Students perform in a commencement ceremony at the K-pop Academy of the Korean Cultural Center Indonesia during KOREA 360, a promotional hall dedicated to Korean culture, in Jakarta, Aug. 24. Courtesy of KCCI

Indonesia has been showing a growing fascination with Korean culture in recent years. And at the forefront of the rising popularity stands the Korean Cultural Center Indonesia (KCCI), leading the charge in promoting all things Korean.

Kim Yong-woon, director of the Korean Cultural Center Indonesia / Courtesy of KCCI

Since its establishment in 2011, the center has played a crucial role in expanding the influence of K-culture in Southeast Asia, catering to the growing interest among Indonesians in exploring diverse aspects of Korean culture.

"Hallyu (Korean wave) in Indonesia started with K-dramas and K-pop and is expanding into more diverse areas. In particular, Indonesia's young generation, or millennials, is sensitive to the latest trends in Korean culture," Kim Yong-woon, the Director of KCCI, told The Korea Times in a recent written interview.

Under Kim's leadership since April 2020, KCCI has intensified efforts to promote Korean culture, arts, sports, and tourism through a variety of programs and events, while also facilitating cultural exchanges between Korea and Indonesia.

One of the most popular programs is the annual K-Pop Academy, which offers dance courses for Indonesian youth. Organized with support from Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism since 2016, this year's academy ran for two months in Jakarta and Bandung, culminating in a showcase at KOREA 360, a promotional hall in Jakarta, on Aug. 24.

Another highlight is the K-Festival, which encompasses a wide range of hallyu elements, in collaboration with different government agencies and the Korean embassy in Indonesia.

People gather at a Korean Culture and Arts Festival held at KOREA 360 in Jakarta in April 2023. Courtesy of KCCI

Last year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Indonesia, KCCI orchestrated a series of events. The Korean Culture and Arts Festival featured a diverse array of programs, including K-pop cover dance performances, culinary experiences, and webtoon promotions.

"On The K" is a series of screenings showcasing live concert recordings from projects by the Korea Creative Content Agency. This initiative, spanning four regions in Indonesia, also highlighted Korean literature at the Indonesia International Book Fair.

"The enthusiasm for hallyu is incredibly strong among Indonesians right now," Kim said. "This interest extends into various areas such as the Korean language, Korean cuisine, hanbok (traditional Korean clothing), taekwondo, and more. Recently, Korean restaurants operated by Indonesians have been opening in Jakarta and other provincial cities, and it's becoming common to see Korean-language signs on the streets," Kim said.

"This love for Korean culture among Indonesians has led to a favorable impression of Korea, contributing to boosting their perception of Korea and helping Korean products enter the local market. We believe that based on Indonesians' fondness of Korea and its culture, we can continue to carry on bilateral friendship, economic cooperation and expansion of cultural exchanges."

Korean Cultural Center Indonesia holds a screening of "XCalibur: The Musical Documentary," Jan. 26. Courtesy of KCCI

In response to the varied interests in Korean culture, the KCCI has eagerly developed programs that offer Korean language instruction and introduce Korean coffee culture. Along with Korean language courses, it also runs competitions and special lectures on interpretation and translation, nurturing bilingual talents to help bridge the two cultures.

"Indonesians also have a strong interest in Korean food and beverage culture, including our unique coffee culture," the director said, adding that the center hosted the K-Coffee Culture and Arts event in July, where Korean baristas were invited to demonstrate the art of coffee-making.

"Since Indonesia is a world-renowned coffee producing country, the K-Coffee Show, where Korean baristas used Indonesian coffee beans (to showcase their skills), was as an excellent opportunity to broaden the scope of cultural exchange between Korea and Indonesia."

Next month, the center is also preparing to hold the 15th Korea-Indonesia Film Festival, an annual event to introduce the latest movies from each country.

To cater to the young Indonesians' demand for Korea's latest cultural offerings, the center also screened contemporary Korean musicals such as "Monte Cristo," "Apres Girl," and "XCalibur: The Musical Documentary" with Indonesian subtitles in theaters across Jakarta and other cities this year.

Korean Cultural Center Indonesia holds the K-Coffee Culture and Arts event in July. Courtesy of KCCI

Kim emphasized that the center's goal is not only to promote K-culture in Indonesia but also to foster exchange and collaboration with local organizations for mutual benefit. He added that the positive reception from Indonesians greatly supports these efforts.

"KCCI has played a pivotal role in fostering mutual understanding between the two nations by organizing collaborative performances such as those involving traditional arts students from both countries in July 2023, and a joint performance between the National Gugak Center and Bali's traditional dance company in September 2023. We remain committed to continually discovering and promoting such collaborative projects," he said.

"KCCI has been fortunate to operate in such a favorable environment in Indonesia, where the positive reception and strong interest from the local population have been remarkable. I take pride in our role in enhancing the perception of Korea's national image through these efforts."

He also vowed to further broaden the scope of K-culture in Indonesia, aiming to introduce and expand experiences in areas that are currently less familiar to the Indonesian public.

"Moving forward, the center plans to proactively introduce core aspects of Korean culture, which are the Korean language and literature … And we aim to create opportunities to showcase Korean cultural and artistic content, such as musicals and theater, which have yet to be fully introduced to the Indonesian people," he said.