The Indonesian version of CJ ENM’s Korean crime action series, "Bad Guys" ("Pulpen dan Pisau"), premieres today (21 Feb), putting domestic platform Vidio on the region’s scripted adaptations map and marking a new direction for the 10-year-old platform. 

The 10-episode series, produced by BASE Entertainment with CJ ENM for Vidio, is part of Vidio’s restructured content era under Mark Francis, who joined in November 2023 and is steering originals away from the more-is-more approach to a better considered, tighter originals slate. 

The Indonesian series also marks an expanded direction for CJ ENM Hong Kong, which is on board as a co-production partner for the first time and will distribute the Indonesian series globally. 

"Bad Guys Indonesia" stars Oka Antara as Jaka, an obsessive workaholic cop with a crazy idea to release convicted criminals to support the investigation into his daughter’s murder. 

The pitch came from BASE ("Cigarette Girl"/"Gadis Kretek"), which was looking for remakes for Indonesia following the success of time-travel detective series "Tunnel" for Gojek’s GoPlay in 2019/20. BASE’s adaptations also include CJ ENM’s sports comedy film, "My Annoying Brother". 

“One of the titles that we felt would work was Bad Guys because of the set-up of a cop having to team up with criminals in order for justice to be served and the potential for some great action scenes as well,” says BASE co-founder, chief creative development officer and executive producer, Tanya Yuson. “The premise itself isn’t usual, but the fun really is in the watching,” she said in the run up to the premiere.

For Vidio, the show’s lighter tone, relative to the usual dark and brooding crime category, and accessibility was a selling point, Francis says. “This was an opportunity to broaden the genre and invite a more co-viewing audience,” he adds. Vidio’s action/crime series in the past have tended to skew male.

CJ ENM’s original Korean story was totally reworked for Indonesia. “We learned from doing Tunnel that there is no cutting and pasting when it comes to bringing over a title to this market. While the emotions are universal, we have to really reshape these characters so that the audience can relate to them,” Yuson said. 

“Culture also affects some of the motivations and dynamics for the plot. We kept the general shape of the plot, plus the key motivation of the lead character,” she adds. 

The mystery was also reworked to take into account local reality, including the police and justice systems. 

“This version also has fewer episodes, so we’ve streamlined it from the original, but really maximised the emotional arc of the characters so we understand what’s at stake when they go in for the fight,” Yuson said. 

"Bad Guys" was directed by Ferry Pei Irawan ("Wiro Sableng: 212 Warrior") and William Chandra ("Perempuan Bergaun Merah"), who have both handled huge genre films. “They know all the ins and outs of how to manage an ambitious production such as this,” Yuson says. 

"Bad Guys" expands Indonesia’s TV formats footprint into scripted drama series for the first time in about five years. And even before then, they were rare. “Now we’re seeing more and more of them – both in film and series,” Yuson says. 

The country has for decades been an unscripted leader, with seemingly insatiable appetites for big-brand titles such as MasterChef, now in its 12th season in Indonesia and Indonesian Idol, which has run for 14 seasons. 

In addition to Tunnel, previous scripted series adaptations in Indonesia include Warner Bros Television’s Gossip Girl, which also streamed on GoPlay, and Pretty Little Liars, also from Warner Bros Television, which streamed on Viu.

CJ ENM Hong Kong has now taken the lead in both series and film, riding Indonesia’s theatrical and streaming growth. Next up is a remake of 2020 Korean box office hit "Pawn", CJ ENM’s first co-production with Visinema Pictures, which is known for some of Indonesia’s most successful films, including family drama "Keluarga Cemara" (2018/2022), "Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini" (2020), and heist thriller "Mencuri Raden Saleh" (2022).

The film, scheduled for release in August this year as "Panggil Aku Ayah", is about a mother who offers her nine-year-old daughter to debt collectors as collateral for a loan she is unable to pay. – By Janine Stein 

▶ Published in ContentAsia's 24 February 2025 eNewsletter