Who Owns ReelShort?
ReelShort is owned by Crazy Maple Studio, a subsidiary of COL Group (formerly Chinese Online Literature Group), a Chinese digital media and entertainment company. ReelShort launched in 2022 and is headquartered in San Jose, California, USA, though its parent company COL Group is based in China. The app is not publicly traded as a separate entity; COL Group trades on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the ticker 0772.
Parent Company
ReelShort
Founded
2022
Status
Private
Headquarters
San Jose, California, USA
Who Owns ReelShort?
- Parent Company: ReelShort
- Ownership Type: Subsidiary
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: Shenzhen Stock Exchange: 300364
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| ReelShort | ReelShort | Subsidiary |
History of ReelShort
- Founded: 2022
- Founders: Crazy Maple Studio (COL Group subsidiary)
ReelShort launched in 2022 as part of a broader wave of short-form drama apps that emerged from Chinese digital media companies seeking to replicate in Western markets the success of the "micro-drama" (weiju) format that had become enormously popular in China.
The micro-drama format originated in China around 2020 and 2021, when short-form video platforms including Douyin (TikTok's Chinese counterpart) and Kuaishou began hosting serialized drama content in episodes of one to three minutes each. These micro-dramas, typically featuring melodramatic romance, fantasy, or revenge storylines, proved highly addictive to mobile users and generated substantial in-app purchase revenues through episode-unlock mechanics.
COL Group, through its Crazy Maple Studio subsidiary, identified the opportunity to bring this format to English-speaking markets, where short-form video consumption was already established through TikTok and Instagram Reels but serialized short-form drama had not yet emerged as a distinct content category. ReelShort was designed specifically for this market, with content produced in English by American and Canadian production teams to appeal to Western audiences.
The app's content strategy focuses on romance and drama genres, particularly stories featuring wealthy male leads, Cinderella-style social mobility narratives, and supernatural romance elements. These genres had proven consistently popular in Chinese micro-dramas and translated effectively to Western audiences. ReelShort's early content included titles such as "Fated to My Forbidden Alpha" and other serialized romance dramas.
ReelShort grew rapidly through 2023 and 2024, driven by aggressive social media marketing on TikTok and Instagram, where short clips from the app's dramas were used as acquisition content. The app reached the top of the Apple App Store entertainment charts in the United States multiple times in 2023, generating significant media coverage about the micro-drama format's emergence in Western markets.
By 2024, ReelShort had established itself as the leading short-form drama app in the United States and other English-speaking markets, with competitors including DramaBox (owned by Storymatrix, another Chinese-backed company) and FlexTV emerging to compete for the same audience. The app's success prompted traditional media companies and streaming services to explore the micro-drama format.
As of February 2026, ReelShort operates in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other English-speaking markets, with a library of hundreds of serialized drama titles across romance, fantasy, thriller, and other genres.
About ReelShort
ReelShort is a short-form drama streaming platform developed by Crazy Maple Studio, a U.S.-based subsidiary of COL Digital Publishing Group. Founded in 2022 by Joey Jia, ReelShort delivers bite-sized vertical drama episodes (1-2 minutes) and has grown to over $300 million in revenue. The app pioneered the 'dramaslop' format and became one of the top-grossing entertainment apps in the U.S., with aggressive freemium monetization and global expansion into Latin America.
- Founded: 2022
- Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: Shenzhen Stock Exchange: 300364
Where Is ReelShort Made / Based?
- Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, China
ReelShort Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +COL Group's extensive experience in Chinese online literature and micro-drama content provides Crazy Maple Studio with a deep library of proven story concepts and production expertise that can be adapted for English-language audiences, reducing content development risk
- +The micro-drama format's coin-based microtransaction business model generates high revenue per engaged user, with some reports indicating that top ReelShort users spend hundreds of dollars per month on episode unlocks, creating a highly monetizable core user base
- +ReelShort's first-mover advantage in the English-language short-form drama market, established in 2022 before significant competition emerged, has allowed the company to build brand recognition and a content library that later entrants must compete against
- +The app's social media-driven marketing model, which uses short clips from its dramas as organic and paid acquisition content on TikTok and Instagram, provides a cost-effective user acquisition channel that is well-suited to the target demographic of younger female consumers
Considerations
- -ReelShort's Chinese ownership through COL Group creates regulatory risk in the United States and other Western markets, where concerns about data privacy and Chinese government influence over Chinese-owned digital platforms have led to increased scrutiny and potential legislative action
- -The coin-based microtransaction model, while generating high revenue per engaged user, has attracted criticism from consumer advocates and media commentators who characterize it as predatory monetization, creating reputational risk and potential regulatory attention
- -The short-form drama content category, while growing rapidly, faces competition from well-resourced incumbents including Netflix, Amazon, and TikTok itself, which could enter the serialized short-form drama space with significantly greater production budgets and distribution reach
- -ReelShort's content library is concentrated in romance and melodrama genres that appeal primarily to a female audience, limiting the app's addressable market and creating vulnerability if consumer preferences shift away from these genres
Frequently Asked Questions About ReelShort
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ReelShort on AmazonCompetitors to ReelShort
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Bros Discovery | USA | 2001 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Amazon | USA | 2009 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Apple | USA | 2007 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Warner Bros Discovery | USA | 2000 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Itv | United Kingdom | 2017 | Mass Market | Global | Male | |
| Disney | USA | 2019 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Adult Swim
Owned by Warner Bros. Discovery
American programming block and streaming service on Cartoon Network featuring adult-oriented animated and live-action comedy programming.
Amazon Studios
Owned by Amazon.com Inc.
Amazon's film and television production company creating original content for Prime Video and theatrical release.
Apple TV
Owned by Apple Inc.
Digital media player and streaming service developed by Apple Inc., offering access to movies, TV shows, and original content through Apple TV+ and other streaming apps.
Boomerang
Owned by Warner Bros. Discovery
American cable television network and streaming service focused on classic and contemporary animated programming for children and families.
BritBox
Owned by ITV plc
Subscription streaming service offering British television programming, dramas, comedies, and entertainment content, owned by ITV plc.
Disney+
Owned by The Walt Disney Company
American subscription streaming service owned by The Walt Disney Company, providing access to Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content.
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: ReelShort competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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