Deputy Creative Economy Minister calls Imlek Festival a step in promoting cultural wealth through diplomacy

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar has described the staging of the Imlek Festival 2577–Harmoni Imlek Nusantara as a step towards promoting the archipelago’s cultural wealth through diplomacy whilst simultaneously showcasing the nation’s finest talent in the creative economy sector.

“We want to convey that we are already on the world stage. Indonesian talent is not only recognised here — we are hosts in our own country and dominant on the global scene. That is the message we wish to put across,” Irene said when met in Jakarta on Sunday.

Irene explained that the event would feature numerous themes, one of which is Indonesia Wave x K-Pop, presenting a singing collaboration between Yun Jian and Saniyah.

“So if people say Indonesia is merely a consumer nation, that is simply not true. Many talents from Indonesia have already made their way to Korea, and Korean audiences love them. This is not just keroncong or dangdut — there is an example that will be showcased,” Irene said.

According to her, diplomatic relations between Indonesia and South Korea have existed for many years. The collaboration is therefore expected to uncover greater national potential, particularly in the creative economy sector.

Chief Representative of KOCCA Indonesia, Lee Gi Haun, expressed hope that the collaboration between Indonesia and South Korea in the field of music would become increasingly active and close-knit. Such strong collaboration is considered vital for advancing the content and music industries in both countries.

“We will continue to move forward and work together in the future,” Lee said.

The Imlek Festival 2577–Harmoni Imlek Nusantara was officially opened on 17 February and runs through to 3 March 2026 at Lapangan Banteng, Jakarta.

The Lunar New Year celebration, which coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, is hoped to serve as a space for reflection among interfaith communities and the wider public.

The peak of the celebration is set to be held on 28 February 2026, featuring mass barongsai and liong performances, traditional music and dance shows, appearances by national artists, and symbols of national harmony and unity.