Yogyakarta, 23/5/2025 – As part of the UNY Cultural Festival 2025, the dance group HIKARI from the Student Association of Japanese Language and Culture (HIMAJE) UGM, took the stage as one of the featured performers, bringing the rich essence of Japanese culture to life. With striking performances clad in traditional kimono and accompanied by fan props, HIKARI delivered not only aesthetic beauty but also heartfelt stories full of emotional depth and cultural meaning.

The first performance was a traditional-style dance set to the song “Tsugai Kogarashi” by Hinayuki. Performed by Listu and Sabrina (class of 2023), the duet portrayed Listu in a masculine role and Sabrina in a feminine one. Through graceful yet firm movements, they told the story of two souls bound by fate, wandering through the cold winds of autumn. The dance visualized themes of loyalty, loss, and the enduring hope that persists in a chaotic world.

The second performance was a cover dance of the song “Usubeniiro no Yakusoku” by AKATSUKI, a group from the game Ensemble Stars!!. This routine was performed by three first-year students from the class of 2024: Rani, Bilqis, and Shelina. With synchronized and elegant choreography, they embodied the spirit of three idols united by quiet promises and unwavering commitment. Their performance reflected not just coordination, but also the strength that lies in silent determination—to stand firm amid change, to protect shared dreams, and to uphold values they believe in.

These two performances were more than just artistic showcases—they were meaningful learning experiences. Behind each movement lies a process of understanding culture, collaborating as a team, and conveying emotion and narrative through physical expression. With continued support from the Japanese Language and Culture Program at FIB UGM, students are encouraged not only to study Japanese culture through textbooks but also to live and experience it directly. Here, learning becomes holistic: touching the mind, touching the heart, and touching the soul.

[Public Relations of Japanese Language and Culture, Barra Taura Nursaid]

Yogyakarta, 23/5/2025 – On May 11, 2025, the HIKARI dance group performed as one of the featured acts at Okaeri Reborn 2025, a cultural festival organized by UGM’s Vocational School. For this performance, they presented Yosakoi Odori, a vibrant festival dance originating from Kochi Prefecture, Japan. Known for its energetic movements and fast-paced rhythm, Yosakoi captures the spirit of togetherness and the joyful celebration of life deeply rooted in Japanese culture.

HIKARI’s performance was set to the song “Shunki Mushin Mirai e”, a well-known number in the world of Yosakoi performances. The song conveys themes of spring, sincerity, and a hopeful outlook toward the future. The dance was brought to life by four students from the 2023 cohort: Rani, Ibel, Amel, and Febby, whose spirited and harmonious choreography left a lasting impression. Their use of umbrella props not only enhanced the visual appeal but also added a theatrical layer that deepened the emotional resonance of the dance.

Through this performance, HIKARI didn’t just introduce Japanese culture on a surface level—they embodied it within a local context, offering a holistic form of cross-cultural learning. Dance became a medium through which students experienced core Japanese values firsthand: teamwork, consistency, and self-expression—all internalized through intensive rehearsals and live performance.

By creating opportunities like this, the program aims to nurture students who don’t just learn about Japanese culture from textbooks, but who also actively engage with it in meaningful ways. Events such as these reflect the importance of fostering a participatory, creative, and supportive learning environment—one that cultivates not only intellectual growth but also emotional and personal development.

[Public Relations of Japanese Language and Culture, Barra Taura Nursaid]

Yogyakarta, 23/5/2025 – Korean Major Talk Show, also known as KOMETS, is an annual event organized by the Korean Language Student Association (Himahara) with the aim of introducing the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada. The event features inspiring speakers from the program and is open to the general public. This year’s KOMETS was held online via Zoom on March 9, 2025, starting at 09:00 AM (WIB).

For 2025, KOMETS adopted the theme “Korean High School” with the tagline “A Journey To The Glory”, inspired by the popular South Korean drama Study Group. The theme reflects the perseverance and spirit of students in navigating a challenging journey toward discovering and preparing themselves for admission into the Korean Language and Culture Study Program. The event aspires to provide prospective students with in-depth insights into the academic environment and opportunities offered by the program at Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The event commenced with welcoming remarks from the Chair of Himahara, Khalisha Zukhrufa Hayya Risatmoko, the Head of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Dr. Achmad Rio Dessiar, B.A, M.A, and the Chief Organizer of KOMETS 2025, Uut Sriutami. The opening was followed by a presentation by Sherina Azmi Ahmad, an administrative staff member of the study program.

