Short Drama Glossary: 80+ Micro-Drama Terms Explained, From Duanju to Secret Baby
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A short drama (Chinese duanju, 短剧; also micro-drama or vertical drama) is a phone-first series shot in 9:16 with episodes of about 1–2 minutes. This glossary defines 80+ terms you meet in apps such as DramaBox and in industry reports: format names, coins and VIP, metrics such as IAP and RPD, AIGC production, China's NRTA rules and the tropes behind the titles.
- Duanju (短剧) means "short drama"; weiduanju (微短剧) means "micro short drama" and is the official Chinese regulatory term.
- China's NRTA Order No. 16 (effective 1 Sep 2026) defines a micro-drama as a series with single episodes under 20 minutes.
- Short-drama apps earned $2.98B in in-app purchase (IAP) revenue in 2025, up 115% (Sensor Tower via Marketing Dive).
- The same app can show three revenue figures: DramaBox 2025 = $276M gross consumer spend, >$470M net revenue, $530M for all Dianzhong overseas business.
- Most US apps sell a weekly VIP pass at around $19.99; coins are an in-app currency that "cannot be exchanged to any currency" (DramaBox Terms).
How to use this short drama glossary
This short drama glossary groups 80+ terms into six themes, and every definition answers the question in its first sentence. Use the table of contents to jump to a theme, or search the page for a term. Figures come from Sensor Tower, Omdia, Media Partners Asia (MPA), China's NRTA and app-store listings, each with a date; where sources disagree, we say so.
| Theme | Example terms | Why it matters to viewers |
|---|---|---|
| Format and names | duanju, weiduanju, vertical drama, playlet, manju | Explains what you are watching and why search results use different names |
| Money inside apps | coins, bonus coins, VIP, rewarded ad, auto-renew | Decides what a series really costs |
| Industry metrics | IAP, gross consumer spend, MAU, RPD, retention | Lets you read news about "the top drama app" correctly |
| Production and business | AIGC, reskinning, DSP, originals | Shows how dramas are made and funded |
| Regulation | NRTA, Order No. 16, Categories 1–3 | Rules on AI labels, addictive algorithms and price disclosure |
| Tropes | CEO, alpha, secret baby, hidden identity, reborn | Helps you find (or avoid) the stories you like |
What are the basic short drama format terms?
Short drama, micro-drama and vertical drama all describe the same thing: a serialized story filmed for phones, told in very short episodes. The names differ by market and by who is speaking: Chinese regulators, Western press or app stores. Our explainer what is a short drama covers the format in depth.
What does duanju mean? Chinese names explained
- Duanju (短剧)
- Duanju is the Chinese word for "short drama", the everyday name for the format in China. It is the term most Chinese companies, including DramaBox's parent Dianzhong, use in their own reports.
- Weiduanju (微短剧)
- Weiduanju means "micro short drama" and is the official term used by China's regulator, the NRTA. Order No. 16, Art. 2, defines it as a series with single episodes under 20 minutes, a clear main storyline, a continuous plot and prominent characters.
- Manju (漫剧) / dynamic comic drama
- Manju is an animated or "dynamic comic" drama built from illustrated panels rather than live actors. CNSA data cited by CNBC (26 Aug 2026) put China's combined micro-drama and manju market at about RMB 100B (US$15B) in 2025.
- AI short drama (AI短剧)
- An AI short drama is a micro-drama whose visuals, voices or scripts are generated with AI tools. CNSA estimates cited by CNBC say over 95% of the roughly 128,000 short dramas released in China in Q1 2026 were AI-made.
What is the difference between micro-drama, vertical drama and playlet?
- Short drama
- A short drama is a serialized, mobile-first video story with episodes of about 1–2 minutes (Omdia). It is the broadest English term and the one app stores use most.
- Micro-drama (microdrama, micro drama)
- Micro-drama is the term preferred by analysts such as Omdia and MPA for the same format. Omdia valued global microdrama revenue at $11B in 2025, rising to a forecast $14B in 2026.
