Photo Essay: How TikTok Turned Jakarta’s Traders and Buskers Into a New Working Class

TikTok Live singers perform on the street under flyover Kolong PR in Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta on January 17, 2026.
TikTok Live singers perform on the street under flyover Kolong PR in Pondok Bambu, East Jakarta on January 17, 2026. [Photo: Mas Agung Wilis Yudha Baskoro/CGSP]

“Darling, the mahogany denim is on display number six, my love. Please check it out, darling,” Nova shouts energetically. 

She is a TikTok Live host in central Jakarta’s Tanah Abang Block A, standing confidently in front of two smartphones. Dressed in a long, modest gown and hijab, she constantly greets viewers as she paces back and forth, pitching her products online. She explains the advantages of each product, framing them as the latest fashion trends ahead of this year’s Ramadan.

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by Mas Agung Wilis Yudha Baskoro

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