[Herald Interview] K-Wave a model for I-Wave: Indonesian diplomat

Joannes Ekaprasetya Tandjung, minister counselor for the creative economy and digital affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in South Korea, suggested Indonesian artists embrace Korean training and education as models to nurture the Southeast Asian country's creative industry.

With an aim to promote Indonesian culture globally, Jakarta initiated the "Promoting Creative Economy for Sustainable Development" resolution at the 78th UN General Assembly in 2023. The initiative marks the first UN resolution specifically addressing the creative economy.

Tandjung said the South Korean way of developing local talent has been instrumental in the success of its entertainment industry — a phenomenon globally recognized as the Korean Wave, or Hallyu.

"Before arriving in Korea, I studied Hallyu, the Korean Wave, which began in the 1990s. People say it took the world by storm, but the truth is, it was meticulously planned — not just by the government, but with the involvement of the private sector and, most importantly, the education sector, especially universities," Tandjung told The Korea Herald.

The Korean Wave became popular in Indonesia in the early 2000s with TV dramas like "Endless Love" (2001), leading to a positive view of Korean culture and influencing local fashion and music trends.

However, Tandjung noticed a significant difference between the operations of the entertainment industries in Indonesia and South Korea, particularly in the cultivation of talent.

According to Tandjung, many entertainers emerge overnight in Indonesia, often through talent competitions, without the rigorous training that is a hallmark of the Korean system.

"In Korea, you have to undergo an educational process. You're not just trained to be an artist, but also to be a fully fledged entertainer, scriptwriter or lighting director. Every aspect of production is valued, from the actors to the scriptwriters, because no matter how talented the actors are, if the script isn't up to par, the production will fail," he said.

"Korean Wave is a model we can learn from, and by infusing our own culture, we can collaborate and elevate the I-Wave, or Indonesian Wave," he said.

Tandjung said that for I-Wave to achieve a global impact, it must closely collaborate with K-Wave across fashion, culinary arts, movies and music.

He applauded the Seoul Institute of the Arts, noting significant faces seen in Korean dramas and movies as alumni and urging Indonesian universities to adopt a specialized approach to the arts.

He referred to a recent memorandum of understanding signed between the University of Sam Ratulangi in North Sulawesi and the Seoul Institute of the Arts as an example of growing public diplomacy.

"Public diplomacy is about more than just intellectual exchanges; it’s about building emotional connections between our peoples," he said, citing the Korea-Indonesia Economic Cooperation Forum marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Korea, hosted by Herald Media Group last year.

The forum included a special session on the creative industry in Jakarta.

“Forums hosted by Herald Media Group not only connect smart minds from both countries, but they also win the hearts of the people," he said when asked how the forum helped the two countries.

"They highlight the potential of balanced cultural exchange, where both the Indonesian Wave and the Korean Wave thrive through collaboration."