- Vertical drama / verticals
- A vertical drama is filmed in 9:16 portrait orientation so it fills a phone screen. "Verticals" is the US industry shorthand; SAG-AFTRA's Verticals Agreement (13 Oct 2025) covers such productions budgeted under $300,000.
- Playlet
- Playlet is a direct translation of duanju used in some English-language trade coverage of Chinese short dramas. It is also the brand name of a short-drama app published by MicroShowtime Limited (see our Playlet review).
- Mini drama / mini-series
- Mini drama is a looser synonym often used in surveys. Ampere (27 Oct 2025) defined mini-dramas as videos of 10 minutes or less and found more than 1 in 10 internet users had watched them on social media.
- Drama shorts / reels drama
- Drama shorts and reels drama are marketing names borrowed from short-video platforms. DramaBox's App Store name, "DramaBox – Stream Drama Shorts", uses the first.
What do episode, cliffhanger and hook mean in short dramas?
- Episode
- An episode is one unlockable video in a series, usually 1–2 minutes long. FlareFlow says its episodes run under 90 seconds (GlobeNewswire, Dec 2025).
- Series
- A series is the full story, typically dozens of episodes. DramaBox titles such as Deny Me, Dragon King (50 episodes) and Tempest: The Last Mecha (58 episodes) are typical, and DramaBox says its Latin American projects run 70–80 episodes (Produ, Jun 2026).
- Cliffhanger
- A cliffhanger is an unresolved moment at the end of an episode that pushes you to watch the next one. Sensor Tower (June 2026) describes the category as built on "cliffhanger-led storytelling".
- Hook
- A hook is the opening beat that grabs attention within seconds. DramaBox's head of development Christianne Cruz said the company wants writers who "understand what hooks an audience within seconds."
- 9:16
- 9:16 is the portrait aspect ratio of a phone screen held upright. On a landscape TV a 9:16 video leaves black bars on both sides; see how to watch short drama apps on TV.
What do coins, VIP and rewarded ads mean?
Short drama apps are free to install but charge through three routes: coins, a VIP membership and rewarded ads. DramaBox's developer described the choice in an App Store reply (26 Jun 2024): "You can unlock dramas for free by collecting free coins through completing tasks or simply by watching ads. For the paying, we recommend the subscription rather than coins."
What are coins and bonus coins?
- Coins
- Coins are the in-app virtual currency you spend to unlock individual episodes. DramaBox's Terms state that coins "should be utilized in DramaBox only, and cannot be exchanged to any currency."
- Bonus coins (free coins)
- Bonus coins are free or promotional coins earned from tasks, daily check-ins or rewarded ads. Limits are not published by DramaBox; our DramaBox coins guide collects the user reports.
- Coin rate (coins per $1)
- The coin rate is how many coins one dollar buys. Store listings show 100 coins per $1 at GoodShort, StardustTV and Sereal+, about 200 per $1 at Playlet, and about 30 per $1 at TouchShort (App Store IAP lists, Sep 2026).
- Coin pack / special offer
- A coin pack is a one-time purchase of coins. DramaBox labels its packs "Special offer" at $4.99, $9.99 and $19.99 on the US App Store (seen 25 Sep 2026), without stating the coin count.
- Unlock
- To unlock is to pay coins, watch an ad or use a membership to open a locked episode. One unlocked episode normally stays unlocked on your account.
What do VIP, weekly pass and auto-renew mean?
- VIP / membership
- VIP (called "Membership" in DramaBox) is a recurring subscription that unlocks most titles while it is active. Some titles can still require coins or a specific plan: the Japanese DramaBox listing says some works are for paid-plan members only.
- Weekly pass / weekly VIP
- A weekly pass is a VIP plan billed every 7 days, the most common plan in the category. Business Insider (8 Jan 2026) said subscriptions are "usually $20 a week"; our weekly subscription guide shows why $19.99 a week is about $1,039 a year.
- Auto-renew
- Auto-renew means the subscription charges again automatically at the end of each period. DramaBox's App Store listing says renewal happens "unless the user turns off automatic renewal at least 24 hours before the current subscription period ends."
