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This study aims to analyze the religious and spiritual symbols represented in the film Titip Surat untuk Tuhan through Roland Barthes’ semiotic approach, focusing on the three levels of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. The research employs a qualitative descriptive method using semiotic analysis based on document studies of selected scenes, dialogues, and visual elements portraying religious values, prayer, sacrifice, patience, hope, gratitude, and trust in God. The findings reveal that symbols such as the mosque, mukena, sarong, prayer mat, the Qur’an, prayer activities, the post office as a medium for sending letters to God, and the calligraphy of “Allah” and “Prophet Muhammad” on the walls function not only as literal signs but also convey profound religious and spiritual connotations. These symbols further develop into myths that reinforce religious norms and cultural beliefs accepted as natural within society. The film successfully constructs a subtle yet powerful representation of faith by portraying a Muslim family that upholds devotion, moral values, patience, compassion, and an enduring relationship with God. Overall, the film demonstrates how religious symbols effectively communicate spiritual messages while strengthening viewers’ understanding of Islamic values through visual and narrative storytelling.

This study aims to analyze the representation of healthy lifestyle ideology in government digital campaigns through the Instagram content of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia (@kemenpora). The rapid development of social media as a medium for public communication has encouraged government institutions to utilize digital platforms to deliver policy messages in a more persuasive, visual, and interactive manner. In this context, social media content functions not only as a source of information, but also as a space  for the production of meaning and ideology that shapes public understanding of health and lifestyle. This research employs a qualitative approach using Kress and van Leeuwen’s multimodal semiotic analysis, which includes three metafunctions of meaning: representational, interactive, and compositional. The analysis is further enriched by Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework at the levels of denotation, connotation, and myth to uncover the deeper ideological meanings embedded within the campaign visuals. The findings reveal that @kemenpora’s visual content constructs a dichotomy between unhealthy food consumption and physical activity as opposing lifestyle choices. At the mythological level, the campaign reproduces the ideology of healthism, which positions health as solely an individual responsibility while obscuring the social and structural dimensions influencing public health conditions. This study concludes that government digital campaigns function not only as instruments of public education, but also as strategic communication tools that construct healthy lifestyle ideology within the digital sphere.

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally transformed digital marketing communication, while emerging as a strategic instrument in public relations practices of global corporations. This study aims to examine the construction of meaning around artificial intelligence as a financial solution within the cultural context of Lebaran, while analyzing the PR communication strategy employed by Google Indonesia in building persuasive messages for its public on digital platforms. The research object is a video advertisement posted on the official Instagram account @googleindonesia on March 7, 2025, promoting the Gemini Canvas feature for managing Tunjangan Hari Raya (THR) budgets. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with an interpretive paradigm, integrating two complementary analytical perspectives: first, Roland Barthes three-level semiotic analysis — denotation, connotation, and myth — to deconstruct meaning constructed through visual, verbal, and auditory signs in the advertisement; second, the PR communication strategy framework from Smith (2021) to identify how the choices of mascot, emotional message, and cultural appeal represent strategically planned communication decisions by Google Indonesia. The findings reveal that Google Indonesia constructs Gemini Canvas as an empathetic and culturally aware entity through three key elements: anthropomorphic symbolism in the form of a bespectacled cat functioning as brand mascot, local cultural markers of ketupat and THR, and Arabic-nuanced music that aurally reinforces the Lebaran atmosphere — all representing deliberate strategic PR decisions. From Smith’s (2021) perspective, the advertisement applies a proactive communication strategy combining negative emotional appeal — financial anxiety ahead of THR — immediately followed by positive emotional appeal as a concrete solution through Gemini Canvas, representing a structured form of public perception shaping. At the myth level, the advertisement normalizes reliance on digital platforms through systematic cultural localization. This study contributes to understanding AI-based digital marketing communication strategies and the shaping of public perception on AI technology by global corporations in the Indonesian market.  

This study analyzes signs and symbols in Katherine Mansfield’s short story “The Doll’s House” (1922) using Charles Sanders Peirce’s semiotic approach. The study is descriptive qualitative in nature, employing data collection techniques such as close reading and note-taking. The analysis was conducted by classifying signs based on Peirce’s theory, icons, index, and symbols, through the triadic model (representamen, object, interpretant). The results of the analysis indicate that the doll’s house functions as both an icon and a symbol of social status and the false luxury of the upper class. Elements such as the smell of paint and the appearance of the Kelvey sisters serve as indices of social inequality. Meanwhile, the small lamp is the strongest symbol representing hope, warmth, and the possibility of transcending social class boundaries. Through this short story, Mansfield critiques class prejudices learned from childhood while conveying a message of empathy across social classes.

