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Taiwan Should Bet on Horror to Crack Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s Biggest Film Market, Study Finds
A K7 Media study presented in Taipei identifies horror as a promising route for Taiwanese producers seeking audiences in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest film market. The opportunity rests on the strength of local cinema: Indonesian films drew most cinema admissions in 2025, and horror is one of the country’s most successful genres.
Indonesia’s box office reached $352.9 million in 2025, growing at an annual rate of 5.1%; local films accounted for 64% of admissions, selling 82.6 million tickets. Five of the ten most-attended Indonesian films since 2011 were horror, while local remakes have also proved popular: the Indonesian versions of “Miracle in Cell No. 7” and “Pee Mak” sold about 5.8 million and 4.9 million tickets respectively. The study also describes a varied television and streaming market, led by five commercial groups, where local soaps remain central and streaming services target younger viewers with shorter romance series and premium crime, revenge and action.
In short
- Indonesia’s box office reached $352.9 million in 2025.
- Local films captured 64% of cinema admissions.
- The study sees horror as a route for Taiwanese producers.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Taiwanese producers could use horror to enter a large, growing market where local films already attract most cinema audiences and the genre has a strong record. Adapting stories to Indonesian tastes, as successful local remakes have done, may offer a more grounded route to viewers than relying on unfamiliar formats or themes.
The case against
A genre’s local popularity does not guarantee that Taiwanese horror will connect with Indonesian audiences, whose support for domestic films may reflect cultural familiarity and local storytelling. Focusing on horror could also narrow producers’ opportunities in a varied screen market, where soaps, romance, crime, revenge and action attract audiences across television and streaming.
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