas, to launch a mobile platform delivering bite-sized Korean storytelling enhanced by AI across Southeast Asia and beyond.

The app delivers 1-2 minute “snackable” episodes. Soonshot leverages BytePlus’s technology for real-time personalisation, global CDN streaming, and advanced analytics to help creators refine their productions.

The platform is spearheaded by South Korean comedy icon Lee Kyung-kyu, co-founder of ADG Company, who draws on his 45-year career and extensive industry network of more than 3,000 production professionals, as well as partnerships with major broadcasters including SBS, KT, and Kakao. Soonshot also holds access to over 20,000 webtoon IPs and rising talent for fresh adaptations.

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“Soonshot brings the emotional depth of K-dramas at short-form speed,” said Erica Park, CEO of ADG Company. “Inspired by China’s short-form boom, we’re elevating content with authentic K-flavour, powered by BytePlus tech to deliver what fans crave while building a sustainable, direct-to-fan model for IP value.”

In under three months, Soonshot has attracted 110,000 users across seven countries, with average session times of 22 minutes. Singapore’s role as the launchpad reflects its strong digital penetration, advanced payments infrastructure, and media influence, setting the stage for expansion to Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, the US, and Japan.

Localisation plays a key role in this rollout, with multilingual subtitles and regional viewing habits considered. Indonesians, for instance, spend six hours a day on mobile devices with K-content accounting for nearly a third of streams, while one in three young Thais watch K-dramas daily. In the Philippines, K-related hashtags generate more than 100 million monthly views, while Singapore leads in per-capita spend on premium content.

Beyond streaming, Soonshot is investing in fandom-driven communities, offering fans spaces for discussion and interaction. The platform aims to evolve into a full K-culture lifestyle hub, including exclusive content, memberships, and merchandise. “We prioritise long-term growth through fandoms and IP creation over quick profits,” Park added.

As mobile viewing and the global K-wave surge, Soonshot positions itself as both an entertainment product and a marketing experiment in fandom, technology, and cultural export - turning every screen into an AI-powered K-drama channel. The firm has set a target of releasing 100 original titles by 2026.

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