Ambassador: Launch of Gadis Kretek Novel Strengthens Indonesia-South Korea Cultural Diplomacy
Jakarta – Indonesia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Cecep Herawan stated that the launch of the novel Gadis Kretek, a work by an Indonesian author, strengthens cultural diplomacy through literature whilst introducing the richness of Indonesian literature to the Korean public.
“The publication of Gadis Kretek in Korean is not merely a translation of a novel, but also represents a joint commitment to broaden cultural exchange between Indonesia and Korea,” said Cecep during the novel’s launch in Seoul on Thursday, 12 March.
According to a press release from the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, he assessed that whilst Indonesia and South Korea have long enjoyed strong economic and diplomatic relations, stories such as Gadis Kretek enable the two nations to better understand each other’s values, history, and societal life.
The launch of the Gadis Kretek novel was organised by HansaeYes24 Foundation as part of the Southeast Asian Literature Series, an initiative to introduce literary works from Southeast Asian nations to Korean readers. Through this series, selected literary works from Southeast Asia are translated into Korean to make them accessible to the broader public.
The Ambassador commended HansaeYes24 Foundation for its commitment to introducing Southeast Asian literature to Korean society. HansaeYes24 Chairperson Baek Soomi noted that Southeast Asian literature holds important value in enriching cultural dialogue in Korea.
“At a time when Korean culture receives significant global attention, Korea also needs to remain open to literary works from other cultures,” she said. According to her, cultural exchange through literature can broaden readers’ perspectives whilst strengthening cross-cultural understanding.
“The publication of Gadis Kretek is expected to expand appreciation for Southeast Asian literature in Korea and strengthen the cultural bridge between the two regions,” she added.
Gadis Kretek is the second Indonesian literary work translated and published by the foundation, following Hamka’s novel Tenggelamnya Kapal Van Der Wijck, which was published in 2022.
The author, Ratih Kumala, stated that the novel’s primary inspiration came from her late grandfather, who was a clove cigarette entrepreneur in a small town in Central Java. The story gained wider popularity after being adapted into a Netflix series with the same title in 2023. Through this mini-series, global audiences were introduced to Indonesian cultural context, social history, family drama, romance, and the dynamics of Indonesia’s clove cigarette industry.
Beyond promoting literary works, the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul also presented specialty Indonesian coffee from Gayo in drip bag coffee form, allowing Korean society to experience Indonesian culture not only through literature but also through the flavour of Indonesian coffee as part of the broader Indonesian cultural experience.