Earnings data showed that GSEA as a region has consistently outpaced the overall growth rate of the GSEA OTT market over the past two years, with revenue growth of 43% year-over-year (YoY ), compared to an industry market growth of 35% for 2021. Viu noted that the MAU’s growth was attributable to the range of content and the strengthening of commercial partnerships, including distribution. Viu also had a total of 8.4 million paid subscribers at the end of 2021, a 58% increase from a year ago, when the number of paid subscribers stood at 5.3. million. Large markets such as Thailand and Indonesia saw strong growth, with the Philippines and South Africa seeing strong growth.

Commenting on the numbers, Janice Lee, CEO of Viu and Managing Director of PCCW, said, “The strong performance in 2021 is a validation of Viu’s freemium model, despite an increasingly competitive landscape. We continue to lead the way in marrying the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) model with the advertising video-on-demand (AVOD) model, allowing us to take advantage of the rapid growth of both sectors.

“We have identified a content strategy and consumer proposition that attracts a large and growing pan-regional Asian entertainment audience that includes Korean, Japanese and Chinese content to complement increased investment in Viu Original productions. 2022 will see over 30 titles products in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and the Middle East, with pan-regional distribution in all our markets.