CATCHPLAY’s Screenworks Asia Partners with Korea’s SLL Joongang for Premium Co-Development as Streaming Platform Debuts New Vertical Slate and Expands Ecosystem

Key Takeaways

• CATCHPLAY+ launches premium vertical drama slate across Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore
• Screenworks Asia teams with Korea's SLL Joongang to co‑produce Mandarin vertical series
• Partnership includes urban‑fantasy genre, blending Taiwanese emotion with Korean pacing
• Home+ and TBC deals broaden CATCHPLAY+ on Pay TV, broadband
• Xperi partnership brings CATCHPLAY+ to cars via DTS AutoStage in three markets

Pulse Analysis

Vertical video has exploded on short‑form platforms, but most offerings remain low‑budget micro‑dramas. CATCHPLAY+ is betting that a higher‑production, story‑driven vertical format can capture mobile‑first audiences seeking richer narratives in bite‑size episodes. By emphasizing premium aesthetics, genre depth and multilingual IP, the streamer aims to differentiate its catalog from the flood of user‑generated clips, positioning vertical drama as a scalable content class with longer shelf life.

The 10‑year anniversary announcement bundles several strategic alliances that reinforce this vision. Licensing agreements with Korean powerhouses CJ ENM and b.able feed hundreds of hours of vertical K‑drama into a branded Sero zone, while the Screenworks Asia‑SLL Joongang co‑development pact targets Mandarin‑language urban‑fantasy series that blend Taiwanese emotional nuance with Korean genre pacing. High‑profile talent such as screenwriter Shih‑Yuan Lu and executives from DaMou Entertainment add creative heft, signaling a commitment to production values that rival traditional series despite the vertical format’s shorter runtime.

Beyond content, CATCHPLAY+ is widening its distribution footprint. Partnerships with Taiwan’s Home+ and TBC bring the service to pay‑TV and broadband subscribers, while the Xperi deal integrates the platform into high‑end vehicle infotainment via DTS AutoStage across three markets. This ecosystem expansion not only diversifies revenue streams but also embeds CATCHPLAY+ in daily consumer touchpoints, accelerating user acquisition and enhancing the monetization potential of its premium vertical IP across Asian and global Chinese‑language audiences.