Unveiled at Bali’s APOS conference, a single subscription will soon combine Viu’s Korean-focused catalogue with iQIYI’s Chinese and local-language content across four Southeast Asian markets.

Streaming bundles are expanding in Asia. Viu and iQIYI are joining forces to launch a unified subscription across Southeast Asia, pairing Viu’s Korean-driven catalogue with iQIYI’s Chinese and regional-language slate. The bundle, announced during a panel at the APOS conference in Bali, marks a strategic alliance in one of the world’s most competitive streaming markets.

The bundled offering is set to launch in the second half of 2026 in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia, according to company executives.

Under the arrangement, subscribers will be billed for a single plan but will access each service separately through their respective Viu and iQIYI International platforms. The partnership is positioned as complementary: Viu contributes Korean dramas that have driven its regional growth, alongside Chinese series, Southeast Asian productions, its Viu Original slate and Viu Shorts microdramas, while iQIYI adds Chinese dramas and films, anime, variety shows, and an expanding portfolio of local-language originals such as the Thai drama Khemjira, the Indonesian series The Other Sister, and the variety show Running Man Thailand.

The companies did not disclose pricing for the bundled subscription.

“Asian content is at the heart of what our audiences love,” said Janice Lee, CEO and managing director of PCCW Media Group’s Viu, adding that “great Asian content should be more accessible.”

Yang Xianghua, head of iQIYI’s overseas business, described the bundle as “a pivotal milestone in our overseas business in Southeast Asia,” built on “combining our highly complementary libraries into a unified subscription.”

Southeast Asia remains one of the most challenging streaming markets globally — a highly diverse, price-sensitive, and piracy-prone region of more than 600 million people, where Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video compete alongside strong regional and local players. Over the years, several locally focused streaming services have failed to survive, including Singtel-backed Hooq and the once-prominent iflix.

The new bundle is expected to help both mid-tier platforms combine content libraries, reduce churn, and lower the high costs of competing with global streaming giants.

Viu, owned by Hong Kong’s PCCW with France’s Canal+ as a significant shareholder, has maintained a strong presence across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa through a hybrid advertising and subscription model. iQIYI, the NASDAQ-listed Chinese streaming company, has increasingly turned to international markets such as Southeast Asia for growth as competition in its domestic market intensifies.

The move also reflects a broader industry shift from standalone streaming apps toward bundling and partnerships, following examples such as Disney+’s collaboration with CJ ENM’s TVing in Japan and Viu’s earlier bundle with HBO Max in Southeast Asia.