Streaming and Microdramas: A New Era of Viewer Engagement in Southeast Asia
The world of streaming in Southeast Asia is undergoing a fascinating transformation, and it's not just about the content being consumed. It's about how viewers are engaging with it, and the implications this has for the industry. The traditional notion of 'prime time' is being disrupted, and the region's screen time is being fragmented in ways that are both surprising and insightful.
One of the most striking revelations is that only about 8% of the time people spend on their screens is dedicated to premium video content. This might seem counterintuitive, given the massive investments in streaming services and original content. But Dhivya T., head of insights at ampd, argues that this isn't a failure of the industry, but rather a reflection of how viewers are choosing to spend their time. In her words, 'There's no primetime anymore.'
The data shows that consumers are grazing across various platforms, from social media and messaging to short videos and premium content, all day long. This means that no single category owns a specific time slot, and the focus should not be on growing that 8% share, but rather on meeting a need.
What's more, even committed long-form viewing doesn't involve undivided attention. A third of premium sessions are accompanied by a second screen, typically a local app. This suggests that the two screens run in parallel, with the 'committed screen' (TV) and the 'restless screen' (phone) working together. This is a significant shift from the traditional linear viewing model.
Dhivya divides screen habits into two categories: fast attention (social, messaging, short videos) and slow attention (lean-back, committed viewing). She notes that fast attention wins the most minutes in the day, while slow attention wins the deepest ones. This is a crucial insight for brands and content creators, as it suggests that building an audience in the fast world is essential for deeper, paying engagement.
One example she provides is the A24 horror hit 'Backrooms', which became the studio's biggest-ever opening before earning more than $260 million worldwide. This pattern is evident in Southeast Asia, where Netflix's Thai film 'My Dearest Assassin' rode the 13-million-follower Instagram reach of its star, Baifern, and where Indonesian viral X threads have spawned theatrical hits. This 'built in the fast world' but 'banked on premium' approach is a key trend.
This is where microdramas come in. By integrating premium storytelling structure, serialized arcs, and cliffhangers into a mobile-first delivery and pay-per-episode monetization, microdramas collapse the funnel. They capture attention with polished stories, monetize it on the spot, and steer the most engaged viewers toward longer-form, more premium content. In Dhivya's words, 'The fast layer stops being only where you build awareness; it becomes where you start to earn.'
The presentation also mapped the winning content in different markets. Where a local industry has real scale, homegrown stories outperform Korean imports. Local titles lead in Indonesia and Thailand, while Korean and U.S. fare still tops Malaysia and the Philippines. Thai content reaches the furthest across the region, while Indonesian horror also travels, strongest in the Philippines. The Philippines itself looks like the region's next potential growth market.
In conclusion, the streaming landscape in Southeast Asia is evolving rapidly, and the traditional models of content consumption are being disrupted. The focus should be on meeting the needs of the fast-attention layer, while also building deeper engagement. The future of streaming in the region looks bright, but it will require a nuanced understanding of viewer habits and a willingness to adapt to new formats and trends.
