T

he Korea-Indonesia Week cultural event, which runs from Sept. 28 through Oct. 3, is expected to improve understanding and strengthen diplomatic ties that have lasted for 38 years.

“Cultural understanding between the two countries is really important as a basis to strengthening cooperation between Korea and Indonesia,” Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Kim Young-sun told a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday.

He expected the event could be a place where both Korean and Indonesian people could mingle while developing better understanding of the cultures of both nations.

This year the Korea-Indonesia week is being held in three locations across Jakarta, namely the Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium in Central Jakarta and the Korean Culture Center and Gandaria City in South Jakarta.

The week-long event will present Korean pop music concerts by Korean idols such as Lee Sun-ho, better known as Andy from boyband Shinhwa, Lee Jun-ki, Lee Dong-gun, Park Hyo-shin, Yoo Seung-chan, Jung Jae-il and Choi Jin from group Epik High.

They will perform on Oct. 2-3 at 6:30 p.m. at the mall’s exhibition hall.

The event will also feature a Korean pop music contest from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2 and the Korean Film Festival from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 at the mall.

The film festival will present Finding Mr. Destiny, Harmony, 71 Into the Fire, Detective K, A Barefoot Dream, The Sword with No Name, The Good The Bad The Weird.

As part of the event, a National Junior Taekwondo competition was held from Sept. 27-29 at Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium. Participants from 33 provinces across Indonesia competed to win the Korean Ambassador Cup in 600 kyorugi (fight) and 130 poomsae (form) categories.

A Korean traditional painting exhibition will also be held at the Korean Cultural Center from Sept. 20 to Oct. 30. The paintings displayed during the exhibition are works of 26 modern literati artists.

A food festival and Drumcat show will also held during the event.

Korean pop culture has long been known by Indonesian people through TV series, movies, pop music, food and fashion. However, the culture has been booming over the last three years due to the invasion of Korean boybands and girlbands that had previously only been accessible through cable TV.

“Korean pop culture is nowadays well-known throughout the world and many people had asked me about the secret behind it,” the ambassador said.

He said there were three factors that he considered supporting the Hallyu wave to be accepted by people around the globe.

First was that Korean people had long been open to foreign cultures and they were able to successfully blend both cultures without eliminating Korean culture, soul and spirit.

Second, he said there was an excitement and joy brought in the Korean pop culture that could be accepted by people of different cultures. “Third is the sincerity,” Young-sun said.

Unfortunately, as Korea is introducing its culture and facing rising popularity gained across the world, Indonesia has not followed the step.