- Intro offer
- An intro offer is a discounted first period before the standard price starts. Research summaries of Sensor Tower store data (31 Aug 2026) describe $4.99–$9.99 intro offers next to a $19.99 weekly standard for DramaBox; this is unverified, because Apple does not display billing periods.
- Paywall
- The paywall is the point in a series where free episodes stop and you must pay, watch ads or subscribe. Guides often cite episodes 5–10, but DramaBox publishes no official number.
- Family Sharing
- Family Sharing is Apple's option to share some purchases with a family group. The DramaBox listing says "some in-app purchases and subscriptions may be shareable."
- Web purchase / web top-up
- A web purchase is a coin or VIP payment made on a website instead of inside the app. It does not appear in Apple or Google subscription settings, which is why several apps' complaints mention charges users cannot find; GoodShort's site claims web top-ups give "10% extra value vs the app".
What are rewarded ads, check-ins and tasks?
- Rewarded ad
- A rewarded ad is an ad you choose to watch in exchange for coins or an episode. Caps are unofficial: DramaBox users report about 8 a day, and Sereal+ lists up to 5 ad unlocks a day.
- Check-in (daily check-in)
- A check-in is a daily tap in the app's rewards page that grants bonus coins. Most apps, including DramaBox, NetShort and GoodShort, use it to bring viewers back every day.
- Tasks
- Tasks are small actions (watching, sharing, enabling notifications) that pay bonus coins. See DramaBox free episodes for how tasks fit a free-viewing routine.
- Ad-free
- Ad-free viewing is a VIP perk in some apps, such as FlareFlow's listed "ad-free viewing". DramaBox's App Store copy says "Enjoy ad-free streaming" while the same page discloses "Contains Advertising", a contradiction worth knowing.
| Term | What you give | What you get | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coins | Money (packs $4.99–$19.99 on DramaBox US) | Pay-per-episode unlocks | Poor value if you binge; not refundable as cash |
| Bonus coins | Time (check-ins, tasks) | A few free unlocks a day | Unpublished caps; slow |
| Rewarded ad | Attention (15–30 s ads reported) | One episode or some coins | Interactive ads that are hard to close |
| VIP / membership | Recurring payment (~$19.99/week typical US) | Most titles unlocked | Weekly auto-renew adds up to ~$1,039/year |
If you want to test these routes yourself, DramaBox offers all four, and our DramaBox price guide lists the store items.
What do IAP, MAU and RPD mean in short drama news?
Industry metrics decide headlines such as "DramaBox tied #1 by revenue", but each firm measures something different. Sensor Tower counts app-store IAP only, Appfigures counts gross consumer spend, and companies quote net revenue across all channels. Reading the definition first avoids comparing unlike numbers.
What is the difference between IAP, gross consumer spend and net revenue?
- IAP (in-app purchase revenue)
- IAP is money users pay through the App Store or Google Play inside an app. Sensor Tower put short-drama IAP at $2.98B in 2025 (+115%) and about $750M in Q1 2026, with DramaBox and ReelShort each near $140M.
- Gross consumer spend
- Gross consumer spend is what users pay before app-store fees, the measure Appfigures uses. Appfigures (via TechCrunch) put DramaBox at $276M and ReelShort at about $1.2B for 2025.
- Net revenue
- Net revenue is what the company keeps or reports after fees, often including web payments. 短剧自习室's annual report (via Baijing, Jun 2026) put DramaBox's 2025 net pay revenue above $470M.
- Top-grossing
- Top-grossing is an app-store chart ranked by spending, not downloads. DramaBox was #5 top-grossing entertainment app on Google Play in the snapshot of 25 Sep 2026.
| Figure | Definition | Source (date) |
|---|---|---|
| $276M | Gross consumer spend in app stores | Appfigures via TechCrunch (2026) |
| >$470M | Net pay-per-view + subscription revenue, all channels | 短剧自习室 via Baijing (Jun 2026) |
| $530M | All Dianzhong overseas revenue, may include other apps | Chairman Chen Ruiqing via Baijing (11 Jun 2026) |
| $323M / $10M | 2024 revenue / net profit | Media Partners Asia (Sept 2025) |
What do MAU, DAU, retention and time spent mean?
