WakuWaku Japan Live Music Festival

WakuWaku Japan channel by Sky Perfect TV will be launched in Indonesia on February 22^nd 2014. The television channel itself is a 24-hour broadcasting about Japan and its culture with subtitle/dubbed in Indonesian language. The channel can be seen on Indovision and Okevision (MNC group) satellite broadcasting service.

This is to answer the demand of Japanese contents that have high number of loyal young fans in Indonesia. The channel will have variety of very interesting programs that will give different and unique experience for local viewers.

The term “WakuWaku” in Japanese means the feeling of excitement, pleasing, thrilling of something good that about to happen.

To promote the channel, WakuWaku Japan will release their first commercial on national terrestrial television stations. The commercial will use JKT48 that acts as a bridge between Indonesia and Japan, as the channel supporter. The commercial will be aired on February 19^th, 3 days before the channel launch.

The print ad version can already be seen on several medium, featuring 8 members of JKT48 (Haruka, Melody, Naomi, Yona, Ayana, Ghaida, Yupi, and Viny) wearing costumes that represent the channel’s programs.

On Saturday, February 15^th 2014, WakuWaku held a live music event featuring performances by artists representing both Japan and Indonesia : Flumpool (from Japan), JKT48, Afgan, and Bunga Citra Lestari.

The live music festival was started with JKT48 performing the song “Manatsu no Sounds Good”, “Ponytail to Shu-shu”, and “RIVER”. The whole event was hosted by Sophie Navita and Haruka Nakagawa. It was interesting seeing Haruka doing MC on the stage, with her funny accent and her so-far-so-good-but-sometimes-not-clear Indonesian language. Sophie, long time senior MC, was actually having fun with Haruka on the stage.

The show was then continued with Afgan’s performance and later, Bunga Citra Lestari’s. With too many JKT48 fans inside the venue, especially those standing on the front, even several Afgan’s songs were accompanied by the usual chants and member call that usually can be heard during JKT48’s performances. It was really funny though.

Flumpool appeared afterwards. This Japanese pop rock band really rocked the stage. The band’s vocalist, who’s quiet fluent speaking in English, also greeted and said several words in Indonesian. After the show, the group was interviewed by Sophie and Haruka. Haruka even acted as translator, since aside of Flumpool’s vocalist, they can’t speak English at all.

The event was then closed with JKT48’s final performance with their new song, “Flying Get” and their previous single, “Koisoru Fortune Cookie.” The group wore their new green and black ishou (dress costume). The performers are: Melody, Nabilah, Shania, Veranda, Haruka, Kinal, Ghaida, Jeje, Ayana, Sendy, Dhike, Cindvia, Viny, Naomi, Yona, and Acha.

It is still unclear whether “Flying Get” will become JKT48’s next Side A single or not.