Vertical Drama,’ a New Weapon for K-Food’s Entry into the U.S. Market – U.S. Correspondence by Jay Lee (165)

Avoiding Ad-Heavy TikTok… Consumers Immerse Themselves in 1–2 Minute Vertical Dramas

K-Food Fits Perfectly as Emotional Comfort Within High-Tension Storylines

When American-Style Drama Highlights Meet TikTok, Impact Multiplies

By Jongchan Lee, CEO of J&B Food Consulting

Just a few years ago, the formula for K-food success in the U.S. market was clear. A TikTok influencer eating spicy ramen or reviewing frozen kimbap would go viral, driving instant sales. But as of 2026, TikTok has become both a sea of marketing opportunities—and a graveyard for content. Millions of short-form videos are uploaded every day, shrinking consumers’ attention spans even further while fatigue toward overt advertising has reached a breaking point.

In this environment, vertical drama has emerged as a powerful alternative. Vertical dramas are ultra-short, 1–2 minute episodic dramas optimized for smartphones in a 9:16 format. Unlike standard TikTok feeds that simply showcase products, this format is built around strong narrative structures—conflict, romance, revenge—that force immersion and hold viewers’ attention.

The explosive growth of vertical drama platforms in the U.S., such as ReelShort and DramaBox, is telling. Consumers no longer want fragmented information; they want emotionally charged stories. For K-food brands, this presents a rare opportunity to reposition products not as mere “ingredients,” but as narrative devices that comfort emotions, resolve conflict, and deepen human connection within a storyline.

For K-food to truly integrate into the American mainstream as an everyday food choice, it must go beyond recycling content produced in Korea. The key lies in combining American-style local storytelling with Korean soul. When vertical dramas are filmed in the U.S., featuring American actors in familiar settings—homes, offices, city apartments—and Korean food is seamlessly woven into the narrative, resistance disappears and curiosity skyrockets.

Imagine an American-style “melodrama” in vertical format:

A burned-out New York office worker breaks down in tears while cooking spicy Korean tteokbokki after a brutal workday. Or an awkward American mother-in-law and daughter-in-law reconcile during a backyard barbecue made with Korean-style marinated meats. These stories resonate deeply with local audiences and create strong emotional bonds.

The power of vertical drama multiplies when paired with TikTok’s algorithm. When highlight scenes from a drama appear in TikTok feeds, viewers naturally flow into the brand’s channel to watch the next episode. Compared to traditional ads, watch time is three to four times longer, and metrics such as brand favorability and conversion rates (CVR) significantly outperform standard promotional content.

Ultimately, in an era where TikTok has become little more than a digital billboard, the survival strategy for K-food is clear. Brands must become consumers’ favorite short drama—delivering compact but powerful storytelling rooted in everyday American life through vertical drama.

K-food is no longer just selling flavor.

It must now sell the moment and the story in which that flavor lives.

Source: Food & Beverage News (http://www.thinkfood.co.kr

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Machine translated

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