- MAU (monthly active users)
- MAU counts unique users who open an app in a month. DramaBox MAU estimates range from 4.5M to 50M+ depending on who is speaking, so we treat the figure as unresolved (see DramaBox statistics).
- DAU (daily active users)
- DAU counts unique users per day. CBN/21jingji (May 2025) reported ShortMax at 6M DAU in Southeast Asia.
- Downloads / installs
- Downloads are new installs, the measure where FreeReels led in Q1 2026 with over 100M. Category downloads passed 850M in Q1 2026, up 140% (Sensor Tower).
- Retention
- Retention is the share of users still active after a set time. Sensor Tower measured DramaBox's 2024 cohort at 17% after 6 months and 15% after 12 months.
- Time spent (daily minutes)
- Time spent is the average minutes per user per day. Omdia (Q4 2025) found DramaBox at 27.9 minutes a day in Mexico, ahead of Prime Video's 23.8.
What do RPD, CPM, paid installs, YoY and QoQ mean?
- RPD (revenue per download)
- RPD divides revenue by downloads to show how well a market pays. Secondary sources (36Kr/Sohu; Vitrina) put it at about $4.70 in the US, ~$2.00 globally and $0.70 in Southeast Asia, figures we treat as unverified.
- CPM (cost per mille)
- CPM is the price of 1,000 ad impressions. Chinese short-drama CPMs rose from RMB 50–80 in 2023 to RMB 150–200 in 2025 (Ashley Dudarenok via CNBC, Aug 2026).
- Paid installs / UA
- Paid installs are downloads driven by advertising, known as user acquisition (UA). Sensor Tower found paid installs above 60% of DramaBox and ShortMax downloads in 2024, and about 70% for ReelShort.
- YoY / QoQ
- YoY compares with the same period a year earlier; QoQ compares with the previous quarter. FreeReels grew 123% QoQ in Q1 2026, while category IAP grew 20% YoY.
What do AIGC, reskinning and DSP mean?
Production and business terms describe how dramas are made, adapted and paid for beyond subscriptions. Vivek Couto of Media Partners Asia summed up the economics in September 2025: "Production is cheap, but distribution is costly, and success depends on speed, scale and repeatable IP."
Which production terms should you know?
- AIGC (AI-generated content)
- AIGC is content produced with generative AI. Dianzhong launched an AIGC global co-creation plan in April 2026 with a US$150M overseas creator fund and released 1,287 AI short dramas in May 2026 (短剧自习室 via Baijing); see DramaBox AI dramas.
- Reskinning
- Reskinning means re-shooting a proven script with local actors and settings for a new market. DramaBox planned 20+ locally adapted titles for Mexico, Colombia and Brazil in 2026 (Produ).
- Translated drama (译制剧)
- A translated drama is a Chinese production subtitled or dubbed for overseas viewers. Dianzhong's corporate site says 95% of DramaBox's 2,000+ titles were translated Chinese productions, a company claim.
- Originals
- Originals are dramas made for the app, often shot in the US. DramaBox's Los Angeles studio made 60+ titles in 2025 (The Ankler), and FlareFlow shoots in LA, New York, Canada and London.
- Localization / dubbing
- Localization adapts the app and dramas to a language. DramaBox's iOS app has 16 UI languages and ShortMax's has 19 (App Store, Sep 2026).
- IP adaptation
- IP adaptation turns an existing novel, comic or brand into a drama. GoodShort and TopShort draw on web novels, and Disney Publishing was reported exploring microdrama adaptations with DramaBox after the 2025 Disney Accelerator.
Which advertising and company terms should you know?
- DSP (demand-side platform)
- A DSP is software advertisers use to buy ad space automatically. The Trade Desk became DramaBox's first DSP partner on 26 Apr 2026 (PR Newswire).
- Programmatic advertising
- Programmatic advertising is automated, auction-based ad buying. DramaBox's Wang Hefei said the company chose it "because of its proven global infrastructure."
