35 Indonesian Films and Series Enter the World's Most Popular Lists
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - As many as 35 Indonesian films and series have successfully entered the top 10 list of the most popular non-English content on Netflix. This popularity is also supported by the increasing interest of Netflix viewers in Indonesia in consuming locally produced content.
According to a press release received by CNBC Indonesia, the proportion of content in languages other than English on Netflix has risen from 10 percent 10 years ago to 33 percent this year. Films and series on the US-based streaming platform are now dubbed into 36 languages with subtitles in 33 languages.
The presence of local content is welcomed by Netflix subscribers in Indonesia. As many as 90 percent of all Netflix subscribers in Indonesia were recorded enjoying local content throughout 2025.
“When a title succeeds in attracting attention in one country, it is not uncommon for the work to then spread to other countries,” Netflix stated.
As of January 2025, there are 35 Indonesian titles that have entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English list. Some of them include:
Abadi Nan Jaya (2025), which once topped the global top 10 and entered the top 10 most popular content lists in 75 countries
Gadis Kretek (2023), which became one of the top 10 most popular contents with 1.6 million views in a week
Shadow Strays (2024), which successfully entered the top 10 lists in 85 countries within one week of release.
Luka Makan Cinta (2026) has been viewed 2.4 million times and entered the top 10 most popular content lists in 30 countries
Netflix claims that its films and series have contributed more than US$325 billion to the global economy over the past 10 years. The company, which started as a DVD rental service, states that its expansion worldwide has opened opportunities for the creative industry in many countries to access global audiences.
“Ten years ago, Netflix expanded its entertainment reach to audiences from around 60 countries to more than 190 countries in just one day. We have produced films and series in more than 4,500 cities and regions in more than 50 countries worldwide,” said Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO of Netflix.
Netflix Tax
In Indonesia, Netflix has been registered as an Electronic System Operator (PSE) since 2022. The company has also collected value-added tax (VAT) from subscription fee transactions from users in Indonesia to be deposited with the government. However, to date, Netflix’s entity in Indonesia has not yet paid income tax (PIT) on their business in the country.
In addition, films broadcast via Netflix are not subject to import duties like Hollywood films imported for screening in cinemas in Indonesia.
This difference is a consequence of the moratorium on import duties for digital products agreed upon since 1998 by WTO member countries. This agreement applies to music or film streaming up to software downloads.
However, the high-level WTO meeting in Cameroon in March failed to renew the moratorium. Brazil insisted on rejecting the moratorium. The next WTO meeting in Geneva, which ended last Thursday, also ended the same way. Brazil still rejected the four-year extension.
The failure to secure a multilateral agreement has left traders worried. Even Sabino Ciofu, international policy and strategy leader at techUK, representing 1,200 companies in the UK technology industry, questioned the relevance of the WTO’s existence after this failure.