Southeast Asia’s premium VOD market is gaining serious momentum. According to new data from ampd, the region added over 1.5 million net new subscribers in Q2 2025, nearly doubling Q1’s pace. Korean dramas continue to dominate, accounting for 35% of all viewing hours. But the real shift? Connected TV is now a primary screen across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.
Total premium viewership hit 3.1 billion hours in Q2. Six platforms captured more than 85% of that share: Netflix, Viu, Vidio, iQIYI, WeTV and Disney+. Netflix remained on top with 12.8 million subscribers and a strong reach across all five core markets. Viu followed with 9.9 million subscribers, making aggressive inroads in Indonesia and Thailand. iQIYI posted strong growth as well, especially in Thailand and Indonesia. Together, the three platforms accounted for more than 60% of total net new subscriber growth in the quarter.
Disney+ posted a solid win in the Philippines through targeted promotions and franchise-led engagement, though the service is stabilizing elsewhere. Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Vidio is holding firm with 5 million paid subscribers, leveraging sports, originals, and third-party acquisitions to command more than 20% of premium VOD engagement in its home market.
Local content is gaining ground. In Indonesia and Thailand, 44 to 46% of users engaged with local storytelling, indicating a broader shift beyond Korean dominance. Thai series, in particular, are traveling across borders, supported by platforms like Netflix and iQIYI. Horror and religious dramas also showed cross-market movement between Malaysia and Indonesia. Chinese dramas continued to perform well on freemium platforms such as WeTV, iQIYI, and Viu.
In Thailand, True ID still holds the largest subscriber base, but growth is slowing. Netflix led in engagement with 43% share, while Viu and iQIYI followed. HBO Max gained traction in the market through telco bundling.
The Take
The data confirms what many in the industry have already been sensing. Connected TV is no longer an emerging behavior in Southeast Asia. It is now mainstream. And it is reshaping how platforms compete for attention and engagement.
Netflix may still lead in volume, but the more dynamic story is the regional nuance emerging below the surface. Viu and iQIYI are not just growing. They are doing so by building loyal local audiences, leveraging regional content pipelines, and rolling out strong mobile-to-CTV user experiences. Vidio shows that a local-first strategy can scale, especially when combined with live sports and a focus on youth content.
While Korean dramas continue to dominate, local storytelling is clearly gaining ground. For platforms with deeper production capabilities across the region, this shift opens new lanes for differentiation. Thai and Indonesian content are leading that charge, with visible cross-border appeal.
This quarter also marked a significant upgrade in measurement. ampd’s latest data now includes Connected TV coverage, offering a national-level, cross-device view of streaming behavior. That expanded visibility helps validate what market watchers have suspected for months. Viewer engagement is fragmenting across devices and platforms, but for the services willing to localize, bundle smartly, and meet viewers where they are, there is still plenty of room to grow.
