UGM Center for Korean Studies together with Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) and the Korean Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (KISEAS) organized the 10th Korean Forum. Under the theme of Cultural Matters – Korean Wave and Southeast Asian Phenomenon, the forum discuss the globalization of Korean pop culture that is often called as Hallyu. Organizers intentionally picked that theme because many young people are eager to know more about Korea. Many housewives, elementary students, junior high school to university students are attracted to the Korean culture through movies, dramas and songs. "We have ongoing Korean Wave or Hallyu. People are interested in Korea because it has archetypal characteristics of their culture," says Dr. Novi Kussuji Indrastuti, M. Hum, Head of UGM Center for Korean Studies, at UGM on Wednesday (21/7). Novi explained Korean culture is quite interesting to be studied because in the midst of modernity, they have experienced remarkable progress, but did not leave their traditional roots behind. This is certainly an interesting lesson for the younger generation of Indonesia, that when a country is influenced by modern culture, they are still able to retain their own culture.
"So the tradition that is maintained is their own original tradition and they do not want to leave it behind, therefore, the tradition and modernity are in balance. That, I think, is an interesting lesson to be learned from Korea," Novi said. Those sorts of positive things should be learned by everyone about the high nationalism in the middle of the current modernization and also about the high work ethics. "They have a culture of haste, because they have four seasons, while people in Indonesia with its two seasons tend to be slower in doing anything. With the four season time constraint, the people of Korea have to complete the work within a short time, hence the hard-working culture," Novi added.
Researcher of Center for Korean Studies UGM, Ratih Pratiwi Anwar, M.Si, added that Indonesians have enjoyed a variety of Asian movie and drama shows from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan before the entry of South Korean pop culture. The ‘Korean Pop Culture Wave’ or the Korean Wave in Indonesia began with the televised drama Endless Love and Winter Sonata by Indonesian private television stations in 2002. At that time, said Ratih, Indonesian viewers’ acceptance was no less enthusiastic than that in various Asian countries, such as Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and others. Since that time, Indonesian young generation has been familiar with South Korean movies, TV dramas, and music. Its developments in recent years have been incredible. "With the help of mass media and the Internet, K-pop fans in Indonesia have formed a social network and intense interaction. This phenomenon is certainly very interesting to be studied from various aspects," she said.
Meanwhile, Surray Agung Nugroho, MA, speaker at the forum, was surprised by the influence of Korean culture that is still high up to today. His research from 2000-2010 showed that Korea has influence through movies, dramas and songs. After those entertainments were no longer televised, the younger generation is still looking for them on the Internet. Korea fan clubs emerged. "I wanted to show the description about Korea during these 10 years. Once I thought it was only temporary, but it turned that it was not. Korean pop culture continues to be enjoyed because of the big support, especially from Korean government," Surray said.
The Seminar on 10th Korean Forum at UGM was divided into three sessions. The first session discussed Recent Trends ‘Korean Wave’ in Southeast Asia, featuring speaker Dr. Jung Sun from Victoria University, Melbourne, and Suray Agung Nugroho, M.A, of Korean Studies Program Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. The discussant of this session is Prof. Shim Doobo from Sungshin Women’s University, South Korea, and Ratih Pratiwi Anwar, S.E, Msi.
The second session discussed Domestic Context ‘Korean Wave in South Korea with two speakers, namely: Prof. Shim Doobo, and Prof. Kim Sujeong from Chungnam National University, South Korea. The discussant of the session was Dr. Choi Kyung Hee from KISEAS and Dr. Mukhtasar Syamsuddin of UGM Center for Korean Studies. The third session discussed the topic Cooperation and Cultural Exchange in East Asia with the speaker Prof. Dr. Mohtar Mas’oed from the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UGM, and Dr. Choi Kyung Hee. Prof. Dr. Bambang Purwanto from the Department of History Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, and Prof. Kim Sujeong participated in the second session.