Yogyakarta, 13/2/2025 – On 4 February 2025, two student representatives from the Korean Language and Culture study programme of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) showed their skills in a competition that celebrates education and cultural exchange in the K-Newscasting Competition organised by the Korean Culture Center Indonesia (KCCI).

The event began with the opening and technical competition for this final round. After the opening remarks, the final round of the competition began. Participants were tasked with presenting a pre-made news segment in Korean, demonstrating their language skills and ability to convey information effectively.

The atmosphere was electric as each contestant performed, showcasing their unique style and perspective. After all participants had delivered their segments, the judges provided comments for each contestant. This judging session was very important for the students, as it provided insight into their performances and areas for improvement.

While waiting for the announcement of the winners, the audience was entertained with a lucky draw, which added an element of fun and engagement for the audience. The atmosphere was festive, with participants and spectators alike hoping for a chance to win exciting prizes.

Finally, the long-awaited moment arrived. The announcement of the winners was met with cheers and applause. To the pride of the UGM delegation, one of the two student representatives, Mulya Ghefira Azzahra, was declared the first winner of the K-Newscasting Competition. This outstanding achievement not only highlights the hard work and dedication of the students, but also confirms the quality of education provided by UGM.

Let’s take a look at the impressions of our two students about this competition:

“Do it scared” is a slogan that encourages me to keep going and dare to try new things. I believe that courage does not mean not feeling fear, but to keep going despite doubts or even lack of confidence. I am very happy to be able to participate in this race because I do like challenges. Through this valuable experience, I was able to meet many cool people and learn many new things from them. Although I didn’t win, I see this as the first step to opening up more opportunities and continuing to grow. Of course, there is a slight sense of disappointment, but I have no regrets because I have tried to give my best. Going forward, I will continue to try other opportunities and stay excited for the next challenge. Lastly, I would like to thank my prodi and family for their support because it means a lot!!! -Adzini

Initially, I was quite confident about participating in the final, but after seeing the other participants’ abilities, I didn’t really expect to win. Even so, I still tried to perform as much as possible by learning from the judges’ feedback from the first session. While performing, I mispronounced some words and felt that my gestures were not good enough, even so, I hoped that I could at least win the runner-up or third place. When second place was mentioned, I finally gave up and continued eating snacks. However, when my name was suddenly called as the first place winner, I was shocked, and came forward while still chewing my food. That will be a memorable moment for me. This experience is a good start for us to continue challenging ourselves in the next opportunity. I’m very grateful for the support from 교수님 and Prodi, not to forget my supportive family, I can get to this point thanks to them. -Mulya

This win can be an inspiration for other students in the programme, encouraging them to pursue their interest in language and culture with passion. The success of UGM students in the K-Newscasting Competition is a moment of pride for the university and a significant contribution in promoting Korean culture in Indonesia. It highlights the role of educational institutions in developing talent and encouraging cultural appreciation, ultimately contributing to a more interconnected world. Competitions such as this play a huge role in promoting education and cultural exchange, aligning with sustainable development goals.

[Public Relation Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Bulan Churniati]

A popular annual event organized by students of the Korean Language and Culture Undergraduate Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Korean Days UGM returns with the title “Cue The Stage: Uncovering the Covered K-Culture” with the main concept of ‘Theater Arts’. This event has been held for two days, namely on November 9 and 10, 2024 at Gor Lembah UGM. The 19th Korean Days this time was filled with various activities that showed the exploration of other Korean cultures that were no less exciting. Various kinds of interesting activities can be felt by all visitors at the 19th Korean Days UGM this year which presents a lot of spectacular activities.

On the first day, various competitions were held. The titles of the competitions held include, “Sing Cover Competition: Call The Angel Voice”, ”Dance Cover Competition: Let The Dancers In!”, ”Fanart Competition: The Chosen Artist”, and last but not least, this year’s inaugural ”Dress-walk Competition: Spot The Camera!” where visitors were spoiled with the unique and beautiful appearance and creativity of the participants.

Continued on the second day which is the highlight of the event that will be enlivened by various performances ranging from Taekwondo martial arts performed by UKM Taekwondo UGM, and the first joint appearance by dongari (club) Language and Culture UGM which is displayed in the form of drama performances filled by Samulnori, Hancamchum, Talchum, Katarsis, and also Buchaechum.

The event was also attended by talents and competition winners, as well as the much-anticipated Random Play Dance. The main guest star performances were topped off by boy group AXE, Indonesian idol Malvin, and singer and influencer Chris Andrian.

The event ended with a night of Noraebang (Karaoke) hosted by Maze Culture. There were also traditional game and hanbok booths, Food Bazaar, and Fanart Exhibition.

The success of the 19th Korean Day cannot be separated from the support of the sponsors, namely KT&G, Korea Foundation, PT PLN (Persero), PT TKG Taekwang Indonesia, King Sejong Institute, CV Sweat Gigs Indonesia, PT Waskita Karya (Persero) Tbk, Woori Saudara Bank, BPJS Employment, Sari Roti, BSM Rental Yogyakarta, IFrame Rental and Orent Kamera, Momu Photobooth, Belikopi, Artatix, and support from 45 media partners.

The 19th Korean Day series of events is expected to provide great benefits in introducing Korean culture in depth to the entire community. Through this activity, participants not only enjoy entertainment, but also gain insight into Korean traditions, arts, and cultural values that may not be widely known. Also, in the future, it is hoped that this event will continue to be a more inclusive and innovative platform, so that more parties can be involved. With the spirit of sustainability, Korean Day can be one of the events that not only supports cultural diplomacy, but also encourages the growth of appreciation for global culture among Indonesians.

