How Asri Is Opening English Up to Everyone

Among the bustle of students at SMK Negeri 1 Wonogiri, Central Java, Asri Hartati appeared at the front gate, greeting us with a warm smile.

A graduate of the English Education program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), Asri works as an English teacher at SMK N 1 Wonogiri. But to many Indonesian internet users, she is better known as a TikTokcontent creator.

Unlike most creators in Indonesia, Asri is one of the few who uses English in all of her content. "I just really love English," she said with a bright smile during an interview in mid-April.

Her name rose to prominence after she began posting on TikTok in 2023. In one of her videos, Asri was spending a quiet late afternoon on a rice field embankment, chatting with her child in English, complete with an accent and pronunciation that sounded distinctly native.

Asri admitted the content started as nothing more than a whim. Her motivation at the time was simple: to practice her English. She never expected it to go viral and capture the attention of viewers across the country. The video amassed up to 19.6 million views.

Many praised Asri for her fluency. "Her accent is so good," wrote one user under the account name Azureee. Another netizen chimed in, "Her speaking is amazing, she sounds like a native."

That simple piece of content opened doors for Asri to reach a wider audience. She was invited to appear on several television programs and was also a guest on Deddy Corbuzier's podcast Close The Door in 2023.

Despite the widespread praise, Asri acknowledged she still receives negative comments on some of her videos. But she does not let it get to her. "Before I decided to share content on social media, I had already prepared myself to face whatever comments came my way," she said with a laugh.

Asri said she used to post two videos a day on TikTok, but a friend advised her to cut back to one. The reason was to avoid TikTok's algorithm flagging her content as spam or a hoax.

She usually filmed footage for two to five upcoming videos on weekends Tambwhich she then publishes the following week. Sometimes she films at home; other times, she shoots with her students at the school.

Asri's style across her content is refreshingly simple. She often talks about the things around her, from local flora and fauna to her surroundings and local traditions, all in English, as if inviting her audience into the quieter rhythms of rural life.

Today, Asri remains active on TikTok, regularly going live to interact with her followers. As of April, her account has grown to more than 340,000 followers and has accumulated 5.3 million likes.

Asri Hartati (right) with her child (left) during an appearance on the Close The Door Podcast with Deddy Corbuzier, June 28, 2023. YouTube: Deddy Corbuzier.

Speaking English was far from common in the area where Asri Hartati grew up. Born in Wonogiri, Central Java, on January 27, 1980, Asri recalled that limited access to information through television and radio made English an unfamiliar language to most people in her community.

One day, she came across her cousin singing a song in English. "Wow, that sounds so beautiful. What language is that?" she asked. That chance encounter sparked what would become a lasting interest in learning the language.

Asri first studied English when she was in junior high school. She admitted it took real effort. Her test scores often sat at three or four out of ten, but that never dampened her enthusiasm. "It did not matter, because I enjoyed it," she said firmly.

As a teenager, Asri already knew she wanted to pursue a degree in English, whether in literature or education. She believed that studying something she genuinely loved would make learning far more enjoyable.

Financial constraints meant she had to delay her studies by a year. In 1999, Asri enrolled in the English Language Education program at UMS.

Her time at UMS turned out to be rich with experience. A highlight was an internship as a tour guide at Prambanan Temple. Over three months, the placement gave her the chance to practice her English with international tourists firsthand.

"I am grateful that my surroundings were full of people who supported my growth," she said.

After graduating, Asri dedicated herself to teaching English at SMK Bhakti Mulia, formerly known as SMA Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia. Since 2026, she has been serving as a government-contracted teacher, known in Indonesia as PPPK, at SMK Negeri 1 Wonogiri.

Asri Hartati at one corner of SMK Negeri 1 Wonogiri. UMS Public Relations/Imam Safii.

Asri acknowledged that there is still a great deal of stigma attached to Indonesians who want to speak English in public. That stigma has even come from those closest to her, within her own family and at school.

"Alah, nggo ngapa lho neng kene? (What's the point of speaking English here?) We talk in Javanese and Indonesian, and that's enough," she said, imitating the mockery she heard. Discouraging remarks have also come from her own students. "Oh no, Miss, all this English is giving me a headache."

Yet the key to language fluency is simply the courage to try. Asri encouraged everyone to be brave enough to speak English, even if a local accent comes through strongly. "If you are comfortable with a Javanese accent, then why not?" she said.

In her view, learning English in today's world is a necessity. The use of gadgets and social media in daily life exposes people to English far more often than before, creating opportunities that did not exist for earlier generations.

Learning English, she said, also meant getting used to English-language sources and reading materials, from books and music to films. It is a method Asri has practiced since she was young to build her vocabulary.

She also wantrf people to stop worrying about grammar. "Grammar errors are what make us human. They are natural," she added.

Asri continued to pass on that encouragement through her content, and the response has been heartening. Many viewers say they have been motivated to take English more seriously.

"During a recent live session, one viewer said thank you because my content motivated them to finally speak English. I just said, I am grateful," she said, wrapping up with a smile.

Writer: Gede Arga Adrian

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva