BANGKOK, 31 March 2026 – The Asian Academy Creative Awards (AACA) has announced a Best Micro-Drama category beginning in 2026, recognising the rapid rise of ultra-short episodic storytelling designed for mobile-first platforms.
The new award will be formally presented at the AACA Grand Awards Gala Ceremony on December 3 at the historic Capitol Theatre Singapore, bringing the total number of categories recognised at the event to 39.
In a first for the awards, the category will be directly supported and presented by a major benefactor, RisingJoy, a leading content licensing company specialising in vertical micro-drama and digital entertainment content.The announcement was made at the Asian Academy’s Bangkok Networking and Industry Roundtable Event , where industry leaders gathered to discuss emerging content trends across the region.
Micro dramas, scripted stories typically delivered in episodes lasting between 30 seconds and five minutes, have expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by the growth of smartphone viewing and the rise of vertical video platforms.
Fiona McKay, CEO of the Asian Academy of Creative Arts, said the Academy has been tracking the format’s evolution for several years. “Over the past three years we have kept a close watch on the surge in micro drama across multiple markets,” McKay said. “What began as an experimental digital format is now evolving into a sophisticated storytelling medium, and we believe it is time to recognise excellence in the space.”
Cassandra Yang, Co-Founder and CEO of RisingJoy, said the company was proud to support the category. “Micro drama has become one of the fastest-growing forms of digital entertainment globally,” Yang said. “We are delighted to support the Asian Academy Creative Awards in recognising the creators driving innovation in this new storytelling format.”
As part of the initiative, RisingJoy will also host the micro-drama panel at the National Winners Conference 2026 (NWC26) on December 2, bringing insights from the rapidly expanding micro-drama sector to the Academy’s regional industry gathering.Entries for the new category will follow the same eligibility window as other AACA awards, recognising productions first released between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026.
The Asian Academy Creative Awards is believed to be the first major international awards to include a micro-drama category. This “first mover position” not only recognises the explosion in the micro and vertical genre but also aspires to lead its pursuit of creative excellence.
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Asian Academy of Creative Arts (AACA) is the organiser of the Asia Pac’s most prestigious awards for creative excellence, Asian Academy Creative Awards (AAA). AACA was established to honour creative excellence and serve as a peer judged pinnacle of achievement in content creation, performance and media production. Open to countries throughout the Asia Pacific region, the AAA honours excellence across television, film, digital, streaming and emerging technologies. Through its Academy Campus it also strives to develop and encourage the next generation of industry professionals. The AAA and Academy Campus is owned and organised by Asian Academy of Creative Arts, a not for profit organisation. For more details on the AACA, please visit www.asianacademycreativeawards.com
