Market Pulse

The ludicrous economics of Pokémon cards in Indonesia

How did pieces of cardboard go from childhood collectibles to billion-rupiah commodities?

Arts

The storied past of wayang in Indonesia’s currency

Nearly a century ago, Indonesia’s banknotes featured gods, heroes and demon kings from the world of wayang. Their story reveals how culture can shape our relationship with money.

Table Setting

What does an Italian summer taste like?

At AWkitchen Pasta House, Chef Toru Yomoda’s seasonal lineup is built almost entirely around beef, handled the way classic Italian kitchens always have.

Market Pulse

Running over the mountain, through the night

Trail running used to be a niche pursuit for hardcore enthusiasts. Now thousands of Indonesians are signing up to run through jungles and up mountains for 45 hours straight. We went looking for the reason why.

Market Pulse

A small industry built on the blank page problem

Indonesia’s guided journal industry is small, indie and reaching people across the archipelago and beyond.

Wealth

Making it work: What it costs to be single in Jakarta

Wages haven't kept up, the middle class is shrinking and the city gets more expensive every year. Three young Jakartans in their mid-20s explain how they've made it work anyway.

Work It Right

When the side gig was supposed to be the fun part

At first, it was just for fun; then came the pressure to monetize and optimize.

Currently Obsessed

'The Drama' will make you squirm. Watch it anyway.

The dark comedy makes you laugh just as much as it makes you wince.

Arts

Why this unusual exhibit on waste really wasn’t about waste

At Erasmus Huis, a cross-cultural exhibition asks Indonesians to rethink their relationship with waste, starting at home.

Currently Obsessed

Two girls, two worlds, but one message from Indonesian cinema

One grew up in 1960s Surabaya, the other was born on Mars; both have something to teach us about facing an uncertain world with open arms.