Politics and Popular Culture : Contextualizing the Use of K-pop by Indonesian Political Parties

Authors

• Ghaziah Nurika Akhni
• Amalia Nur Andini

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

This research examines the role played by popular culture in shaping favorable perceptions of three prominent Indonesian political parties – gerindra, psi, and pan – in the 2024 election. Employing a comprehensive framework by Inthorn et al. (2013 in Loader, Vromen, and Xenos 2016) delineating three dimensions of social use in celebrity politics, namely, (1) knowledge, (2) identity, and (3) evaluation, this paper scrutinizes the political communication strategies employed by these parties during their respective political campaigns. The empirical findings provide a nuanced understanding of the historical underpinnings and incorporation of K-pop as a political communication strategy within the Indonesian context. Notably, divergent responses were discernible between gerindra and psi, both of which faced criticism for allegedly manipulating celebrity events and leveraging artists’ popularity to enhance the party’s visibility among the youth demographic. In contrast, the pan Party encountered minimal resistance, which is attributed to their adept concealment of political intentions through the implementation of youth festivals.

DOI

10.1163/26659077-20252808

First Page

1

Last Page

20

Recommended Citation

Nurika Akhni, Ghaziah and Nur Andini, Amalia (2025) "Politics and Popular Culture : Contextualizing the Use of K-pop by Indonesian Political Parties," Manusya, Journal of Humanities: Vol. 28: No. 1, Article 12.
DOI: 10.1163/26659077-20252808
Available at: https://digital.car.chula.ac.th/manusya/vol28/iss1/12