Yogyakarta, June 5, 2026 – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, once again held its Korean Language Comprehensive II (Korean Business) course in collaboration with Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). The class was taught by Kim Sueun, a lecturer from HUFS, and took place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (WIB) in Room S204 as part of the ongoing academic partnership between the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at UGM and HUFS.

The course has primarily been conducted online. However, in June 2026, a special in-person session was organized by inviting Kim Sueun to teach directly at UGM, providing students with a more engaging and interactive learning experience.

During the session, students delivered presentations in Korean on their product innovation ideas. This activity allowed them to apply the Korean language skills they had acquired in the context of business and professional communication.

Through these presentations, students not only demonstrated their creativity in presenting innovative product concepts but also enhanced their public speaking skills, critical thinking abilities, and confidence in using Korean. 

This activity is expected to further strengthen students’ Korean language proficiency while enriching their international learning experience through the continued collaboration between the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

Author: Aura Adiba Wijaya Litianko

Yogyakarta, May 21, 2026 – Lecturers from the Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, conducted a Community Service Program (Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat/PkM) at SMA Negeri 1 Teladan Yogyakarta. The program aimed to introduce the fundamentals of the Korean language and culture while providing students with an overview of UGM’s Korean Language and Culture Study Program. The participants were members of the school’s Korean language extracurricular club.

The program began with an introduction to the Korean alphabet (Hangeul), the foundation of learning the Korean language. Students were introduced to the shapes, pronunciation, and basic principles of the Hangeul writing system, enabling them to gain a fundamental understanding of Korean orthography.

The participants were then introduced to commonly used Korean vocabulary and expressions frequently encountered in everyday life. The session was delivered interactively, allowing students to connect the material with their prior exposure to Korean culture through popular media such as K-pop, Korean dramas, and other digital content.

To encourage active participation, the PKM team organized an interactive quiz on Korean culture. Through the quiz, students tested their knowledge of various aspects of Korean culture commonly encountered in daily life. Each answer was subsequently discussed, providing an opportunity to clarify misconceptions while expanding the participants’ understanding of Korean culture in a more comprehensive manner.

In addition to the language and cultural sessions, the program also included a socialization session on the Korean Language Proficiency Test. During this session, students received information on the importance of language proficiency certification, the benefits of taking the test, and an overview of its content as preparation for those interested in pursuing Korean language and culture studies at the university level.

Through this Community Service Program, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at UGM hopes to foster students’ interest in and understanding of the Korean language and culture. The activity also served as an opportunity to introduce the study program to prospective students, enabling more high school students to become familiar with its academic offerings, competency development opportunities, and future career prospects.

As part of the university’s commitment to the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, this community service initiative is expected to strengthen collaboration between the university and secondary schools while inspiring younger generations to develop cross-cultural perspectives and a strong enthusiasm for learning foreign languages, particularly Korean.

Author: Aura Adiba Wijaya Litianko

Yogyakarta — Ramayda Akmal, an author and lecturer at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), invited the public to revisit the ideas of Ariel Heryanto, Professor Emeritus at Monash University, during a discussion titled Ramayda Akmal Reads Ariel Heryanto, held at the Soegondo Auditorium, 7th Floor of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM, on Monday (June 29), from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Moderated by Giandra Febrian, a graduate student in UGM’s Master’s Program in Literature, the event featured Ariel Heryanto as the keynote speaker. The discussion centered on two of his books, Huruf demi Huruf (Letter by Letter) and Nasib Publik dalam Republik (The Fate of the Public in the Republic), inviting participants to explore contemporary social, political, and cultural issues in Indonesia through these works.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Aprinus Salam, Head of UGM’s Master’s Program in Literature, reflected on his long intellectual journey with Ariel Heryanto. He also shared several archival photographs documenting their years of friendship, offering both a nostalgic recollection and a tribute to Ariel’s contributions to Indonesian scholarship.

Opening her presentation, Ramayda described Huruf demi Huruf as a collection of essays that encapsulates many of the most pressing issues confronting contemporary Indonesia. According to her, Ariel’s writings do more than address significant social and political questions—they encourage readers to reexamine assumptions that are often taken for granted. These include the notion of elections as a “democratic celebration,” the idea of the middle class, interpretations of the May 1998 mass rapes as a language of power rather than merely racial violence, and the extent to which Indonesia’s post-independence social structure continues to reflect the colonial legacy of the Dutch East Indies.

Ramayda also highlighted Ariel Heryanto’s distinctive intellectual approach, which does not rely exclusively on Western theoretical frameworks. Instead, many of his essays seek to understand Asian societies through the experiences, histories, knowledge, and intellectual traditions produced by fellow Asian societies—an approach often referred to as South–South knowledge exchange. In her reading, Ariel consistently situates Indonesian culture within its broader relationships with other Asian societies.

She further argued that one of Ariel’s greatest strengths lies in his ability to examine the increasingly complex relationship between popular culture, capitalism, and power. According to Ramayda, the rise of digital media has created various forms of alternative cultural production that appear open and inclusive while remaining embedded within capitalist structures.

“What makes Mas Ariel’s writings enduring is that they continue to invite new questions as the examples themselves become increasingly complex. Earlier, we discussed whether alternative literature belongs to pop culture or whether it should be understood as an alternative product. It is heavily facilitated by highly capitalist media. Although the space is remarkably diverse and inclusive—anyone can write and anyone can read—you still have to pay for the product. This makes the relationship between capitalism, popular culture, political power, and dominant forces even more complex,” Ramayda explained.

During the discussion, Ramayda also shared her personal appreciation for the essay “Huruf demi Huruf,” the title essay of the book. She described it as one of Ariel’s most memorable works because it begins with deeply personal childhood experiences before expanding into a broader reflection on Indonesia’s contemporary condition.

