By Tommy Ardiansyah and Ajeng Dinar UlfianaJAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian presidential candidate Anies Baswedan's young supporters are borrowing elements from their favourite music genre K-pop to boost his popularity, swapping photocards and light sticks decorated with his face before the Feb. 14 poll.
"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 plastered with his image.
K-pop inspired political rallies have become more common as the South Korean music genre sweeps the globe.
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 organiser Muhammad Rasyid Al Kautsar said he believes the cultural phenomenon can help rally supporters.
Persons:
Tommy Ardiansyah, Anies, Prabowo Subianto, Ganjar Pranowo, Hera Putri Haris, Muhammad Rasyid Al Kautsar, Stanley Widianto, Kanupriya Kapoor, Miral
Organizations:
Ulfiana, Defence, Central Java
Locations:
Ulfiana JAKARTA, Korean, Thailand's, United States