The phenomenon of emotional healing has become increasingly prominent in popular culture as the younger generation experiences increasing loss, emotional exhaustion, and numbness. Popular music serves as a medium of expression, representing these emotional dynamics through poetic language and symbolic structures. This study aims to analyze the emotional representation of healing in Umay Shahab's song "Perayaan Mati Rasa" using Roland Barthes's semiotic approach. The research method used is descriptive qualitative, analyzing three layers of meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth, through breaking down the lyrics into several lexicons and reading signs. The results show that (1) denotatively, the lyrics construct an emotional arc from inner tension to self-contemplation; (2) connotatively, the use of diction and imagery represents vulnerability, resilience, and emotional reflection; and (3) at the mythical level, the song constructs release as a form of emotional maturity and loss as a process of identity formation. Thus, this song functions as a cultural representation in interpreting the process of emotional healing in popular culture.

Penelitian ini mengkaji tentang Analisis Semiotika Roland Barthes pada Tingkuluak patiak di Nagari Cupak. Latar belakang berlandaskan pada pentingnya pelestarian nilai budaya Minangkabau yang muncul dalam pakaian adat tradisional yakni tingkuluak patiak ditinjau dari segi bentuk, bahan, warna, dan motif sebagai simbol identitas perempuan khususnya bundo kanduang. Tujuannya adalah untuk mengungkap makna denotasi, konotasi, dan mitos yang terkandung serta menjelaskan fungsi simboliknya dalam prosesi pernikahan di Nagari Cupak. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode pendekatan kualitatif yang bersifat deskriptif dengan teknik pengumpulan data melalui pengamatan, wawancara, disertai dengan catatan lapangan terkait tingkuluak patiak. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa denotasi dari tingkuluak patiak merupakan penutup kepala yang digunakan oleh perempuan memiliki bentuk seperti kipas dengan lima lipatan mengembang di sisi kanan dan kiri terbuat dari kain lame kemudian diberi kanji agar tampak kokoh. Secara konotasi berdasarkan pada bentuk lipatan yang ada di tingkuluak patiak mencerminkan simbol identitas masyarakat dengan adanya lima suku yang mendiami wilayah Nagari Cupak. Mitosnya, tingkuluak patiak dimaknai sebagai ideologi yang hidup dalam masyarakat dengan adanya penghormatan terhadap leluhur yang dianggap oleh masyarakat setempat. Tingkuluak patiak digunakan hanya saat menjalani prosesi pernikahan yang berfungsi sebagai penanda status dan kehormatan serta menegaskan peran bagi mande rubiah dan bundo kanduang di Nagari Cupak.

This study is motivated by the limited public understanding of the symbolic meaning of properties used in the Grombyang Dance of Pemalang, where most audiences merely enjoy the performance without recognizing the cultural values embedded within it. This research aims to examine and explain the symbolic meanings of the properties used in the Grombyang Dance of Pemalang as performed at Sanggar Seni Kaloka Pemalang. The method employed is a descriptive qualitative approach using semiotic analysis based on Charles Sanders Peirce, with data collection techniques including observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study indicate that the performance structure of the Grombyang Dance of Pemalang consists of three main parts: the opening, the core, and the closing, supported by various elements such as theme, movement, performers, makeup, costume, musical accompaniment, stage setting, and properties. The semiotic analysis reveals that the symbolic meaning of the properties can be understood through the relationship between representamen, object, and interpretant. The main property, the irus (ladle), functions as a symbol that not only represents the act of scooping Grombyang soup but also carries a belief-related meaning as a bringer of fortune in trading activities. In conclusion, the properties in the Grombyang Dance of Pemalang serve not only as aesthetic elements but also as a medium of symbolic communication that reflects cultural, social, and belief values within the community. Therefore, they are important to be preserved and more deeply understood by the public.

