FlickReels Sees Big Gains in Silver-Haired Short Drama Niche, Eyes $10M in Revenue
This year, the momentum of short drama has noticeably slowed compared to the past two years. As the leading landscape begins to take shape, newly emerging short drama platforms are opting for more unconventional strategies. While most are competing in the saturated genres of domineering CEOs and werewolves, 【FlickReels】 has carved out its own path by focusing on silver-haired short dramas in the global market.
【FlickReels】, developed by FARSUN PTE. LTD. is a global short drama platform officially launched in July 2024. To date, its estimated global downloads have approached 5 million, with estimated revenue nearing USD 10 million. The platform has repeatedly ranked among the Top 10 best-selling entertainment apps in Southeast Asia.
This level of success can be primarily attributed to【FlickReels】' core competitive edge—its heavy investment in silver-haired short dramas. According to the SocialPeta, 【FlickReels】 is currently running promotional campaigns for over 100 drama titles, with more than one-third featuring middle-aged and senior protagonists. A significant portion of these titles are translated dramas.
In fact, silver-haired short dramas already experienced a wave of popularity in China last year. On August 29, 2024, the short drama 【FLASH MARRIAGE PARTNER
IS A MAGNATE】 was released, and by the next day, its topic views on Douyin had surpassed 100 million. Although it was later renamed 【True Love Waits】 due to certain reasons, the strong chemistry between the lead characters left a lasting impression on audiences. The drama’s popularity also led to the pair’s reunion in another short drama, 【Love at Fifty】, which premiered at the end of 2024.
Riding the wave of their popularity, the two lead actors also joined the video platform 【bilibili】, where they frequently appeared together in promotional events, delighting fans with their on-screen and off-screen chemistry. In January 2025, they reunited for a third time in the newly released short drama 【Finding a Companion to Return Home for the New Year】, solidifying their status as the most beloved couple in the silver-haired short drama genre.
【FLASH MARRIAGE PARTNER IS A MAGNATE】 and 【Love at Fifty】 were both localized and adapted into multiple languages before being launched on global platforms, marking the beginning of a second wave of sweet and romantic “silver-haired CEO” dramas. 【FlickReels】 is one of the primary platforms investing in this trend.
According to collected data, more than 15 localized versions of these two dramas have been released on 【FlickReels】, covering languages such as Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, and Spanish. These international launches were made possible through translation and dubbing, enabling the content to successfully reach global audiences.
Of course, beyond adapting existing silver-haired dramas for international audiences, 【FlickReels】 has also strategically produced original, locally tailored silver-haired short dramas specifically for overseas markets. One of the platform’s flagship titles in this category is 【True Love Waits】.
It is not difficult to see that the storyline of 【True Love Waits】 bears a strong resemblance to the typical structure of domestic silver-haired dramas. The female protagonist endures mistreatment at the hands of her daughter-in-law's family, the male lead is a secretly wealthy figure, and both leads enter into a flash marriage through matchmaking. Even many of the scene transitions and shot compositions closely mirror those commonly seen in domestic short dramas, indicating that only minimal adaptation was necessary.
However, 【True Love Waits】 features a more exaggerated narrative. While the female lead initially appears meek, she is not entirely submissive; her moments of unexpected strength earn audience sympathy and support. The antagonists, on the other hand, engage in physical aggression with greater boldness and theatricality, with wide, dramatic movements that heighten the tension and captivate viewers.
In terms of popular promotional content, 【True Love Waits】 stands out slightly from other short dramas. One particular ad, launched on TikTok and lasting only 55 seconds, has emerged as the most popular among all its promotional materials. As of the time of writing, the estimated impressions for this video have exceeded 3 million, with over 29,000 likes. This suggests that overseas audiences still show a strong sense of novelty and enthusiasm toward silver-haired dramatic storylines.
However, when the drama was first launched, there was relatively limited promotional content released. As its popularity and discussion grew steadily, the volume of advertising gradually increased. Notably, its peak ad spend occurred around International Women’s Day, suggesting a deliberate strategic decision from an operational standpoint.
