The supporters of Indonesian presidential candidate Anies Baswedan have turned to K-pop to increase his popularity, using elements from their favorite music genre to attract attention ahead of the Feb. 14 election. They are exchanging photocards and light sticks adorned with his face in an effort to bolster his campaign.
Anies is competing against frontrunner Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and ex-Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo for the support of the 205 million registered Indonesian voters. More than half of these voters belong to the millennial and Gen Z generations, according to government data. All three candidates have intensified their social media efforts, particularly on TikTok, to connect with young voters.
Striving to attract young supporters, Anies has gone as far as imitating K-pop singers and hosting live-streams from his car. His supporters view this tactic as an endorsement of their K-pop-influenced campaign strategy.
“It all started with a TikTok live that Anies did one day,” said Hera Putri Haris, a 22-year-old Anies supporter who was carrying plastic cups and fans featuring his image. “Most K-pop idols, after performing in music shows, they do similar live-streams.”
In addition to distributing Anies-branded giveaways such as posters and banners, some supporters are sponsoring food trucks at campaign events.
Unconventional political rallies inspired by K-pop have become increasingly common as the South Korean music genre takes the world by storm. K-pop fans rallied in Thailand’s anti-government movement in 2020, while K-pop fans in the United States raised funds for the Black Lives Matter movement.
Anies’ campaign team did not respond to a request for comment, but event organizer Muhammad Rasyid Al Kautsar believes the cultural phenomenon can help rally supporters.
(Writing by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Kanupriya Kapoor and Miral Fahmy)