Meanwhile, Ariel Heryanto reflected on the question that has motivated his writing since around 1976. He explained that he has long been preoccupied with understanding why profound social inequality can persist within societies that nevertheless appear relatively stable, peaceful, and seemingly free of major upheaval.

The discussion became particularly lively when an audience member asked whether Indonesia might face national disintegration, referring to the title of Ariel’s book Nasib Publik dalam Republik. Responding to the question, Ariel argued that capitalism remains the most powerful force shaping the modern nation-state.

“In my view, the greatest force in the world today is capitalism—not radicalism, not separatism. Those forces certainly exist, but none surpasses capitalism. As long as a state operates within a capitalist system, it will endure—not only domestically but also internationally. In other words, nationalism is itself a product of, and serves the interests of, capitalism. The fate of a nation ultimately depends on whether it is constituted through a capitalist system,” Ariel said.

Through this discussion, the organizers hoped that both longtime readers and newcomers to Ariel Heryanto’s work would see the forum as an opportunity to critically engage with Indonesia’s contemporary challenges through the perspectives of literature, culture, and the social sciences.

The event concluded with a book-signing session by Ariel Heryanto. Many participants took the opportunity to have their books signed, take photographs, and engage in informal conversations with Ariel about the ideas discussed during the event. Their enthusiasm reflected the enduring interest in Ariel Heryanto’s works and intellectual contributions, which continue to offer relevant perspectives for understanding Indonesia’s contemporary social, political, and cultural issues.

Author: Khotibul Imam

Gadjah Mada University once again served as a destination for a study tour. This time, UGM’s Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) warmly welcomed 95 students from MAN 1 Pandeglang at the Poerbatjaraka Building Auditorium on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

Unlike typical academic visits, this gathering was organized in a more relaxed manner, with a focus on introducing the culture and dynamics of campus life. Faculty members invited the students to see firsthand how the academic programs at FIB UGM present the study of language, history, and literature in a way that is engaging and relevant to current trends.

The discussion took on a two-way nature as the Q&A session began. The students seemed curious about how cultural studies are applied in the digital age. The conversation flowed lively, covering topics ranging from the use of technology in historical research and fun ways to learn foreign languages to the creative projects of FIB students, which were anything but rigid.

This visit is expected to open new horizons for the students of MAN 1 Pandeglang regarding the importance of cultural literacy. In addition, this trip will serve as a source of motivation for them to step out of their comfort zones and take on new challenges in college in the future.

[Author: Humas FIB, Zaidan Abdurrahman]

The night atmosphere in Wringinputih Tourism Village, Muncar District, Banyuwangi Regency, looks different from typical rural areas due to the vast fields brightly illuminated by thousands of hanging lights. This unique phenomenon was witnessed directly by the UGM Student Community Service (KKN-PPM) team of Muncar Memancar 2026, who participated in dragon fruit farming activities with local farmers on June 26, 2026. Through direct involvement in the field, the students had the opportunity to learn about the local knowledge systems and cultural adaptations that the community applies to optimize their agricultural yields.

This intensive nighttime farming activity occurs because dragon fruit flowers only fully bloom at night and will wither the next morning. Due to the lack of natural pollinating agents in the plantation during those hours, local farmers take over this role by conducting manual artificial pollination, which the locals often refer to as “marrying” the flowers. In addition to manual pollination, the installation of hanging lights among the plants also serves to provide artificial lighting. This ensures the plants receive longer light exposure, stimulating the dragon fruit trees to continue flowering and producing out of season.

Besides pollination techniques and light manipulation, the students also gained new insights into the farmers’ strategies for dealing with bad weather. When it rains at night precisely when the flowers are blooming, the farmers swiftly snap the flower stem fibers slightly so that the flower faces downward without detaching from the tree. This tactical step is intentionally taken so the upper part of the flower crown can act as a natural umbrella. It protects the sensitive pollen from the rain, ensuring the fertilization process does not fail due to rotting.

The farming practices in Wringinputih Village ultimately form a circular and sustainable integrated agricultural agroecosystem. As a substitute for concrete pillars, farmers utilize live kapok trees as supporting poles and shade to prevent the dragon fruit stems from being damaged by extreme sun exposure. When the kapok tree leaves grow too thick, farmers trim them to be used as feed for cattle or goats. The manure from these farm animals is then reprocessed through fermentation into organic fertilizer to re-enrich the dragon fruit plants and the kapok trees.

This close interaction between human activities, technology utilization, and environmental management attracts attention from a social and cultural sciences perspective. Adinda, an Anthropology student from the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences class of 2023 who was involved in the KKN activities, shared her views during this field learning process.

“From the dragon fruit pollination technique, we can see that in farming practices, humans play a role in helping to optimize natural processes so that the production yield is maximized. When viewed from an anthropological perspective, this indicates a reciprocal relationship between humans and the environment. Humans use the knowledge they have to support the pollination process, while nature remains the source of life that sustains human activities,” she explained.

Adinda further explained that this dragon fruit farming knowledge is not simply generated overnight, but is shaped through continuous experience, observation, and interaction with the environment. From that process, the community can understand when the flowers bloom, how to assist their pollination, and the steps that can be taken to ensure the plants produce fruit more optimally. This relationship shows that agriculture is not solely seen as a production process, but also as a form of interaction, adaptation, and knowledge built by humans in living side by side with their environment.

Through the integration of local knowledge, the use of lighting technology, and the application of an integrated farming system, the community of Wringinputih Village has successfully created independent economic resilience. The dynamics of this nocturnal farming activity prove that the success of a commodity does not solely depend on large-scale equipment modernization. Rather, it depends on the human ability to read nature’s signs, adapt, and build harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.

[Public Relations of FIB UGM, Candra Solihin]