"Live hosts" are the new TV shop hosts, but with a twist. They sing Dangdut , cry about product prices, and play spinning wheel games for vouchers. These live streams often attract 100,000 concurrent viewers. It is raw, unscripted, and chaotic—and it works. In 2023 and 2024, live-streaming commerce accounted for billions of dollars in GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) in Indonesia alone. What is next for Indonesian entertainment and popular videos ?
We are already seeing the rise of in news-lite videos and deepfake sinetron where classic actors are inserted into new stories. Furthermore, "Vertical Soap Operas" (soaps shot specifically for the TikTok aspect ratio) are gaining traction. These are 60-second, high-intensity dramas with cliffhangers every 10 seconds. "Live hosts" are the new TV shop hosts, but with a twist
For decades, global entertainment flows have largely moved from West to East. Hollywood blockbusters and K-pop hits dominated the airwaves. However, if you have scrolled through YouTube, TikTok, or Netflix recently, you may have noticed a seismic shift. Indonesian entertainment is having a moment—not just a fleeting trend, but a full-blown cultural renaissance. From sinetron (soap operas) to chaotic vlogs and viral TikTok dances, the landscape of popular videos in Indonesia is becoming a blueprint for digital engagement in Southeast Asia. It is raw, unscripted, and chaotic—and it works