As of now, 【True Love Waits】 has been in circulation for nearly 90 days, with over 23,000 unique creative variations used in its promotional campaigns. During this period, the drama has ranked in the Top 10 of SocialPeta’s daily short drama advertising chart 29 times, the weekly chart 5 times, and the monthly chart once. It has firmly established itself as one of 【FlickReels 】’s flagship short dramas.
In addition to younger users, the silver-haired demographic is actually one of the key paying audiences for short dramas. Globally, older users often experience a lack of companionship and have more leisure time. They also tend to overlook the cumulative cost of small payments, making their overall consumption potential quite significant.
In regions such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea—due to geographic and cultural proximity—there is a certain degree of cultural alignment. While current payment conversion rates in these areas may not yet match those of Western markets, with sustained operational efforts and continued localization tailored to regional customs and lifestyles, it is relatively feasible to leverage niche genres like silver-haired short dramas to establish a foothold in the global short drama market.
Of course, 【FlickReels】 has not placed all its bets solely on the silver-haired genre. In addition to silver-haired dramas, CEO romances, and werewolf-themed stories, the platform has incorporated a wide array of popular genres. These include titles such as 【Don't Tell My Boss I'm A Girl】, a gender-disguise drama; 【Married the Richest Man After Being Dumped】, a revenge romance featuring a May-December relationship; and 【Twins' Love Trap for Billionaire Dad】, an adaptation of a top-tier domestic “adorable kids + sweet romance” hit. With such a diverse and comprehensive portfolio, 【FlickReels】ensures strategic flexibility and risk mitigation through multi-genre deployment.
Overall, silver-haired short dramas remain an emerging genre in the overseas market. Their future growth potential lies in region-specific customization, high-quality storytelling, and the integration of enabling technologies. For instance, themes such as family bonds in Southeast Asia or personal independence in Western cultures offer rich ground for localization. Additionally, AIGC-powered translation and dubbing can further enhance the cross-cultural appeal and production efficiency of these dramas.
As competition for short drama viewership intensifies, the ability to skillfully balance regional adaptation, compelling content, and technological innovation may allow silver-haired short dramas to rise rapidly and carve out a unique niche in the global short drama market, potentially rewriting the playbook for success.
This year, the momentum of short drama has noticeably slowed compared to the past two years. As the leading landscape begins to take shape, newly emerging short drama platforms are opting for more unconventional strategies. While most are competing in the saturated genres of domineering CEOs and werewolves, 【FlickReels】 has carved out its own path by focusing on silver-haired short dramas in the global market.
【FlickReels】, developed by FARSUN PTE. LTD. is a global short drama platform officially launched in July 2024. To date, its estimated global downloads have approached 5 million, with estimated revenue nearing USD 10 million. The platform has repeatedly ranked among the Top 10 best-selling entertainment apps in Southeast Asia.
This level of success can be primarily attributed to【FlickReels】' core competitive edge—its heavy investment in silver-haired short dramas. According to the SocialPeta, 【FlickReels】 is currently running promotional campaigns for over 100 drama titles, with more than one-third featuring middle-aged and senior protagonists. A significant portion of these titles are translated dramas.
In fact, silver-haired short dramas already experienced a wave of popularity in China last year. On August 29, 2024, the short drama 【FLASH MARRIAGE PARTNER
IS A MAGNATE】 was released, and by the next day, its topic views on Douyin had surpassed 100 million. Although it was later renamed 【True Love Waits】 due to certain reasons, the strong chemistry between the lead characters left a lasting impression on audiences. The drama’s popularity also led to the pair’s reunion in another short drama, 【Love at Fifty】, which premiered at the end of 2024.
Riding the wave of their popularity, the two lead actors also joined the video platform 【bilibili】, where they frequently appeared together in promotional events, delighting fans with their on-screen and off-screen chemistry. In January 2025, they reunited for a third time in the newly released short drama 【Finding a Companion to Return Home for the New Year】, solidifying their status as the most beloved couple in the silver-haired short drama genre.
【FLASH MARRIAGE PARTNER IS A MAGNATE】 and 【Love at Fifty】 were both localized and adapted into multiple languages before being launched on global platforms, marking the beginning of a second wave of sweet and romantic “silver-haired CEO” dramas. 【FlickReels】 is one of the primary platforms investing in this trend.