- Publisher / operator
- The publisher is the legal entity named as seller in the app store. DramaBox's is STORYMATRIX PTE. LTD. of Singapore; our guide to who owns short drama apps maps the rest.
- Parent company
- The parent company owns the publisher. DramaBox's parent is Beijing Dianzhong Technology, founded in 2011.
- White-label platform
- A white-label platform is one site template reused under different brands. ShortPeak and SagaBox share an identical rewards widget and VIP layout, which suggests a shared operator or template (unverified).
- Lite app
- A lite app is a smaller version of a main app. DramaBox Lite "uses less storage" and lists $12.99 a week, $39.99 a month or $129.99 a year (Sensor Tower, Jul 2026).
What are NRTA categories and Order No. 16?
China's National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) regulates micro-dramas through Order No. 16, which took effect on 1 Sep 2026. It sets a three-tier classification, requires AI labels, bans addictive or overspending algorithms and requires clear price disclosure. Fines run up to RMB 100,000 (Art. 46).
- NRTA
- The NRTA is China's broadcasting regulator. It formally recognized online micro-dramas in August 2020 and published Order No. 16 on 31 Jul 2026.
- Order No. 16 (微短剧发展管理办法)
- Order No. 16 is China's first comprehensive micro-drama rulebook, signed by NRTA director Cao Shumin. Art. 52 also applies its filing rules to dramas shot in China for overseas broadcast.
- Category 1
- Category 1 covers large-budget dramas or sensitive subjects such as politics, military, diplomacy, ethnicity, religion and law enforcement. It needs a distribution licence (Art. 17).
- Category 2
- Category 2 covers mid-budget dramas on general subjects (Art. 5).
- Category 3
- Category 3 covers low-budget dramas on general subjects; the platform reviews them and assigns a programme number (Art. 17).
- Distribution licence (发行许可证)
- The distribution licence is the permit a Category 1 micro-drama needs before release.
- AI label
- An AI label is the notice AI-generated micro-dramas must show "in a visible position in every episode" (Art. 34).
- Anti-addiction rule
- The anti-addiction rule bans algorithms that "induce users to become addicted or to overspend" (Art. 37).
- Price disclosure
- Price disclosure requires platforms with paid content to clearly inform users about charges (Art. 40).
- "Micro-drama+" plan
- The "Micro-drama+" action plan (4 Jan 2025) is an NRTA programme that promotes micro-dramas to "empower all industries", such as tourism and culture.
| Category | Budget / subject | Approval route |
|---|---|---|
| Category 1 | Large budget or sensitive subjects | Distribution licence required |
| Category 2 | Mid budget, general subjects | Filing and review |
| Category 3 | Low budget, general subjects | Platform review + programme number |
| All AI dramas | Any | Visible AI label in every episode |
What do short drama tropes like CEO, alpha and secret baby mean?
Tropes are the repeatable story formulas that short drama titles advertise in their names. DramaBox and the app stores name romance, revenge, CEO/billionaire, mafia, werewolf/alpha, secret baby, family and fantasy; ShortMax adds time travel, reborn and hidden or contract marriage. Our DramaBox genres guide links tropes to real titles.
Which romance tropes are most common?
- CEO / billionaire
- A CEO or billionaire drama pairs an ordinary heroine with a powerful, wealthy lead. GoodShort's store copy leads with it, and DramaBox names CEO/billionaire among its core genres.
- Alpha / werewolf
- An alpha drama is a werewolf romance where the lead is the pack's dominant male. DramaBox's "Craving the Forbidden Alpha" is an example named in store copy.
- Contract marriage
- A contract marriage story starts with a marriage of convenience that turns real. ShortMax lists "Hidden/Contract Marriage" as a genre.
- Mafia
- A mafia drama is a romance or thriller built around a crime family. It is one of DramaBox's store-listed genres.
- Vampire
- A vampire drama is supernatural romance with vampire leads, listed by TouchShort alongside werewolf and time travel.
- Sports-star romance
- A sports-star romance centres on an athlete lead, such as DramaBox's "A Deal with the Hockey Captain" (Business Insider, Jan 2026) or ShortMax's "Loved Twice by the Hockey Star".
