Omdia: Men Account for 54% of UK Microdrama Users, Challenging Industry Assumptions

Omdia

New Omdia research finds that men account for 54% of microdrama users in the UK, challenging the industry's traditional association of the format with women and romance-driven storytelling. The finding raises questions about whether content producers and streaming platforms are overlooking part of their potential audience.

Omdia Consumer Research conducted in April 2026 found that men account for 47% of microdrama users across the surveyed markets, with notable regional differences. Men represent 50% of users in the US and 47% in Spain, compared with just 29% in Brazil. These differences could influence content commissioning, audience targeting and monetization strategies as the format expands internationally.

“Everyone talks about microdramas as entertainment for women. But our research tells a very different story,” said María Rúa Aguete, Head of Media & Entertainment at Omdia. “Producers and platforms may be underestimating the potential audience for microdramas and how broadly the format can appeal. Nearly half of microdrama users are men. In the UK, men are actually the majority. This finding challenges the industry's longstanding association of microdramas with romance and content aimed at women.”

The findings raise important questions for content producers and streaming platforms about who is watching microdramas and which genres offer the greatest potential for growth. While romance has played an important role in the format’s early success, the expanding audience may create opportunities to explore comedy, thrillers, crime, action and other genres.

The contrasting audience profiles across markets suggest that content strategies that resonate in one region may need to be adapted for another.

A $14 billion market with room to grow

Omdia forecasts that the global microdrama market will generate approximately $14 billion in revenue in 2026, rising to nearly $25 billion by 2031, with growth increasingly extending beyond China.

As the format expands internationally, understanding differences in audience composition will become essential for content commissioning, marketing, advertising and monetization strategies.

“The next phase of microdrama growth will not simply be about producing more episodes or attracting more women. It will be about understanding different audiences, experimenting with genres and recognizing that short-form storytelling is not a niche format. It is becoming a mainstream entertainment category,” concluded Rúa Aguete.

Table 1: Microdrama audiences vary significantly by market

Source: Omdia Consumer Research (April 2026)

ABOUT OMDIA

Omdia, part of TechTarget, Inc. d/b/a Informa TechTarget (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets grounded in real conversations with industry leaders and hundreds of thousands of data points, make our market intelligence our clients’ strategic advantage. From R&D to ROI, we identify the greatest opportunities and move the industry forward.

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