A mixed method analysis of the kpopification in Anies Baswedan's campaign for 2024 Indonesian Presidential election

This study explores the integration of K-pop fan culture into Anies Baswedan's 2024 Indonesian presidential campaign, termed "Kpopification," and its influence on political engagement. The research aims to understand how this phenomenon affects online and offline political activities, focusing on creativity, knowledge dissemination, communication, and civic empowerment. The study addresses two main questions: the difference in public sentiment on Anies Baswedan before and after the @aniesbubble Twitter account's emergence and the impact of K-popification on political engagement, considering the Political Use of Twitter (PUT), Political Self-efficacy (PSE), Online Political Activities (OnP), and Offline Political Activities (OfP). A mixed-method approach was utilized, combining quantitative inferential analysis using SmartPLS with qualitative network and sentiment analysis via NodeXL. Qualitative method results indicated an initial higher engagement with more vertices and edges before @aniesbubble, while post-@aniesbubble, the network showed higher graph density and more connected components, suggesting increased interactions and a more focused network. Sentiment analysis revealed predominantly negative sentiment in both periods, with a slight improvement post-@aniesbubble, driven by supporter-driven hashtags like #aforevery1 and #aniesfinalstage. Quantitative method results indicated Political Self-Efficacy (PSE) and Political Use of Twitter (PUT) influence Offline Political Campaigns (OfP) through Online Political Activities (OnP), highlighting the importance of engagement over mere activity. Furthermore, active communication and meaningful engagement (OnP) are crucial for enhancing offline political activities (OfP). This study underscores the potential of integrating popular culture into political campaigns to mobilize youth and enhance political participation. Future research should examine the long-term impacts and effectiveness of such strategies in various cultural and political contexts to provide further insights into the evolving role of social media and popular culture in politics. Keywords: Kpopification, Network Analysis, Online Political Activism, Political Campaigning, Political Participation.