Chinese dramas and local partnerships power iQIYI International's rapid growth in Indonesia

iQIYI International has surged in Indonesia, quintupling its paid subscribers and nearly doubling monthly active users, driven by the popularity of Chinese dramas and key local partnerships.

The performance positions Indonesia as iQIYI International’s fastest-growing market in Southeast Asia and reflects the company’s focus on premium Asian content and deep localisation strategies. According to Media Partners Asia (MPA), the platform has also climbed to become the fourth-largest OTT platform in Indonesia by monthly active users.

The growth comes as demand for Asian entertainment continues to strengthen across the region. MPA data shows Chinese content now ranks fourth in reach and engagement across Southeast Asia and is among the fastest-growing categories on streaming platforms.

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For iQIYI International, the rising popularity of Chinese dramas and short-form microdramas has translated into stronger viewer engagement and retention in Indonesia, driven by compelling storytelling and the growing profile of Chinese stars.

To deepen fan engagement beyond the platform, iQIYI International recently hosted fan meetings in Jakarta featuring Chen Zheyuan and Esther Yu, the stars of two of 2025’s most-watched Chinese dramas, Speed and Love and Fated Hearts.

Held under the iQIYI Starship Project, the events gave Indonesian fans the chance to interact with the actors in person while accessing exclusive merchandise and community activities – an approach designed to strengthen the link between audiences, talent and the platform’s content ecosystem.

Alongside importing Asian hits, iQIYI International is also expanding its localisation efforts through distribution partnerships and local content investment.

The company has deepened collaborations with Indonesian partners Telkomsel and Vision+, aimed at widening access to its streaming service across the archipelago and reaching new subscriber segments within Indonesia’s digital ecosystem.

At the same time, the platform is preparing to roll out its first slate of Indonesian original productions in 2026, developed in collaboration with local production houses.

According to MPA, Indonesian originals have moved into the top tier of premium video-on-demand viewing, competing directly with Korean dramas, with both categories holding a 30% share of viewership.

“Indonesia is a huge market with tremendous potential for streaming. We’ve seen a growing willingness to pay, a highly engaged fan community, and rising interest in both Chinese and local content,” said Dinesh Ratnam, senior managing director for Southeast Asia, iQIYI.

“We will continue to invest in this market by working with like-minded partners to bring the best in Asian entertainment to our users. We are also excited to launch our first slate of Indonesian local originals,” Ratnam added.

Industry data suggests the wider market is also expanding rapidly. MPA reports that paid streaming subscribers in Indonesia grew 23% in 2025, contributing significantly to a regional total of more than 61 million paid subscribers across Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore.

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