September 26, 2025 – The Korean Language and Culture Study Program at Universitas Gadjah Mada held the Korindo Foundation Scholarship Awarding Ceremony for the 2025/2026 academic year. The event was opened by the MC and the Talchum performance, followed by welcoming remarks from Suray Agung Nugroho, S.S., M.A., Ph.D., Vice Dean for Finance, Assets, and Human Resources of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, and Setiyono, General Manager of the Korindo Foundation.

The ceremony continued with the announcement of the names of Korean Language and Culture students from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences who were selected as recipients of the Korindo Foundation Scholarship for the 2025/2026 academic year. The following students were awarded the scholarship:

1. Alma Naya Kamila
2. Anisa Setya Utami
3. Febryani Dhea Khusnulia
4. Mulya Ghefira Azzahra
5. Oryza Sativa Rosyadi
6. Raissa Aneswari

In addition to the announcement, the scholarship recipients also shared their gratitude and reflections:

“I am deeply grateful to the Korindo Foundation for its support. This scholarship is not only a financial aid but also a reminder and motivation to always study diligently. I hope the Korindo Foundation will continue to provide this valuable opportunity to other outstanding students in the future.” – Alma

“I sincerely thank the Korindo Foundation for this meaningful scholarship. This support motivates me to complete my studies with the best results, pursue my dreams, and make my parents proud. The scholarship will truly benefit my education and future career.” – Anisa Setya

“I feel very grateful and proud to be chosen as one of the Korindo Scholarship recipients. This support is a great motivation for me to study harder, develop my potential, and gain valuable experiences. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Korindo for the trust and support given. May this program continue and bring greater benefits to more students in the future.” – Febryani

“My deepest thanks to the Study Program and the Korindo Foundation for this precious opportunity. For me, this scholarship is a form of trust as well as a reminder that every small step I take matters. Although my journey is currently a bit slowed down due to health conditions, I want to keep moving forward with gratitude and responsibility, so that greater dreams can be achieved.” – Mulya

“I am very grateful to be selected as one of the scholarship recipients, and I truly appreciate the Korindo Foundation for providing this award. For me, the scholarship is not only financial support but also a form of encouragement and trust. This opportunity motivates me to keep learning and achieving. I hope this scholarship program will continue and inspire more students in pursuing their education.” – Oryza

“I feel proud and thankful to be chosen as one of the Korindo Foundation scholarship recipients. For me, this scholarship is not just financial support, but also a form of motivation and trust that drives me to study harder. I hope that in the future more students will benefit from Korindo’s scholarship program.” – Raissa

The event concluded with a group photo session featuring all scholarship recipients, representatives from the Korindo Foundation, the Faculty of Cultural Sciences’ leadership, and the Talchum performers. Through this event, the Korean Language and Culture Study Program hopes to continue strengthening its partnership with the Korindo Foundation in the years ahead.

(Aura Adiba // Sherina Azmi A.)

Yogyakarta, 18/9/2025 — The Korean Language and Culture Study Program, Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a guest lecture for the course Comprehensive Korean I under the theme “흥미로운 세상: EPS TOPIK and Korean Language for Migrant Workers.” The event took place at the Soegondo Building Auditorium and featured program alumnus Adam Ferdian Bagastama, S.Hum., as the main speaker.

In his presentation, Adam shared firsthand experiences about the career prospects for graduates of the Korean Language and Culture Study Program. He previously worked as a translator at a textile factory producing footwear before becoming an instructor at LPK Hankuk Sippo in Tulungagung, East Java. Each year, the institution trains more than 200 participants preparing to join the official Indonesia–Korea government-to-government (G to G) employment program.

Adam also explained that one of the main requirements for joining the program is passing the EPS TOPIK (Employment Permit System – Test of Proficiency in Korean), a language proficiency test focused on practical and job-specific vocabulary relevant to fields such as manufacturing, fisheries, shipbuilding, and services.

To provide a real experience, students were invited to take part in a quiz consisting of EPS TOPIK-style questions. Aura, one of the participants, admitted that the questions were quite challenging. “The quiz was difficult because the vocabulary was very specific and different from what we usually learn in class,” she said.

Through this guest lecture, students are expected not only to understand the importance of mastering Korean academically but also to gain a clearer picture of concrete career opportunities after graduation, both within Indonesia and through official employment programs in South Korea.

Author: Sherina Azmi A

Yogyakarta, 15/9/2025 – The Master’s Program in Literature, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, held a public lecture titled “Make the Invisible Visible Again: Race, Gender, and Language in Popular Literature.” The event took place on Monday (15/9) at the Soegondo Auditorium, FIB UGM, featuring Dr. Ashika Prajnya Paramita, S.S., M.A. as the keynote speaker.

The lecture was attended by students and literature enthusiasts eager to explore how ideology operates within popular texts. With an engaging and communicative style, Dr. Ashika emphasized that literature is never a neutral narrative but always carries underlying ideologies, often hidden in plain sight.

Opening her talk with the questions “What’s visible?” and “What’s invisible?”, Dr. Ashika illustrated how everyday objects and cultural products that appear neutral are in fact loaded with ideological meaning. Examples ranged from the skin-tone bias in band-aids, beauty discourses in advertisements, to the privileging of certain languages over others. Quoting Antonio Gramsci, she reminded the audience that ideology operates through common sense—perceptions that society accepts as natural. “Everyday ideology is always around us. If we are not aware, we need to check,” she explained.

Dr. Ashika further examined how race and gender are represented in popular works, particularly in superhero films. She discussed debates surrounding Sam Wilson as Captain America and the assumption that Barack Obama’s presidency signaled the end of racism in the United States, while in reality, racial tensions persisted.

