Jakarta, 12 August 2025 — Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar highlighted the potential of pop culture to accelerate the creative economy ecosystem. The roots of pop culture, which often emerge from hobbies and community formation, were noted by Deputy Minister Irene as requiring government support to strengthen the role of the creative economy as the new engine of growth for Indonesia.
Wakil Menteri Ekonomi Kreatif, Irene Umar, saat hadir sebagai tamu istimewa di podcast Sunny Gow, Jakarta, Selasa (12/08/2025)
“These communities are much more than hobbies; they are vital stakeholders in the creative economy ecosystem. From passionate hobbies, professions emerge, and from communities, promising creative industries grow. The energy of fandom is a primary driving force that we must maximize to accelerate national creative economy growth,” said Deputy Minister Irene at One Piece Cafe, Jakarta, on Tuesday, 12 August 2025.
Deputy Minister Irene made these remarks as a special guest on the Sunny Gow podcast with content creator Arya Novrianus. In the episode titled ‘Ternyata Kamu Wibu,’ she explained how pop culture communities, from anime and cosplay to Japanese culture fandoms, have become a new force accelerating cross-sector collaboration.
The Ministry of Ekraf employs a two-layer strategy to manage fandom potential. First, downstreaming consumption so that the entire value chain benefits local creators and actors. Second, translating global IP success blueprints into local IPs with strong and authentic narratives.
Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“We must not only be a market; we must be a key player on the global stage,” Deputy Minister Irene said.
Moreover, the Ministry actively supports various events, from international-scale Comic Con to community initiatives in regions through the GEN MATIC program, which identifies and develops pop culture hubs across Indonesia. All support is carried out through cross-sector and cross-border collaboration, connecting local creators with global partners, industry actors, and regulators to build a healthy ecosystem from upstream to downstream.
Regarding the dream of producing a globally recognized ‘Indonesian anime,’ Deputy Minister Irene emphasized the importance of strengthening local creator capacity and affirmed full support for pop culture communities.
“Indonesia is rich with extraordinary stories. Our challenge is to package them into scalable IPs with global appeal. I am confident that within a few years, we will have an Indonesian ‘One Piece’ deeply rooted in our culture,” said Deputy Minister Irene.
Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“Without their enthusiasm, no event would be lively. Without their loyalty, there is no market for merchandise. The government is present not to dampen the spirit, but to build a bigger and sustainable stage for creators and fans,” she added.
Responding to the viral raising of One Piece flags across regions, Deputy Minister Irene views it as a positive cultural phenomenon and valuable momentum. She emphasized that it should not be immediately associated with rebellion.
“This is not a problem but a golden opportunity from a creative economy perspective. This energy is an asset that must be directed constructively and productively. Connecting manga flags with rebellion is an exaggeration. It is a form of fandom expression, similar to football fans displaying their favorite team’s flag,” explained Deputy Minister Irene.
Communication Bureau of the Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency.
“Do not be surprised if on 17 August celebrations, characters like Si Juki, Tahilalats, or Jumbo will join the festivities. We will combine the spirit of the ‘Straw Hat Crew’ with original Indonesian characters in an inspiring collaboration,” she continued.
At the end of the session, Deputy Minister Irene emphasized that the government’s major challenge is to create a national narrative as powerful as the story of One Piece. “Young generations know every member of the Straw Hat Crew because each character has clear dreams and a strong story. Challenge accepted! We must make Indonesia’s narrative the most exciting ‘manga’ that all citizens want to follow, to achieve a more advanced and globally competitive Indonesia,” concluded Deputy Minister Irene.
The full episode will be available on the Ternyata Kamu Wibu YouTube channel in the Sunny Gow Podcast series.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Bureau for Communication
Ministry of Creative Economy
