Despite cheesy plots, unknown actors and occasional flubbed lines, the streaming app known as ReelShort – a company invested by the Beijing-based digital publisher COL Group – has an undeniable charm and has hooked millions with its minutes-long “micro-dramas.” It has already exceeded 10 million downloads in the U.S. alone. What's the secret behind their skyrocketing success? Are these micro-dramas just a fleeting fad, or are they here to stay? And with production costs at just a fraction of traditional TV shows, could this be the new way we produce and consume content?

Guests in this episode are actor Kasey Esser; Gary Mao, part of the Core Team at Highstreet; and Chen Jiahe, chief investment officer at Novem Arcae Technologies.