[Indonesia Hallyu③] Koreatown to Open in Jakarta

Northern Pantai Indah Kapuk Beach Developed as Korean Culture Experience Center
Antoni Salim Chairman "From Concert Hall Setup... Very Interested in Korean Culture"

In Pantai Indah Kapuk, North Jakarta, there is a Chinatown. It is not a concentrated residential area for Chinese people. It is a tourist destination where Chinese culture and cuisine converge. Visitors can enjoy various dishes while watching performances such as Gojeng music, Chinese lion dance, and Tai Chi demonstrations. The spectacular scenery was created in November 2000 by the Salim Group and Agung Sedayu Group. As part of the 'New Township' project, an Islamic financial center is also under construction nearby.

The next project is Koreatown. Pantai Indah Kapuk beach will be developed into a Korean cultural experience center. There is ample capacity for this. The Salim Group is a leading Indonesian company owning subsidiaries across various industries including food (Indofood), distribution (Indomaret), and automobiles (Indomobil). Its core businesses are real estate and leisure development. It owns numerous properties including the largest local shopping mall, Grand Indonesia, as well as hotels, resorts, and golf courses.

The background of Chinatown’s construction involves the Chinese community that has existed since the Dutch colonial era. Locally, they are called 'Tionghoa' or 'China.' Although they make up only 4% of the total population, they control about 80% of the economic power. Antoni Salim, chairman of the Salim Group, is also of Chinese descent. His father, Sudono Salim (1916?2012), was born in Fujian Province, China, and settled in Jakarta in 1952. His mother, Li Las Nio (1921?2015), was a Chinese born locally.

Interest in Korea is much more commercial than Chinatown. They aim to target the younger generation by riding the wave of the rising popularity of K-content. On the 5th, Chairman Salim openly shared his intentions at the 'K-Broadcasting Showcase in Indonesia.' Meeting with representatives from domestic content companies such as KBS, MBC, EBS, SLL, CJ ENM, and Iconix, he said, "We are very interested in investing in K-content."

The most notable area is undoubtedly K-pop. He revealed plans for building Koreatown, saying, "We are thinking of building a concert hall first. We plan to create a space that can accommodate live performances as well as outdoor activities." He added, "This conclusion was reached after thoroughly researching internal demand," and "Most Indonesians are very interested in Korean culture, including content, food, and beauty."

The Salim Group has already enjoyed considerable success through K-content. Indosiar, a terrestrial broadcaster operated until 2011 before transferring ownership to Elang Mahkota Teknologi, is a representative example. It aired dramas such as 'Autumn in My Heart (2000),' 'Dae Jang Geum (2003?2004),' 'Temptation of Wife (2008?2009),' 'Boys Over Flowers (2009),' and 'Secret Garden (2010?2011),' attracting many viewers. Recently, it mainly sponsors K-pop performances. On the 3rd and 4th, the 'Head in the Clouds' event held at Jakarta Community Park featured GOT7’s Jackson, (G)I-DLE, BIBI, and Chungha.

The Salim Group also has a strong interest in producing K-content. Chairman Salim said, "I prefer investing in production companies rather than content or programs," and "Recently, we acquired shares in Video, a popular Indonesian online video service (OTT)." Axton Salim, director of Indofood and his son, also attended the 'Korea 360' opening ceremony on the 3rd, stating, "We are considering various forms of cooperation and investment."