Taiwan Can Tap Indonesia’s $353 Million Box Office by Focusing on Horror Films, Study Shows
A K7 Media study finds Indonesia’s $353 million box office is dominated by local horror, urging Taiwan to prioritize the genre for regional growth.
The latest K7 Media research presented at Taiwan Creative Content Fest highlights Indonesia as the gateway to Southeast Asia’s biggest film market. With a 2025 box office of $352.9 million and a 5.1% CAGR, the market dwarfs its regional peers. Local productions, especially horror, command the majority of admissions, accounting for 64% of tickets sold. The study argues that Taiwanese studios can leverage this genre bias to break into the market quickly. Doing so could diversify Taiwan’s export portfolio and boost revenue streams.
What happened
The K7 Media study, cited by Variety, combined data from PwC, Box Office Mojo and CJ CGV Vietnam to map Indonesia’s box‑office landscape. In 2025 the country generated $352.9 million, 1.6 times Vietnam’s total and five times Thailand’s, while growing at 5.1% annually—well above the Asia‑Pacific average of 4.3%. Local titles made up 43% of the 201 releases but captured 64% of admissions, selling 82.6 million tickets.
Horror dominates the Indonesian cinema slate: five of the ten most‑attended films since 2011 are horror, and recent hits blend scares with comedy or drama. Successful local horror IPs such as “KKN di Desa Penari” and co‑productions like “The Rope Curse 4” illustrate the genre’s commercial pull. By contrast, other Asian imports—Japanese, Korean, Chinese—registered only modest ticket sales.
Why it matters
Indonesia’s appetite for horror offers Taiwanese creators a clear entry point into a market that is otherwise hard for foreign titles to penetrate. Co‑productions can tap existing distribution networks, reduce localization costs, and benefit from shared cultural motifs that resonate with Indonesian audiences. Moreover, streaming platforms seeking fresh horror content can amplify reach beyond theatrical releases, providing a dual‑channel revenue model.
- Proven audience demand for horror drives higher box‑office returns.
- Co‑production lowers financial risk and eases market entry.
- Genre flexibility allows blending with comedy or drama for broader appeal.
- Genre saturation may limit differentiation.
- Cultural nuances in horror storytelling require careful adaptation.
- Over‑reliance on horror could pigeonhole Taiwanese brands.
How to think about it
Taiwanese producers should start by scouting Indonesian horror IPs with strong fan bases and negotiate joint‑development deals. Pair local talent with Taiwanese writers to blend cultural motifs, ensuring stories feel authentic yet fresh. Test concepts on streaming data before committing to theatrical budgets, and consider hybrid releases that pair cinema premieres with simultaneous VOD drops to maximize audience capture.
FAQ
What makes horror especially popular in Indonesia?+
How can Taiwanese studios start a horror co‑production with Indonesian partners?+
Will focusing on horror limit Taiwan’s broader market ambitions?+
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