Southeast Asia is witnessing a content boom, with homegrown producers creating content that transcends borders and cultural sensibilities.
Southeast Asia’s entertainment industry is undergoing a major transformation, fuelled by the rapid growth of local content.
As global streaming giants like Netflix and Disney+ expand their reach, the region’s film and television sectors are seeing a significant shift. Countries across Southeast Asia are ramping up investments in local talent and storytelling, driving a surge in demand for homegrown content.
Indonesia, for example, has seen a surge in original content production. As per Variety.com, an analyses done by K7 Media U.K., Indonesia is emerging as Southeast Asia’s top-performing market, boasting an 8.5% annual growth in entertainment and media revenue. Thailand and Malaysia are also showing strong growth at 4.4%, while Taiwan and the Philippines follow closely at 4.1%.
The growth is led by platforms like Vidio, which leads in subscribers with 4 million users, focus on nurturing domestic talent. Under the leadership of Mark Francis, Vidio has tapped into Indonesia’s love for action and horror genres while diversifying its offerings to include action-comedy and action-romance series. The success of filmmakers like Timo Tjahjanto and Joko Anwar has put Indonesian cinema on the global map, and Vidio is now capitalizing on this momentum.
Similarly, Thailand’s entertainment industry has been flourishing with a variety of content that resonates with both local and international audiences. Local content is driving the media boom in Thailand. Netflix leads the streaming scene, capturing more than a third of surveyed viewers, with TrueID following at 21%. The market is also seeing notable shifts in content collaborations, with Paramount Global partnering with Mono to introduce a Paramount+ brand extension.
Netflix said it is committed to Southeast Asia during the APAC Showcase in June last year, in Jakarta, where new local titles were highlighted and creators from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand were featured. The event emphasized the variety and quality of Netflix’s authentically local slate in Southeast Asia, showcasing how great stories — from both established and emerging creators — can resonate deeply and reach millions of members globally.
“We want to make sure that we bring locally authentic stories to our members in each of these countries. That’s why we have our teams on the ground, communicating with local creators on a day-to-day basis,” said Minyoung Kim, VP of Content (APAC ex-India).
Thai dramas, known as “lakorns,” have gained immense popularity across Southeast Asia. Shows like “Love Destiny” and “Girl from Nowhere” are prime examples of how local stories are capturing the imagination of viewers beyond Thailand, with high production values and engaging plots that reflect Thai culture.
YouTube has been instrumental in popularizing local content from Southeast Asia. Thai dramas, in particular, have gained global attention, thanks to digital platforms like YouTube, which offer easy access without geographical limits and subtitled episodes.
Popular shows like Oh My Boss (2021), a romantic comedy-drama, Hua Jai Sila, a dark, suspenseful drama, and My Husband in Law, a romantic comedy, have hooked audiences worldwide.
In the Philippines, ABS-CBN has blended traditional and digital platforms, focusing on creating engaging TV series and homegrown stars. Shows like “Rewind” and “Un/Happy For You” have gained significant regional attention.
Beyond television, Vietnam and Malaysia are also investing heavily in their film and television sectors. Vietnam’s diverse cinema, spanning historical epics to contemporary dramas, is drawing global recognition, while Malaysia is becoming a hub for animated series and high-quality digital content, bringing Malaysian stories to an international audience.
Southeast Asia is embracing content that highlights its unique cultural narratives, driven by platforms like Netflix, iQIYI, and Viu. These digital platforms provide global distribution, offering creators new opportunities to share their stories worldwide.
Local content is crucial for attracting subscribers in Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Thailand, which are key markets for Netflix’s local content strategy, along with the Philippines, Dhivya T, lead analyst at Media Partners Asia (MPA), a firm that offers insights and consultancy to media companies across the Asia-Pacific region told South China Morning Post.
According to research by MPA’s research arm, ampd, between January 2023 and March 2024, 11% of Netflix viewers in Indonesia and 21% in Thailand subscribed to the platform after initially watching local content.