On gender, she highlighted how physical strength in superhero films is typically coded as masculine, while female characters are often given invisible or passive powers. Citing Judith Butler (1993), she reminded participants that “Gender is a kind of imitation for which there is no original,” stressing that masculinity and femininity are constructed and constantly shifting.

Bringing the discussion closer to home, Dr. Ashika invited the audience to critically read representations in the Indonesian film Satria Dewa: Gatotkaca (2022). She pointed out how white-skinned characters were often depicted as bosses, while darker-skinned characters appeared as security guards or lower-class workers. Language use also reinforced hierarchies, with Javanese accents assigned to “village folk,” while the protagonist spoke Jakarta urban slang.

“Literature is never just stories. Ideologies hide in plain sight. Reading critically is seeing power,” she concluded, marking the end of her main lecture.

The Q&A session was lively, with questions ranging from the representation of women in comics, ideological bias in reading literature, to the masculine standards in modern superheroes. Dr. Ashika underscored that ideological progress is never linear but rather messy and full of resistance. She also reminded the audience of the importance of readers’ critical awareness in examining their own biases.

This public lecture demonstrated that the study of popular literature goes beyond entertainment, offering critical reflections on power, representation, and ideology in everyday life. Through this event, the Master’s Program in Literature at UGM reaffirmed its commitment to providing an academic space that engages with contemporary issues while equipping students with critical perspectives in reading texts and culture.

Author: Marsya Kamila / Public Relations, Master’s Program in Literature

On Sunday (August 24, 2025), HMJ Kamastawa conducted social service and teaching activities at the Darun Najah Orphanage and Shelter for the Poor in Maguwoharjo Village, Depok, Sleman. This initiative, organized by the Social Community Division and the Academic Division, reflects the students’ social responsibility and dedication to the community as part of implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. The target audience for the activity was orphaned and underprivileged children, with a focus on educational support for female high school students.

Prior to the social service activity, the Social Community Division opened donations of money and goods, including reading books, stationery, and cleaning supplies. These donations were then distributed to meet the needs of the Darun Najah Orphanage.

The series of events began with a teaching activity guided by the Academic Division with the theme of Javanese script and how to write it. In this session, students presented interactive group games. Participants were asked to answer questions competitively, and each correct and quick answer would earn points. After the game ended, the group with the most points was entitled to a prize.

The event continued with a social service activity by the Social Community Division, which donated snacks and necessities for the orphanage, such as brooms, boxes, and so on. The funds for these necessities were obtained from an open donation that had been opened previously. 

The event concluded with a symbolic presentation of commemorative plaques and the handover of donations from the chairman of HMJ Kamastawa to representatives of the Darun Najah Orphanage management. Students and orphanage children also took part in a group photo session to commemorate the occasion and share stories.

Kamastawa’s community service activities are not merely about carrying out work programs, but also provide a shared learning space that offers valuable experiences for both students and children at the orphanage. In addition, these activities support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the areas of health, education, equality, and sustainable communities and partnerships.

Author : Maysa Putri Fatihah & Dwiyan Teguh Darmawan
Editor : Haryo Untoro

Universitas Gadjah Mada is holding a 50-day Community Empowerment Field Study Program (KKN-PPM) from June 20 to August 8, 2025. In its implementation, students are assigned to serve by carrying out programs aimed at community empowerment. This includes Yudha Adhistira, a student in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program, who is implementing the “Sira Saraja” (Sinau Rame Aksara Jawa) program in Blitar Regency, East Java. This program focuses on socializing the use of Javanese script and language to elementary to high school students in Bululalang Village and Bakung District, highlighting a number of common mistakes, such as the use of the words “makempal” and “tedhak sungging,” as well as errors in writing the names of villages and public places on digital platforms such as Google Maps.

In an online interview on August 31, 2025, Yudha explained that the aim of this program is to reduce misconceptions about the use of Javanese script and language, while fostering motivation and interest among the younger generation in  Javanese language objects. “To attract this interest, the material has been designed to be appealing, such as displaying examples of beautiful Javanese manuscripts, conducting case studies of Javanese-language pop works, and introducing the potential of Javanese cultural objects and tourism in the Blitar area,” he explained.

However, the implementation of this program is not without challenges. Yudha revealed that there is still a lack of educators who are experts in the Javanese language and a limited number of student worksheets (LKS) that focus on Javanese script. Nevertheless, the students’ enthusiasm was evident through their active questioning and interaction during the activities. “The situation was quite exciting and challenging, especially when presenting new things that could attract the children’s interest. Despite some difficulties, the children’s enthusiasm through their interactions and many questions about this teaching method is a joy in itself,” he added.

The Sira Saraja program also reflects the importance of preserving regional languages as part of national identity. The slogan “language is the soul of a nation” is relevant in efforts to preserve and develop regional languages. The conditions in Bululalang Village and Bakung District are concrete examples of the current state of regional languages, which are becoming increasingly “foreign” to their speakers.

In line with this, in his lecture, Prof. Dr. Hendrokumoro, M.Hum., lecturer in the Javanese Language, Literature, and Culture Study Program and professor of Linguistics at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, emphasized the importance of a flexible, enjoyable, and relevant approach to learning regional languages (Hendrokumoro 2025, May 8). This is an important strategy so that regional language learners, especially native speakers, can continue to preserve and revive regional languages as a form of national identity. Therefore, synergy between various parties is needed as a joint effort in the preservation and development of regional languages in Indonesia.

Author : Haryo Untoro

Bibliography

Hendrokumoro. [Universitas Gadjah Mada]. (2025, May 8). Pengukuhan Prof. Dr. Hendrokumoro, M.Hum., Guru Besar Fakultas Ilmu Budaya UGM. [Video]. Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d6PJDguBFk.