Yogyakarta, Saturday, 2nd of November 2024. The Korean Language Student Association organised an event entitled, ‘Women’s Film Festival: The Voices from South Korea and Indonesia’ as one of the 19th Korean Day series on 2 November and 3 November. This activity aims to explore the issue of women’s careers through films directed by women from both countries. Both Indonesia and South Korea share many similarities on this issue, including women’s opportunities to access education, employment, and politics. Typical cultural challenges still pose barriers, such as the normalisation of double burden, discrimination, and the threat of violence. The event was held at Soegondo Auditorium, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, and was divided into two sessions on the first day, starting in the morning and afternoon.

In the morning, the event started with the screening of Kim Ji-Yong’s film: Born 1982, which is an adaptation of the novel by Cho Nam-joo, following the life of Kim Ji-young, an ordinary South Korean woman who faces the pressures and gender biases that permeate a patriarchal society. The story delves into the sensitive issue of Ji-young’s gradual struggle with societal expectations placed on women, especially in terms of career, family, and identity. Participants watched Cho Nam-joo’s adaptation of the novel, at the two-hour film screening. After the film screening session, participants were given the opportunity to ask questions guided by a moderator and presented by film director Kim Ji-Yong: Born 1982, Kim Do Young, via Zoom.

In the Q&A session, various participants asked director Kim Do Young a number of questions, such as the challenges and difficulties in making the film, the film’s contribution to feminism, criticism that arose, and others. The participants then ended the Q&A session with a group photo with Kim Do Young.

Yogyakarta, August 23, 2024 – Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Arts UGM, supported by Literature Translation Institute (LTI) Korea, held a Literary Translation Workshop from June 4 to August 23, 2024. This Literary Translation Workshop is the first activity organized for students and alumni of the UGM Korean Language and Culture Study Program. This activity aims to provide a forum for students and alumni to train and increase knowledge in the field of translation, especially the translation of literary works taught directly by experts. Not only that, as many as 20 people who were selected in the selection of participants, each received a free book entitled “1988년도 제12회 이상문학상작품집.” The book is a collection of the best literary works selected for the Yi Sang Literary Award in 1988. One of the literary works in the book is writer Lim Chul-woober’s “The Red Room” which won the grand prize.

In this workshop, “The Red Room” is a literary work that is translated and discussed by participants coordinated by lecturer of Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Faculty of Arts UGM, Alfiana Amrin Rosyadi, S.S., M.A. and guided by lecturers Febriana Elfida Trihtarani, S.S., M.A. and Theresia Avila Rencidiptya Gitanati Firstantin, S.S., M.A. The Literary Translation Workshop “The Red Room” was held for 19 meetings divided into 2 meetings a week. The participants were asked to read and translate the literary work from Korean to Indonesian which was divided into several parts and discussed together at each meeting. The workshop also explored the content of the literary work “The Red Room” which contains historical elements set in the struggle for democracy and reform in South Korea in 1988.

The workshop concluded with a meeting with the author. The meeting was held in a mixed session in Conference Room 1, Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM. At the peak of the event, the participants had the opportunity to discuss and conduct questions and answers directly with the author Lim Chul-woo regarding the contents of the work “The Red Room.”

In addition to the discussion with the author, the closing ceremony was also filled with a prize giving session to 3 active participants who participated in the workshop enthusiastically and had the best translation results. The first best participant was Fitri Puspita Ningrum who received an Asus Vivobook laptop. The second best participant was Vira Ardiana who was awarded with an Advan tablet and keyboard. The last award as the third best participant was given to Adinda Cindy Kartika Putri with a prize in the form of a Samsung Galaxy A9 tablet. The prizes for the best participants were handed over directly by Mr. Suray Agung Nugroho, S.S., M.A., Ph.D. as a representative of the Head of Korean Language and Culture Study Program at FIB UGM.

Author: Peony
Editor: Fathiannisa

Laos, August 16 – UGM Korean Language and Culture Study Program student, Anggita Lintang Herdiwan (2022) advanced as a representative of Indonesia in The 28th K-Speech World Contest. Previously, Anggita had won first place in The 22nd K-Speech Oratory Contest Indonesia. By winning first place, Anggita was able to become one of Indonesia’s representatives in The 28th K-Speech World Contest. The competition was held on August 16, 2024 at the Lao National Cultural and Arts Hall, Laos.

The event began with an Oratorical Speech Demonstration performance and an appearance from Trot President, Lee Seung Yul. Then, the opening ceremony began with the entry of representatives from 20 countries, namely France, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Philippines, China, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and South Korea. Followed by opening speeches and remarks from related parties, as well as announcements of judging rules.

The implementation of the speech competition was carried out based on the order that had been randomized the day before. Starting from the team category consisting of 6 teams, the individual foreigner category consisting of 16 people, elementary school as many as 9 people, middle school as many as 6 people, general and university students as many as 4 people, and the category of Koreans living abroad as many as 7 people. After the judges gave their overall evaluation, there was a cultural performance from Laos. The event ended with an awarding ceremony and closing ceremony.

As one of the representatives from Indonesia, Anggita managed to get 최우수상 or an award equivalent to third place awarded by 통일부 (Ministry of Unification).

This competition can realize the potential of students, namely the ability to speak Korean in public. This is one of the potentials that UGM Korean Language and Culture Study Program expects each of its students to have. Of course, this can be achieved by the courage of students and the provisions provided by all lecturers of the study program.