Yogyakarta, September 26, 2026 — On Saturday, September 26, 2026, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), in collaboration with the King Sejong Institute Yogyakarta and KLIT UGM, hosted a Public Lecture and Author Meet-and-Greet featuring Lee Young Mi, an author and editor of Hanin News magazine. The event took place in Room 709, Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) UGM, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and was attended by students enrolled in the 2026/2027 Korean Prose course, general UGM students, and members of the public.

The program began with a welcoming ceremony for Lee Young Mi, followed by a public lecture session delivered by the author. During the presentation, Lee Young Mi shared insights on current developments in Korean literature within South Korea’s literary landscape, as well as how Korean literature influences the lives of its readers. Additionally, she recounted her personal experiences living in Indonesia as a Korean writer.

Following the lecture, attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with Lee Young Mi during a Q&A session. High participant enthusiasm was evident from the numerous questions asked, and active attendees were rewarded with complimentary signed books.

The event concluded with a group photo session. A book giveaway featuring Lee Young Mi’s works was also held via Instagram, attracting enthusiastic participation from the audience.

Through this event, participants gained valuable academic insights through a translation workshop while connecting more closely with the author and contemporary Korean literature. The event served as an important milestone in deepening appreciation for Korean literature and sparking greater interest among students and the general public in translation practices and translated works.

Penulis: Alma Naya

Seven delegations from Iwate University, Japan, accompanied by Professor Anders Carlqvist, visited Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, on Monday, September 21, 2026. The visit was part of the Iwate University delegation’s academic activities to explore the cultural heritage of Yogyakarta. During the visit, Dr. Dwi Pradnyawan, S.S., M.A., delivered a lecture entitled “Preservation and Maintenance of Historical Sites in and around Yogyakarta.” The lecture was held from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. WIB and was also attended by several 2nd year Archaeology students at UGM. The lecture discussed efforts to preserve and maintain historical sites in Yogyakarta and its surrounding areas. The activity provided the delegation with an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of historical heritage preservation while broadening their perspectives through an academic approach. The visit not only strengthened academic relations between UGM and Iwate University but also provided an opportunity for students and delegates to communicate and broaden their cross-cultural perspectives in the field of archaeology.

Author: Josephine Kirana Nareswari

Yogyakarta, September 29, 2026 – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program at UGM once again held the Korindo Foundation Scholarship Handover Ceremony for the 2026/2027 academic year. The event took place at the Soegondo Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, from 09:00 to 10:00 WIB, and was attended by all scholarship recipients as well as the class of 2026 students.

The series of events was opened by the MC and immediately enlivened by a traditional Korean art performance, Talchum. Following the captivating cultural performance, the agenda proceeded with opening remarks. The Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Prof. Dr. Setiadi, S.Sos., M.Si., delivered the opening speech, which was then followed by remarks from Mr. Sunghoon Lee, Secretary General of the KORINDO Foundation.

Moving on to the main agenda, the scholarship certificate handover procession was carried out directly by Mr. Sunghoon Lee. A total of six students with exceptional academic achievements were called to the front to receive this award. Below is the list of the Korindo Foundation Scholarship recipients for the 2026/2027 academic year:

1. Frida Astikasari (GPA 3.74)
2. Gabriela Putri Ratnaningtyas (GPA 3.76)
3. Khalilla Harum Kencana (GPA 3.91)
4. Raja Rizky Firdaus (GPA 3.89)
5. Mulya Ghefira Azzahra (GPA 3.71)
6. Nabila Citra Tiara Putri Wiharjo (GPA 3.74)

The event then continued with a group photo session involving KORINDO Foundation representatives, faculty leaders, and the scholarship recipients. This moment also featured speeches and reflections from the awardees. They expressed their profound gratitude for the support from the KORINDO Foundation and affirmed their commitment to maintaining their enthusiasm for learning in the future.

The scholarship handover ceremony ran smoothly until it was officially closed by the MC. It is hoped that the synergy between UGM and the Korindo Foundation through this program will continue. Moreover, the remarkable achievements of these six awardees are expected to inspire and motivate other UGM Korean Language and Culture students to enthusiastically pursue brilliant accomplishments.

