POWER CONFLICTS OF BUNDA CORLA INSTAGRAM LIVE RECORDED IN TIKTOK

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the use of power conflicts by Bunda Corla as an influential person on social
media: Instagram and TikTok. Instagram, TikTok, and Bunda Corla are very popular in cyberspace
nowadays. Corla, an Indonesian citizen living in Germany, is referred to as the Mother of the Nation.
Mother Corla (Bunda Corla), whose full name is Cynthia Corla Pricillia, is 48 years old, born in July 4,
1974, are also popular as “Ratu Jreng”. The figure of Bunda Corla became a public concern after her name
suddenly went viral on social media. Bunda Corla became a new phenomenon in Indonesia with her live
actions which were watched by hundreds of thousands of people, including by verified accounts. In order
to look for power conflicts of Bunda Corla in Instagram and TikTok, the researchers applied descriptive
qualitative research design. Data are in the form of conversations, collected from video recordings based
on the sequence and context of the conversation. The results show that the type of power conflict is the
buildup of parasocial relationships. Today, relationships are built not only through real face-to-face
interactions. Relationship can be formed in a virtual relationship known as a parasocial relationship
(Horton & Wohl, 1956). The function of power conflicts found in data sources includes interactions that
are built through cyberspace with followers that can be well established, without any coercion. Findings
from this study are worthwhile of discussion since those are the facts found in sociolinguistic relations.
Findings are also beneficial in the study of social media which, as far as it is concerned, is very influential
in today’s society.