SPICE ROUTE
Spice Route Diplomacy Towards a Cultural Superpower
Taste Invitee -
China, Iran, India, Japan, and South
South Korea plays a big role as a global
the achievement of its national interests
Korea have succeeded in carrying out
entertainment provider. The Korean wave
through cultural diplomacy (Jayanti Andi-
cultural “transcendence” so rapidly in
that started from the K-Pop and K-Drama
na, 2011).
the global world. These countries have
entertainment industry is now getting
long emerged as influential forces in the
bigger with internationalization proj-
international arena. They are aware of
ects, recruiting K-Pop stars from outside
the importance of managing cultural re-
Korea, such as Lalisa Manoban (Thailand)
sources by conducting cultural diplomacy,
and Dita Karang (Indonesia). Korean
as important as political diplomacy.
succession in the entertainment industry
China, for example, has proven to be very good at managing their cultural wealth in positioning itself as the most powerful country in the economic and cultural fields. Japan has long attracted the attention of the world by relying on kosupure
that includes values, lifestyle, social life, systems and traditions, and beliefs, is loved by the global community (koreanization). This also has a positive impact on the fashion, technology, and automotive industries there.
The achievement of these countries is due to implementing the right cultural strategy, which prioritizes culture over political and economic processes. It would be ironic if Indonesia with its cultural gold mine was not able to lift it up to compete in the international arena. The fact that the cultural wealth of the archipelago should be the basic capital in development that has an impact on the welfare of its people. Cultural identity needs to be explored again because this
or cosplay (costume) culture, anime,
India takes advantage of the Bollywood
potential is still not, even far from being
manga, and movies. This country wins the
film industry, a number of activities that
maximized, to be maintained and used
global market competition by synergizing
play an important role in the promotion
as a cultural power. UNESCO has even
traditional wealth and technology well.
of culture, and the position of the diaspo-
long recommended the importance of
ra as an important instrument to support
culture as commander in development processes.
I
90 INDONESIANA VOL. 12, 2021