The session continued with presentations from two speakers who have participated in exchange programs in South Korea: Nyimas Aliyah Prajnia Paramitha, recipient of the 2024 Hyundai CMK Global Scholarship, and Raden Ajeng Dian Sari, recipient of the 2024 Global Korea Scholarship. In the middle of the session, a fun interactive quiz on South Korea was held to engage the participants.

The final speaker was the event’s special guest star, Kim Suengwon, a student from Busan University of Foreign Studies and a 2024 awardee of the AIMS Program Exchange, who is currently studying at Universitas Gadjah Mada.

KOMETS 2025 was attended by approximately 55 enthusiastic participants and received overwhelmingly positive feedback. The event successfully introduced the Korean Language and Culture Study Program to a broader audience. “Don’t be afraid to try, and keep striving until you succeed.” — KOMETS 2025 Speaker.

[Public Relation of Korean Language and Culture, Justin Liepangi]

Yogyakarta, 21 May 2025 — The American Studies Students and Alumni Association (ASSAA), in collaboration with the American Studies Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), held a public lecture titled “Representations of American Families in the Media” on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Jakarta time).

The event featured Dr. Suzie Handajani, M.A., a lecturer at the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, as the keynote speaker. In her lecture, Dr. Suzie explored how American families are portrayed across various media forms—from television and film to advertisements. She explained that these representations not only reflect the cultural values prevalent in American society but can also reinforce or challenge them. Using various examples, Dr. Suzie illustrated how media plays a crucial role in shaping public perceptions of what constitutes a “family” and what an ideal family life looks like in the American context.

With her academic background in cultural anthropology and media studies, Dr. Suzie encouraged participants to critically examine the stereotypes, dominant narratives, and social dynamics that emerge from the representation of families in American media. The topic is highly relevant not only to students of American Studies and Cultural Studies, but also to anyone interested in media studies, communication, and family dynamics in a global context. Through an interdisciplinary approach, participants were invited to see media not merely as entertainment, but as a site of meaning-making that influences how we understand the world around us.

In her presentation, Dr. Suzie highlighted the significant transformation in the representation of American families as media transitioned from traditional television to digital platforms. One example she discussed was The Cosby Show, a popular 1980s sitcom that portrayed the life of an upper-middle-class African-American family. This show was seen as an effort to construct an ideal image of Black families in the public eye—an important step in reshaping perceptions of African-American communities through mainstream media.

However, according to Dr. Suzie, media representations of families are not static. With the rise of digital media and streaming platforms, narratives about American families have become more diverse, inclusive, and complex. Digital media has created space for previously underrepresented voices and perspectives to emerge—ranging from families of various racial, class, and sexual orientation backgrounds to non-traditional family dynamics that are now more widely represented in popular culture.

The lecture was conducted in an interactive and enthusiastic atmosphere. Students were not just passive listeners; they actively engaged in discussions, shared insights, and compared their own cultural experiences with media and family concepts. These discussions provided a collective space for reflection on how the media content we consume daily subtly shapes our views and expectations about family life.

Additionally, in her presentation, Dr. Suzie touched on the history of American television shows aired in Indonesia since the 1990s, before local soap operas began to dominate the screen. Series such as Married with Children, Young Sheldon, and The Simpsons were highlighted as examples of how media constructs various family archetypes—from the absurd and humorous to the intellectual and unconventional. These shows not only entertained but also carried American values and worldviews that, consciously or not, influenced Indonesian audiences.

This lecture is part of the Media and Popular Culture Studies course, which aims to encourage students to think critically about social representations in the media. Through its interdisciplinary framework, the course invites students not only to be media consumers, but also conscious and reflective readers of the cultural messages embedded in various forms of popular media.

[Post Graduate in American Studies, Gilang Hadian]