When I think about shaping the vision of YouthFULL Tomorrow, some of words comes to mind, like fear, fascination, knowledge, technology, unity, sustainability, culture, wisdom, and hope.

In my creative process, I expressed complex emotions and modern realities like fear, fascination, knowledge, technology, and wisdom through video content.

Meanwhile, concepts rooted in connection and longevity, such as unity, sustainability, culture, and hope, found their natural home in photo and image-style posts, which include three things to do to shape the YouthFULL Tomorrow at the individual, regional, and global levels.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, the Mission of the Republic of Korea to ASEAN announced the three grand prize winners of the Your-K Your-ASEAN 2026 contest through its official Instagram account, @rokmissiontoasean.

This annual event, held from June 22 to July 29, 2026, was organized to strengthen friendship between Korea and ASEAN member countries, encouraging people from both regions to express the spirit of togetherness through creative works.

After previously joining the contest in 2023 with a K-pop cover song, this year I was motivated to participate again by presenting an original song and music video titled Side by Side (Korea and ASEAN).

When my work was announced as one of the grand prize winners, the achievement felt truly special because it gave me a valuable experience, showing that opportunities are always open for anyone who keeps trying to create.

Traveling to a country feels incomplete if we don’t explore the vibrant festivals that shape its culture. Festivals are not only about celebration, but they are windows into traditions, beliefs, and community spirit. While this article won’t cover every festival in the region (of course), here are six fascinating events from Korea and some of ASEAN countries that you should definitely know about.

Haman Nakhwa Nori Festival (Korea)

If you’ve watched the drama Perfect Crown starring IU and Byeon Wooseok, you might recall a breathtaking scene in episode 1 where glowing sparks cascade over water. That spectacle is none other than Nakhwa Nori, a traditional Korean firework ritual dating back over 400 years.

Photo by MBC | Source (1) Perfect Crown

August is a month filled with meaning for both Korea and the ASEAN region. It is not only about summer festivals, but also about national pride, cultural heritage, and shared milestones. This month brings together commemorations that highlight freedom, unity, and identity.

ASEAN and ROK Maps

On March 12, 2026, while attending the ASEAN-Korea Influencers Night, I recalled a memorable question posed when we have a casual networking session at that time. The question is about why Indonesian cinemas seem to be filled with horror films.

Stressful social media illustration generated by artificial intelligent.

It was hard being a user of social media. Especially these days.

On 11th August, i visited a painting exhibition of an Indonesian well-known artist, Hendra Gunawan. It was actually an un-planned visit. I happened to have to join other events at Ciputra Artpreneur Theater where the exhibition held. The visit is my first time to see a local contemporary arts, and this is a nice experience for me.

 
ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) merupakan perhimpunan bangsa-bangsa di kawasan Asia Tenggara yang dibentuk pada 8 Agustus 1967, dan saat ini beranggotakan 10 negara, yakni Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapura, Brunei, Kamboja, Laos, Myanmar, Filipina, Thailand, dan Vietnam.

Pada tanggal 27 September 2022, aku menghadiri pertunjukkan non-verbal dari Korea, yakni BIBAP Chef di Jakarta. Pertunjukkan tersebut adalah salah satu rangkaian acara Korea Festival 2022 yang diadakan oleh Korean Cultural Center (KCC) Indonesia.

Pertunjukkan kali ini bukanlah pertunjukkan pertama yang disuguhkan oleh BIBAP Chef di Indonesia. Namun, pertunjukkan kemarin meninggalkan kesan yang sangat unik dan menghibur untukku yang baru pertama kali menontonnya. Dan tahun ini, pertunjukkan BIBAP Chef menyuguhkan a new brand performances yang katanya berbeda dari tahun sebelumnya.

Acara berlangsung secara offline dari jam 19.00 WIB yang dilaksanakan di ICE Palace, Lotte Shopping Avenue, Jakarta. Dengan mengisi form pendaftaran yang ada pada website KCC Indonesia, dengan kuota terbatas, para peminat budaya Korea bisa menikmati pertunjukkan ini secara gratis.

Poster BIBAP Chef, ICE Palace oleh Maulia Resta

Saat itu, pengambilan tiket pertunjukkan dibuka pukul 17.30 WIB, tetapi aku yang baru saja menyelesaikan jadwal Kelas Translasi Bahasa Korea sudah sampai di lokasi beberapa jam sebelum loket dibuka. Alhasil, aku dapat memfoto poster BIBAP Chef yang belum dikerumuni pengunjung.