Knowing Cancel Culture, Abidzar Controversy Is Associated With The Quietness Of Proposal Business Film Spectators

The Indonesian version of the remake A Business Proposal film is empty of spectators (Photo: Instagram/@falconpictures_)

JAKARTA - Indonesia's version of the remake A Business Proposal will hit theaters on February 6, 2025. Unfortunately, the premiere was quiet. This situation is thought to have occurred due to calls for cancel culture which were widely discussed on social media, before the film was officially released.

This controversy stems from the statement of one of the main characters, Abidzar Al-Ghifari, in a film promotional session. In the interview, Abidzar admitted that he only watched one episode of the original version of the Business Proposal before playing a role in the Indonesian remake.

This statement immediately drew negative reactions from the public, especially fans of Korean dramas who felt that a major actor should have studied the characters he played by watching the whole series.

The wave of criticism grew even bigger after Abidzar made another statement that made a scene. He said he didn't need Korean drama fans to watch the film. He called Korean drama fans a fanatical fan.

This statement is considered to underestimate K-Drama fans who have a big influence in the entertainment industry. As a result, many fans have called for boycotts of this film through various social media platforms.

What is cancel culture?

Reported by VOI from The New York Post page on Saturday, February 8, cancel culture is a phenomenon in the form of an invitation to reject someone, brands, TV shows to films, because statements or ideologies are deemed inappropriate.

Dr. Jill McCorkel, Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Villanova University, told The Post that the roots of cancel culture actually existed throughout human history. According to her, society has long punished someone who acts outside social norms, and this is just a new form of the pattern.

"Cancel culture is an extension or contemporary evolution of a series of more daring social processes in the form of evictions. It is designed to strengthen existing norms," he said.

Cancel culture is a phenomenon that has drawn many debates in various circles. Differences of opinion arise about whether cancel culture is a way to hold someone accountable for his actions or words, a form of social punishment, or a combination of both.

Based on notes in the Journal of Communication and the Public, cancel culture is closely related to the concept put forward by philosopher J\"urgen Habermas. This concept states that public discourse is often in the elite realm, both online and offline, and has a major influence on public opinion.

The cancel culture trend first appeared on the blog platform Tumblr in 2010, especially through the Your Fave Is Problematic blog. This blog is a platform for fans to discuss various reasons why their idols are considered problematic and imperfect.

Over time, the term cancel culture developed and began to be used in various media, from television to social media platforms such as Twitter, which have now changed to X.

In 2018, the term cancel culture became increasingly popular and was widely applied to celebrities and public figures. Several well-known figures such as Taylor Swift and Kanye West have experienced this phenomenon in the course of their careers. In addition, influencers to television programs did not escape the waves of cancel culture when deemed to have taken controversial actions or statements.

Cancel culture cannot be separated from criticism, one of which comes from former President of the United States, Barack Obama. In an interview on youth activism, Obama stated that cancel culture is not an effective form of activism. He argues that only criticizing or judging someone without further action will not result in concrete changes.

"Cancel culture is not activism. It doesn't bring change. If all you do is throw stones, you probably won't get that far. It's easy to do." Obama said.

In Indonesia, cancel culture initially lacked attention due to a tendency to understand the mistakes of public figures. However, in recent years, this practice has begun to be implemented in various cases. One of the examples that has surfaced is related to actor Abidzar, who is suspected of experiencing the impact of cancel culture to the Indonesian version of the A Business Proposal film, which is empty of spectators.