V47, COL Group partner to expand microdrama in Asia

V47 Entertainment and VIRTUE Asia have partnered with COL Group to expand brand access to microdrama across South East Asia. The agreement covers six ASEAN markets.

The partnership spans Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. The companies plan to develop brand-funded entertainment projects built around short-form vertical video and mobile-first storytelling.

Under the arrangement, VIRTUE Asia and COL will develop, package and distribute projects for marketers in the region. The offering will include original brand-enabled microdrama, sponsorship of existing vertical entertainment properties and creator-led activations designed for mobile viewing.

COL Group is a China-listed digital entertainment company with more than two decades of experience in content development, distribution and intellectual property management. It says it was the first company to launch the microdrama format in China and later introduced FlareFlow as part of its international business.

FlareFlow has 33 million registered users across more than 200 countries and regions, according to the companies. They also cited an Omdia report showing that Asia's top five microdrama apps reached a combined 150 million monthly active users in February last year.

The deal gives V47 Entertainment a route into a fast-growing area of digital entertainment following its launch in late 2025. V47 was formed as a joint venture between VIRTUE Asia and Goldfinch International to develop and commercialise brand-enabled entertainment intellectual property across Asia.

Lesley John, CEO, VIRTUE Asia, said clients across the region are asking for vertical formats and microdramas but need a partner that understands both the creative craft of the platform and the commercial realities of activating within it.

John said the partnership gives clients direct access to one of the category's most exciting leaders, backed by the regional brand and cultural expertise VIRTUE Asia has been building for years. She called it a meaningful step forward for the brand-funded entertainment opportunity in South East Asia.

Market shift

The companies are positioning the agreement around changing viewing habits, particularly the growth of vertical video and short-form serial storytelling on smartphones. They said brands are looking for alternatives to traditional digital advertising that place commercial messages inside entertainment formats audiences choose to watch.

David Webster, chairman of Vault47 Group and V47 Entertainment, said V47 was created around the belief that brands will increasingly need to move beyond advertising and participate directly in entertainment ecosystems that audiences actively choose.

He said microdrama and vertical storytelling represent one of the fastest-moving shifts in entertainment consumption, and that the partnership with COL allows brands, creators, platforms and audiences to connect in ways that were not previously possible.

Regional plans

For COL Group, the agreement adds a regional partner with agency and commercial relationships across South East Asia as it seeks to expand its presence outside China. The company described the region as strategically important to its Vertical 2.0 strategy.

Timothy Oh, FlareFlow chief marketing officer and general manager of COL Group, described South East Asia as a priority market.

He said V47 and VIRTUE Asia bring the brand and commercial capabilities needed to unlock the region's full potential. He added that the partnership would help drive COL's Vertical 2.0 strategy by bringing next-generation premium brand-funded stories to audiences in a way that respects both the creative craft and the commercial opportunity.

The tie-up reflects a broader push by agencies, studios and platforms to build marketing around entertainment formats rather than standard ad placements. In South East Asia, where mobile video consumption is high and social platforms have shaped viewing behaviour, microdrama has emerged as a format that blends serial narrative with short run times suited to smartphone screens.

No financial terms were disclosed. Initial brand campaigns and creative collaborations are due to follow across the six markets covered by the partnership.