Still 17 leads a new Singapore–Korea microdrama slate

Mediacorp, Studio S and Soonshot announced a partnership on September 15 to develop four microdramas featuring Singaporean and Korean talent. The agreement was formalised at Broadcast Worldwide in Seoul. Studio S is the drama production and distribution arm of Korean broadcaster SBS. The first title is an adaptation of Still 17, the romantic comedy that debuted in 2018. Mediacorp’s announcement targets release by the end of 2026. At the time of the announcement, casting was underway, with further titles, casting details and release dates to follow. The planned outlets are Mediacorp’s platforms and Soonshot, with international distribution also intended. The September announcement describes the productions as a way to bring the two countries’ performers together for short-form storytelling. Creative ties across formats The microdrama slate sits alongside another collaboration announced by Mediacorp on the same day: Collateral Romance, a separate 12-episode romantic comedy co-produced with Blintn. That project names Kim Myung-soo and Pyo Ye-jin as leads, with Singapore’s Gladys Bay joining the cast. Its stated premiere window is the first half of 2027. It provides a wider picture of the company’s work connecting creative teams from Singapore and South Korea. Soonshot’s own platform description places K-drama storytelling within a mobile-first, vertical viewing experience. That gives the microdrama collaboration a clear creative context: characters and relationships developed for an audience watching on a phone. Editorial perspective: finding the emotional thread An adaptation offers an interesting starting point for short-form drama. Writers can ask which relationship draws the viewer in, which piece of information changes a scene, and where an episode should leave a question open. Familiar material still leaves room for fresh choices about rhythm, emphasis and point of view. For performers, those choices can turn a small moment into the centre of an episode. An interrupted answer, a held look or a change in confidence can carry a story forward. A cross-border cast also creates the possibility of new screen partnerships and different interpretations of familiar emotional situations. The first episodes will show how these possibilities take shape. For now, the creative interest lies in watching an established story find its rhythm in a new format, and seeing what its next cast brings to it. Sources checked 5 October 2026: Mediacorp: Mediacorp expands its microdrama co-production strategy (2026-09-15). https://www.mediacorp.sg/media-releases/mediacorp-expands-regional-co-production-strategy-microdramas-studio-s-and-soonshot-189736 Mediacorp: Mediacorp and Blintn unveil Collateral Romance (2026-09-15). https://www.mediacorp.sg/media-releases/mediacorp-and-blintn-unveils-new-singapore-south-korea-romantic-comedy-collateral-romance-led-kim-myung-soo-and-pyo-ye-jin-gladys-bay-joining-cast-189731 Soonshot / ADG Company: Official platform description (undated; checked 5 October 2026). https://adgcompany.co.kr/