According to collected data, more than 15 localized versions of these two dramas have been released on 【FlickReels】, covering languages such as Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, and Spanish. These international launches were made possible through translation and dubbing, enabling the content to successfully reach global audiences.
Of course, beyond adapting existing silver-haired dramas for international audiences, 【FlickReels】 has also strategically produced original, locally tailored silver-haired short dramas specifically for overseas markets. One of the platform’s flagship titles in this category is 【True Love Waits】.
It is not difficult to see that the storyline of 【True Love Waits】 bears a strong resemblance to the typical structure of domestic silver-haired dramas. The female protagonist endures mistreatment at the hands of her daughter-in-law's family, the male lead is a secretly wealthy figure, and both leads enter into a flash marriage through matchmaking. Even many of the scene transitions and shot compositions closely mirror those commonly seen in domestic short dramas, indicating that only minimal adaptation was necessary.
However, 【True Love Waits】 features a more exaggerated narrative. While the female lead initially appears meek, she is not entirely submissive; her moments of unexpected strength earn audience sympathy and support. The antagonists, on the other hand, engage in physical aggression with greater boldness and theatricality, with wide, dramatic movements that heighten the tension and captivate viewers.
In terms of popular promotional content, 【True Love Waits】 stands out slightly from other short dramas. One particular ad, launched on TikTok and lasting only 55 seconds, has emerged as the most popular among all its promotional materials. As of the time of writing, the estimated impressions for this video have exceeded 3 million, with over 29,000 likes. This suggests that overseas audiences still show a strong sense of novelty and enthusiasm toward silver-haired dramatic storylines.
However, when the drama was first launched, there was relatively limited promotional content released. As its popularity and discussion grew steadily, the volume of advertising gradually increased. Notably, its peak ad spend occurred around International Women’s Day, suggesting a deliberate strategic decision from an operational standpoint.
As of now, 【True Love Waits】 has been in circulation for nearly 90 days, with over 23,000 unique creative variations used in its promotional campaigns. During this period, the drama has ranked in the Top 10 of SocialPeta’s daily short drama advertising chart 29 times, the weekly chart 5 times, and the monthly chart once. It has firmly established itself as one of 【FlickReels 】’s flagship short dramas.
In addition to younger users, the silver-haired demographic is actually one of the key paying audiences for short dramas. Globally, older users often experience a lack of companionship and have more leisure time. They also tend to overlook the cumulative cost of small payments, making their overall consumption potential quite significant.
In regions such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea—due to geographic and cultural proximity—there is a certain degree of cultural alignment. While current payment conversion rates in these areas may not yet match those of Western markets, with sustained operational efforts and continued localization tailored to regional customs and lifestyles, it is relatively feasible to leverage niche genres like silver-haired short dramas to establish a foothold in the global short drama market.
Of course, 【FlickReels】 has not placed all its bets solely on the silver-haired genre. In addition to silver-haired dramas, CEO romances, and werewolf-themed stories, the platform has incorporated a wide array of popular genres. These include titles such as 【Don't Tell My Boss I'm A Girl】, a gender-disguise drama; 【Married the Richest Man After Being Dumped】, a revenge romance featuring a May-December relationship; and 【Twins' Love Trap for Billionaire Dad】, an adaptation of a top-tier domestic “adorable kids + sweet romance” hit. With such a diverse and comprehensive portfolio, 【FlickReels】ensures strategic flexibility and risk mitigation through multi-genre deployment.
Overall, silver-haired short dramas remain an emerging genre in the overseas market. Their future growth potential lies in region-specific customization, high-quality storytelling, and the integration of enabling technologies. For instance, themes such as family bonds in Southeast Asia or personal independence in Western cultures offer rich ground for localization. Additionally, AIGC-powered translation and dubbing can further enhance the cross-cultural appeal and production efficiency of these dramas.
As competition for short drama viewership intensifies, the ability to skillfully balance regional adaptation, compelling content, and technological innovation may allow silver-haired short dramas to rise rapidly and carve out a unique niche in the global short drama market, potentially rewriting the playbook for success.
