Why watching TV shows is now a 60-second affair for young Koreans

Short-form videos lasting just a minute have taken over the daily lives of the MZ generation, shifting lifestyle choices in the process.

Commuters look at their phones on a Seoul subway on Sept. 19. [YONHAP]

Short-form videos lasting just a minute have taken over the daily lives of the MZ generation, shifting lifestyle choices in the process.

During her 20-minute commute on public transport, 30-year-old office worker Park Ji-yeon watches an entire drama series. She binge-watches multiple one-minute videos featuring highlights from episodes that typically last around 60 minutes.

“Binge-watching trending dramas feels like a waste of time,” said Park. “I even watch one-hour summaries of 16-episode dramas at 1.5 times speed. I often share popular summary videos from well-known YouTube channels with friends.”

This trend has given birth to various Korean terms, such as "short-deus" — a combination of the words "short" and "drama" — which refers to watching multiple condensed videos that allow the viewer to grasp the overall storyline quickly.

On YouTube, summary channels for movies and dramas have surged in popularity in recent years. Channels like G Movie have accumulated 3.59 million subscribers, Gomong has 2.45 million and Kimsiseon has 1.94 million.

Short-form summaries have become the dominant trend across all social media platforms. According to retail analysis service WiseApp Retail Goods, the average monthly usage time per person for short-form platforms like YouTube, TikTok and Instagram reached 46 hours and 29 minutes last year — five times the average nine hours and 14 minutes spent on streaming platforms like Netflix, Wavve, Tving, Disney+, Watcha and Coupang Play.

Short-form summaries of Korean dramas on Instagram. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Another Korean term has emerged in “short-pping,” which refers to purchasing items introduced by popular social media accounts, something Park herself enjoys. She clicks on tabs linking to online stores below short-form videos on TikTok and YouTube, making purchases with just one click. Unlike TV home shopping, which often involves lengthy explanations, these short-form videos provide only essential information.

“I’ve bought everyday items that popped up on social media through algorithms, and it takes less than a minute to buy them after clicking the link,” Park said.

According to market research firm Statista, the global consumer market based on TikTok expanded from $4.7 million in 2016 to $3.84 billion last year — an 800-fold increase.

On TikTok, videos with the hashtag “#tiktokmademebuyit” have reached more than three billion views, with many users sharing purchase reviews. Videos of attention-grabbing items, like automatic needle threaders, often feature phrases like “Purchase link in description” at the end, encouraging viewers to buy.

Short-form advertisements of household appliances on Instagram. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Webtoons with more than 100 episodes are also condensed into “short-toons” of under a minute, summarizing the plot with quick images.

“Waiting a week for TV content felt tedious, but now it’s hard to watch even a single episode [of a webtoon] straight through,” said Kim Seon-woong, a 33-year-old civil servant. “I enjoy listening to music or reading webtoons, but the waiting feels stressful.”

“Short-songs,” which play certain tracks at 1.3 to 1.5 times speed or feature only the climax, are also trending as “sped-up” content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok. With K-pop dance challenges going viral, the chorus and key dance moves are often condensed into one-minute videos. K-pop boy band EXO's 2013 song “The First Snow” topped daily charts last year, a decade after its release, thanks to a sped-up dance challenge.

What are these ″shorts?″ [JOONGANG ILBO]

This trend reflects the MZ generation’s demand for time efficiency alongside high satisfaction levels. However, concerns are growing over potential downsides, such as dopamine addiction and overconsumption.

“The urge to quick buy before a short video ends can lead to impulsive purchases,” said Prof. Huh Gyung-ok of Sungshin Women’s University’s Department of Consumer Science and Living Culture Industry. “Consumers should practice mindful shopping.”

“Younger generations, dubbed ‘digital natives,’ acquire vast information online, but their long-term focus has diminished due to a reliance on instant dopamine hits,” said pop culture critic Ha Jae-guen. “They’re stuck in a cycle of seeking only stimulating content. Platform companies have a responsibility to implement technical measures to avoid fostering excessive addiction through algorithmic recommendations.”

BY KIM SEO-WON, KIM MIN-YOUNG [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]