(Salwa Aulia)

A solemn and proud atmosphere filled the Multimedia Room of the Margono Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This special moment marked the success of two academics from the Indonesian Literature Study Program, Department of Indonesian Language and Literature, Faculty of Languages and Arts (FBS), Universitas Negeri Medan (Unimed)—Wahyu Wiji Astuti, S.S., M.A. and Muhammad Hafidz Assalam, S.S., M.A.—who officially earned their Doctoral degrees in Humanities. Their presence drew the attention of the academic community as, in addition to being fellow lecturers in the same department, they are a married couple.

During the public doctoral defense, Wahyu Wiji Astuti defended her dissertation titled “Pembentukan Subjek dan Identitas dalam Kumpulan Cerpen Malim Pesong: Kajian Psikoanalisis Lacan” (Subject Formation and Identity in the Short Story Collection Malim Pesong: A Lacanian Psychoanalytic Study). Supervised by Prof. Dr. Pujiharto, S.S., M.Hum., her research explores the dynamics of identity formation and subject psychology in literary works through Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic approach, particularly within the context of North Sumatra’s multicultural society.

Meanwhile, her husband, Muhammad Hafidz Assalam, was supervised by Professor of Literature and Gender at FIB UGM, who also serves as Vice Rector for Education and Learning at UGM, Prof. Dr. Wening Udasmoro, S.S., M.Hum., DEA. He presented his research titled “Narasi Feminin Pada Cerpen Perempuan Tahun 2020-an: Kompleksitas dan Ambiguitas Tubuh Perempuan” (Feminine Narratives in Women’s Short Stories of the 2020s: Complexity and Ambiguity of the Female Body), which highlights gender representation, female body dynamics, and feminist discourse in contemporary Indonesian short stories of the 2020s decade.

The Dean and the board of examiners of FIB UGM expressed high appreciation for the academic achievements of both doctoral candidates. Successfully defending their dissertations simultaneously before the UGM board of examiners under the guidance of prominent promoters is expected to strengthen literary research synergy, increase scientific publications, and bring a positive impact to the development of teaching at the Department of Indonesian Language and Literature, Unimed.

[Humas FIB, Maylafaizza Nafisha Zifa]

Yogyakarta, September 29, 2026—A thesis proposal seminar for graduate students in the Cultural Anthropology program was held at the Soegondo Building, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Six students presented their proposals, grouped under the theme “Capturing Lives,” with Dr. Muhammad Zamzam Fauzanafi, S.Ant., M.A., Ph.D., serving as the faculty coordinator for this seminar cluster.

The theses presented by the students covered a wide range of regions across the archipelago, starting with those located closest to Yogyakarta: “Walking Ethnography on the Temporality of Smell at Giwangan Central Market,” “The Transformation of the Makaryo Adi Ngayogyakarta Waste Pickers’ Community into the Makaryo Adi Katon Waste Processing Cooperative: A Case Study of the Community Support Group of the Muhammadiyah PP Community Empowerment Council in the Piyungan TPST Area,” and “Evaluation of Community Capacity in Tourism Village Management through an Empowerment Evaluation Approach: A Study in Padukuhan Nganggring, Sleman.” Moving on to the island of Kalimantan, there are studies titled “A Long and Windy Road: The Sensory Verite Approach in the Production of a Documentary Film on Former Political Prisoners on Buru Island” and “Encountering the Invisible: Spirits and Besiak Rituals through Sensory Verite Documentary,” followed by a study set on Lombok Island titled “The Institutionalization of Customary Law: The Role of the Majelis Emban Adat (MANDAT) in Ecological Compromise in Bayan Village, North Lombok.”

Since the thesis proposal seminar is the first step in the research process, the students still have a long journey ahead of them to complete their projects. Following the thesis proposal seminar, the students will conduct a more in-depth analysis of their research materials and receive guidance from their assigned advisors.

Author: Syafina Kamilya