Which identity and twist tropes are most common?
- Secret baby
- A secret baby plot reveals a hidden child who reconnects the leads, often years later. ShortMax's "Back With Baby, Ex Regrets Deeply" is typical.
- A hidden identity drama follows a character who conceals wealth, power or lineage until a reveal. It is one of the most common genre tags across apps.
- Identity reversal / comeback
- An identity reversal or comeback story flips a humiliated character into a powerful one. Research reviews list "comeback/status reversal" among the most common trope tags.
- Reborn / reincarnation
- A reborn drama sends the lead back in time with memories of a past life, usually to fix mistakes or take revenge. ShortMax lists "Reborn" as a genre.
- Time travel
- A time-travel drama moves a character into another era, often historical China. ShortMax and TouchShort both list it.
- Revenge
- A revenge drama follows a wronged lead paying back betrayal, often by an ex or family. It is among DramaBox's core genres.
- "Ex regrets"
- "Ex regrets" is a title formula where a former partner realizes too late what they lost. It often combines with secret baby or revenge.
- Inheritance dispute / lost heir
- An inheritance story centres on a fight over family wealth or a lost heir, as in DramaBox's "The Lost Heir: A Christmas Reckoning".
- Family / marriage and divorce
- Family dramas cover marriage breakdowns, pregnancy and in-law conflict. They are listed as a DramaBox genre and a common research tag.
| Trope | Typical title words | Apps that list it |
|---|---|---|
| CEO / billionaire | CEO, billionaire, tycoon | DramaBox, GoodShort, ShortMax, TouchShort |
| Alpha / werewolf | alpha, Luna, pack | DramaBox, ShortMax, Kalos TV, TouchShort |
| Secret baby | baby, twins, "Back With Baby" | DramaBox, ShortMax |
| Hidden identity | heir, kingpin, genius | ShortMax, DramaBox |
| Reborn / time travel | reborn, second chance, back to | ShortMax, TouchShort |
| Revenge | revenge, regret, payback | DramaBox, ShortMax, TouchShort |
Which short drama terms are most often confused?
The three most confused pairs are duanju vs weiduanju, IAP vs gross consumer spend, and VIP vs coins. Mixing them up leads to wrong price comparisons and wrong market claims, such as calling a download leader "the biggest app".
Is duanju the same as weiduanju?
In practice, duanju and weiduanju describe the same format; weiduanju is the formal regulatory word. Weiduanju (micro short drama) is the term used in NRTA Order No. 16, while duanju is common speech and company usage. Wikipedia's description of Sereal+ as a "duanju platform" shows the word crossing into English.
Is the most downloaded app the top drama app?
No: downloads and revenue crown different leaders. FreeReels was the most downloaded short drama app in Q1 2026, while DramaBox and ReelShort were the top drama apps by in-app revenue at about $140M each (Sensor Tower, June 2026). Our top drama app ranking explains how we weigh both.
Does VIP replace coins?
Usually VIP covers most titles, but not always. Users of DramaBox, Kalos TV and FlareFlow report being asked for coins or a second pass despite an active membership, and the DramaBox Japan listing says some works are member-only. Check what a plan covers before paying.
TopDrama.app checklist: five terms to check before you pay
Before you tap "subscribe" in any short drama app, check five glossary terms on the checkout screen. This checklist is our own, built from the complaint patterns in app-store reviews.
- Billing period: is the plan weekly, monthly or yearly? Apple does not show it in the IAP list.
- Auto-renew: note the renewal date and turn it off at least 24 hours before if you only want one period.
- Intro offer: what does the plan cost after the first period?
- Coins vs VIP: does the plan unlock the series you want, or will you still need coins?
- Where you paid: app store or web? Web purchases must be cancelled outside Apple and Google.
A worked example (TopDrama.app calculation): a $19.99 weekly VIP renewed for 52 weeks costs $1,039.48, about five times the $199.99 annual VIP ReelShort lists. That gap is why the term "billing period" matters most.
