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ByteDance Launches PineDrama, a One-Minute Vertical Drama App, in U.S. and Brazil

The free, ad-free debut suggests ByteDance is testing microdrama demand against paid rivals.

Overview

  • PineDrama is available now on iOS and Android in the United States and Brazil as a standalone app from TikTok’s parent company.
  • The service features vertical microseries with roughly 60‑second episodes across genres such as romance and thriller, plus viewing history, favorites and in-episode comments.
  • At launch the app is free to download and watch without ads, with reports noting that its monetization approach could evolve.
  • The move puts ByteDance into direct competition with established microdrama platforms including DramaBox and ReelShort, which commonly rely on paid models.
  • The rollout follows TikTok’s 2025 ‘Minis’ experiment, and industry estimates for the category range from about $1.3 billion in U.S. spend in 2025 to as high as $26 billion annually by 2030, depending on the source.