Filming Concludes for ‘Rags 2 Richmond’ as the Beloved Microdrama Transitions to a Feature Film

EXCLUSIVE: Filming has officially concluded in Canada for Rags 2 Richmond, a feature-length adaptation of the popular microdrama of the same name. This transition from shortform to a full-length film marks a significant milestone for the production team.

Created by Jonathan Wong, Justina Shih, and Simon Yin, the original series consisted of 28 vertically-formatted episodes designed for social media platforms. The upcoming feature expands upon the universe established in the series.

The musical dramedy features Wong as Nathan, who competes in Canada’s first Asian male beauty pageant in pursuit of a career in entertainment. Alongside a diverse group of contestants, he navigates a landscape filled with music and challenges, spanning both Hong Kong and Vancouver. A track from the series, ‘Low Key,’ gained significant popularity, and Wong has performed it on Korean television and at various festivals.

The movie project emerged after the original shortform drama garnered 9 million views in its first month, leading to new opportunities. The Rags 2 Richmond team subsequently partnered with social media content and talent agency Viral Nation, led by Head of Programming, Paul Telner.

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Having completed filming in Richmond and Vancouver, the film is directed by Vancouver-based Tesh Guttikonda (Lowlifes), with a script co-written by Wong, Patrick Do, and Aaron Sprecher. Octagon Metatainment is the production company behind the project.

Wong reprises his original role, while the movie introduces a significant female character played by Jennifer Tong (Fakes). The cast also features well-known Hong Kong actors Nancy Sit (The God of Cookery) and Eric Tsang (Infernal Affairs), alongside Vancouver’s Shannon Kook (The Conjuring: Last Rites) and newcomer Yasmine Ross. Moments into production, distribution discussions have already begun, with ambitions for a theatrical release.

Interest in vertical drama continues to grow, with optimistic projections for viewing numbers and revenue for this ultra-shortform genre, which originated in Asia and is now gaining traction worldwide. Rags 2 Richmond serves as a notable case study in the evolution from microdrama to feature-length film.