RJOY, the microdrama streaming service operated by Singapore-based RisingJoy, has sealed partnership deals with Astro’s Sooka platform in Malaysia and the IDN App in Indonesia. 

Under the terms of the deals, signed at APOS in Bali this week, RJOY will be distributed by both Sooka and IDN App in their respective markets. The recently-launched direct-to-consumer service now has a footprint in four markets after signing with TikTok Minis for both the U.S. and Japan.

“Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing microdrama markets outside China, and the way to win here is local,” said RisingJoy CEO and Co-founder Cassandra Yang. “Astro and IDN bring the audience and the market expertise; we bring proven content and format know-how – and that combination is how we scale.” 

Agnes Rozario, Astro’s Chief Content Officer, added: “We’re delighted to partner with RisingJoy whose substantial and sustainable access to microdrama will continue to grow Sooka’s audience and experience. This collaboration reflects Sooka’s commitment to expanding our content ecosystem with innovative, mobile-first formats that resonate with evolving viewing habits. 

“By combining RisingJoy’s proven content expertise with our strong local reach and platform capabilities, we see significant potential to grow the microdrama category in Malaysia and deliver fresh, engaging entertainment experiences to our viewers.”

In addition to its D2C platform, RisingJoy is an aggregator active in the licensing and distribution of microdrama titles to more than 50 platforms and apps in 30 countries worldwide. The company’s content is purpose-built for the vertical screen and spans Chinese, English, Korean and AI-original formats. 

RisingJoy also said that original IP and co-production will be at the centre of its next phase of growth. 

Alongside RisingJoy’s existing curated catalogue, RJOY is launching with 20 ‘RJOY Originals’ lined up for release in the second half of 2026. The originals slate includes anime shows Addicted To The Dark Boss and Hide My Secret In The Moonlight, both adapted from existing hit microdramas; AI human titles The Substitute Bride’s Secret Wonderland and Blind Spoiled; as well as Locked Away, I Break Unbreakable, which is an original fantasy anime. 

As a key part of its content strategy, RisingJoy has also unveiled a “microdrama bible” for ten of its titles. Developed with strategic partner and investor Double Vision, the bibles give international studios and platforms a blueprint for creating microdramas grounded in RisingJoy’s market knowledge. 

Each bible goes beyond a script by mapping out story arc, hooks and setting, with English-language guidance on production tailored to what performs in each region.

“Double Vision supports us on bible development and localisation, while we select remake rights from existing high-performance titles and write new scripts from scratch. We plan to co-develop a solid slate of 30 microdrama bibles over the next few months,” added Yang.