Study Finds Horror Is Key for Taiwan to Access Indonesia's $352.9 Million Film Market

Taiwanese producers should prioritize horror films to enter Indonesia, according to a new market study. K7 Media presented the findings this week at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei, identifying the genre as a natural bridge between the two industries.

The report highlights Indonesia as the largest film market in Southeast Asia. The country generated $352.9 million in box office revenue in 2025. That figure is 1.6 times larger than Vietnam's market and five times the size of Thailand's. The Indonesian market also grows at a 5.1% compound annual rate, which exceeds the Asia-Pacific average of 4.3%.

Local productions dominate Indonesian multiplexes. Domestic titles accounted for 43% of 2025 releases but captured 64% of total admissions. These local films sold 82.6 million tickets, more than double the 36.9 million tickets sold by 100 U.S. releases. Horror is the most frequently produced genre in Indonesia. Five of the 10 most attended local films since 2011 are horror pictures, often blending scares with comedy or drama.

Remakes represent a secondary opportunity for market entry. The Indonesian version of the Korean film Miracle in Cell No. 7 sold 5.8 million tickets in 2022. A local adaptation of the Thai horror-comedy Pee Mak, titled Kang Mak, drew 4.9 million admissions in 2024. Producers are also adapting foreign series for the screen, with a film version of the 2016 Korean series Descendants of the Sun currently in production for 2027.

Television and streaming sectors offer additional avenues for content sales. Five commercial groups lead the television market, including MNC Group and Trans Media. Local soap operas, known as sinetron, remain the primary series format. On the streaming side, Vidio is the largest platform by cumulative reach. Netflix, which entered the market in 2016 after a block by state-owned telecom Telkom, is the leading international streamer. Korean series accounted for 50% of Netflix Indonesia's top 50 most-watched titles from January to September 2026.

Taiwan currently holds a limited cultural footprint in Indonesia. While the 2000s series Meteor Garden remains a cultural reference, few other titles generate strong recognition. Many viewers struggle to distinguish Taiwanese content from productions in mainland China or Hong Kong. The K7 Media study recommends that Taiwanese companies invest in promotion and attend industry events like the JAFF Market in Yogyakarta to build relationships.

The study also noted the rise of microdramas in the Indonesian market. RCTI introduced the format to broadcast television in January 2026. MNC Digital Entertainment launched the V+Short app in June 2026, and Vidio partnered with ReelShort in September 2026 to add over 200 titles dubbed into Bahasa Indonesia.