Traditional artworks, amidst the tide of modernization and digitalization, face the challenge of being stigmatized as static relics of the past. However, in the midst of increasingly modern civilization, traditional artworks are perceived to possess philosophical values ​​for the younger generation. The meanings contained in traditional songs possess a social perspective lacking in most traditional songs composed in the modern era. The purpose of this article is to examine the lyrics of Ki Nartosabdo's song "Lumbung Desa" philosophically and sociologically, applying Roland Barthes's semiotic theory. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive approach to analyze semiotics, comprising the significance of denotation, connotation, and myth.The analysis shows that the denotation in the lyrics of "Lumbung Desa" depicts agricultural activities occurring in rural communities. Connotatively, the lyrics interpret the values ​​of human spirituality towards God, integrity in work, and food self-sufficiency. From a mythical perspective, the lyrics symbolize the values ​​of harmony in social life and mutual cooperation as a solid foundation for building national stability and progress. Further analysis of the song lyrics' relevance in the modern era shows that the meaning of "Lumbung" has transformed into financial and digital independence, while the value of "Rukun" points to the application of ethics in the use of digital media in the modern era. This article concludes that preserving traditional songs is a strategy to revive culture as a manifestation of material progress that impacts the well-being of modern society.

This study aims to analyze the symbolic meaning in the modern poem “Lentera di Dalam Hujan” using a semiotic approach. This approach is employed to reveal the relationship between signs, symbols, and meanings that represent emotional experiences and reflections on life contained in the poem. The method used in this research is a descriptive qualitative method, with the data source being the text of the poem analyzed through the stages of identifying signs, interpreting symbols, and drawing meanings based on semiotic theory. The results indicate that the symbol of the lantern represents hope and inner light, while rain symbolizes sadness, obstacles, and the dynamics of life. Through the relationship between these two symbols, the poem portrays human resilience in maintaining hope amid difficult situations. This study is expected to enrich literary studies, particularly in understanding modern poetry through a semiotic perspective.

This study aims to analyze the cultural meaning of social drinking displayed in South Korean films on Netflix in 2024 through the perspective of Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic theory. Social drinking, as a cultural phenomenon, is not only a social habit in South Korea but is also often used as a narrative element in films to convey cultural values, social dynamics, and interpersonal relationships. Qualitative research methods with a semiotic analysis approach are used to explore the meaning displayed on the representamen, object, and interpretant sides of social drinking in the films Badland Hunters, Officer Black Belt, Mission: Cross, Wonderland, and My Name is Loh Kiwan. The results of the study show that social drinking represents the culture of togetherness of South Korean society that is woven into various contexts, such as work relationships, family, and friendships. In terms of representamen, visual signs in the form of symbols of drinking culture such as soju, banquet tables, and the movement of pouring drinks to each other create a strong picture of togetherness. From the object side, social drinking becomes a medium to highlight solidarity and release social pressure, especially in a hierarchical and competitive work culture. The resulting interpretation shows a dualism of meaning: on the one hand, it strengthens harmony and the value of togetherness, while on the other hand it displays the dark side of this culture, such as excess consumption and its influence on social pressure. This study provides new insights into the role of South Korean films as a medium for conveying global cultural messages, which are able to influence local cultural interpretations outside their country of origin. In addition, this study is expected to enrich the literature on semiotics in visual communication studies with a focus on drinking culture as an element of representation.

Film is a communication medium capable of conveying moral messages to the public through a series of moving images, usually accompanied by sound. One such medium is the short film. "The waiting room" by Galih Firdaus, a production of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) released in April 2024 and received positive acclaim for its engaging plot and relevance to the audience's reality. This study aims to analyze the moral message in the film using Charles Sanders Pierce's semiotic theory, which emphasizes three main elements: Representation, Object, and Interpretant. The study used a descriptive qualitative approach with a content analysis method to uncover the moral meanings behind the film's scenes. The results found 15 scenes that explicitly convey moral values, including the importance of open communication within the family, the meaning of simple kindness, valuing togetherness, the commitment of true love, a mother's fortitude, loyalty in waiting, and sincere care. The moral message is constructed through Representation (physical signs such as a bowl of soto), Object (the reality conveyed, such as an apology), and Interpretant (the audience's understanding that the soto symbolizes improving relationships). In conclusion, the film "The waiting room" successfully conveys a strong moral message through a neatly structured narrative.

This study aims to analyze the meaning of interfaith marriage in the film Komang using Ferdinand de Saussure's semiotic theory. This theory emphasizes the relationship between signifier and signified as well as the concepts of langue and parole to explain the interaction between social systems and individual expression. The results of the analysis show that the visual, verbal, and symbolic signs in the film represent the clash between love and belief. Scenes such as the initial meeting at a cultural festival, family rejection, and symbolic marriage become a form of negotiation between social values and personal freedom. This film affirms that interfaith marriage in Indonesia can only be accepted through compromise with the religious norms of the majority, but still presents a message of tolerance through symbols of cultural harmony. Therefore, the film Komang is not just a romantic narrative, but a social reflection on the relationship between religion, culture, and love in a pluralistic society.