Industry jargon in short drama apps: pros and cons
Pros
- Knowing "gross consumer spend" vs "net revenue" explains why DramaBox's 2025 revenue ranges from $276M to $530M.
- Understanding "auto-renew" and "billing period" prevents most surprise charges.
- Trope names help you find series quickly across DramaBox, ShortMax and GoodShort.
- Regulatory terms show which protections (AI labels, price disclosure) now apply in China.
Cons
- Apps label items loosely ("Membership", "Special offer") without periods or coin counts.
- Terms such as "free" and "ad-free" are used inconsistently in store copy.
- Metrics like MAU vary up to 10× for the same app, so a term alone doesn't guarantee a comparable number.
- NRTA rules apply in China, not to overseas app users directly.
Short drama glossary FAQ
What does duanju mean?
Duanju (短剧) is Chinese for "short drama", a serialized story with very short episodes made for phones. It is the everyday name for the format in China and among Chinese app companies.
What does weiduanju mean?
Weiduanju (微短剧) means "micro short drama" and is the official term in China's NRTA Order No. 16. The order defines it as a series with single episodes under 20 minutes and a clear, continuous storyline.
What is the difference between a short drama and a micro-drama?
There is no practical difference; both describe vertical series with episodes of about 1–2 minutes. "Micro-drama" is favoured by analysts such as Omdia, while app stores mostly say "short drama".
What is a vertical drama?
A vertical drama is a series filmed in 9:16 portrait orientation to fill a phone screen. In the US, "verticals" is also the name of a SAG-AFTRA agreement for productions under $300,000.
What are coins in drama apps?
Coins are an in-app currency used to unlock episodes one at a time. They are bought in packs (DramaBox US: $4.99–$19.99) or earned free, and DramaBox's Terms say they cannot be exchanged for money.
What is VIP in a short drama app?
VIP is a recurring membership that unlocks most of the catalog while active. It is often billed weekly at around $19.99 in the US and renews automatically until cancelled.
What is a rewarded ad?
A rewarded ad is an optional ad you watch to earn coins or unlock an episode. Apps cap how many you can watch per day, but the caps are rarely published.
What does IAP mean?
IAP stands for in-app purchase: money paid through Apple or Google inside an app. Short-drama IAP reached $2.98B in 2025 (Sensor Tower via Marketing Dive).
What is RPD?
RPD is revenue per download, a measure of how much a market pays per install. Unverified secondary estimates put it near $4.70 in the US and $0.70 in Southeast Asia.
What is manju?
Manju (漫剧) is an animated or dynamic-comic drama rather than live action. CNSA counts it with micro-dramas in a Chinese market of about RMB 100B in 2025 (via CNBC).
What does AIGC mean in short dramas?
AIGC means AI-generated content. Dianzhong, DramaBox's parent, runs an AIGC creator plan with a US$150M overseas fund, and Chinese rules now require AI dramas to be labelled in every episode.
What does reskinning mean?
Reskinning is re-shooting a proven script with local actors for a new market. DramaBox is doing this in Latin America with 20+ locally adapted titles planned for 2026.
What is a secret baby drama?
A secret baby drama is a romance where a hidden child reunites the leads. It is one of the most common tropes on DramaBox and ShortMax.
What are NRTA Category 1, 2 and 3?
They are China's three micro-drama tiers under Order No. 16: Category 1 for large-budget or sensitive subjects (licence required), Category 2 for mid-budget general subjects and Category 3 for low-budget general subjects reviewed by platforms.
Bottom line
- Duanju, weiduanju, micro-drama and vertical drama all name the same phone-first format; weiduanju is the legal term in China.
- Coins, bonus coins, rewarded ads and VIP are the four ways to unlock episodes; weekly auto-renew is the term that costs viewers most.
- Read the metric before the number: IAP, gross consumer spend and net revenue give DramaBox 2025 figures from $276M to $530M.
- This glossary suits new viewers, parents and anyone reading short drama news; it doesn't replace checking an app's live checkout screen.
- To see the vocabulary in a real app, start DramaBox with its free episodes and compare it using our DramaBox review.
