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And let’s not forget the rise of heartfelt, everyday stories: Yuni (2021), about a young girl navigating forced marriage and dreams of university, was shortlisted for the Oscars. Streaming platforms like Vidio, WeTV, and Netflix Indonesia are now producing original series that compete with Korean and Thai dramas—shows like Cigarette Girl ( Gadis Kretek ) and Nightmares and Daydreams are must-watch.
Deddy Corbuzier, a former magician and mentalist, has arguably become one of the most influential journalists in the country by interviewing everyone from ghetto thieves to presidential candidates in the same raw, unfiltered style.
Web series have also exploded. Independent creators on YouTube produce mini-dramas with production value that rivals TV. Yowis Ben (which started as a web series and became a movie franchise) captures the humor and heart of young Javanese men trying to make it as a band. These stories are hyper-local but universally relatable—about friendship, failure, and finding your voice.
And don’t underestimate the power of muslim fashion . Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, and modest wear has become a global industry. Designers like Dian Pelangi and Ria Miranda have shown at London and Dubai fashion weeks, proving that hijab fashion can be chic, modern, and fiercely creative.
This is the era of Indonesia Maju (Indonesia Advances), not just economically, but culturally.
The Indonesian film industry has undergone a radical transformation from the New Order era, where cinema was often used for state nationalism and propaganda, to the modern "Reformasi" era. This shift granted filmmakers unprecedented creative freedom, leading to a resurgence in diverse genres including social commentary, religion, and horror.