Praxeology in the Mosh Pit: Event Promotion and Global Networks in the Indonesian-Korean Metal Scene, 2017-2025

This article explores the Indonesian-Korean metal music scene (2017-2025), using ethnography and quantitative analysis informed by praxeological theory. It focuses on how individuals in loosely structured networks strategically deploy trust, reciprocity, and resources to facilitate sustained cross-border collaborations. Drawing on eight years of participant observation, the study foregrounds key cultural brokers such as Jae Ho “Thumbo” Lee—founder of Korea’s sole surviving metal booking agency—and Indonesian promoter Stephanus Adjie, organizer of Rock In Solo, one of Indonesia’s largest annual metal festivals. Austrian economic concepts, particularly Mises’s purposeful action, Böhm-Bawerk’s time preference, and Hayek’s spontaneous order, illuminate the practical decisions and logistical investments underlying successful international tours. Case studies of Indonesian bands Deadsquad and Down For Life performing in Seoul, and the Korean band Dark Mirror ov Tragedy playing at Rock In Solo, illustrate how decentralized collaboration thrives without formal institutional control. The resulting model provides a mathematical formula designed to calculate event expenses and predict profitability, facilitating strategic planning and maximizing the effectiveness of global cultural exchanges.