Hubungi Agen Gue (2023) Review: Jakarta's Call My Agent

Is Hubungi Agen Gue worth watching?

Mostly yes. Hubungi Agen Gue is a sharp, good-looking comedy about the people who manage celebrities, and it proves the Call My Agent formula can travel because Indonesian stardom comes with its own specific brand of chaos. It is at its best when it lets Jakarta’s show-business culture, with its gossip, image management and family pressures, drive the jokes. The reservation is that it follows its French model closely, so viewers who know the original will find some plots familiar, and not every episode lands with the same bite.

What is Hubungi Agen Gue about?

The series is set inside a Jakarta talent agency whose agents spend their days juggling celebrity egos, containing scandals and trying to keep their clients working, while their own personal lives quietly fall apart. The humour comes from the gap between the polished image the stars present to the public and the panic, bargaining and improvisation required behind the scenes to keep that image intact.

Hubungi Agen Gue is an Indonesian series in Indonesian, created by Nia Dinata and Lucky Kuswandi as a local adaptation of the French hit Call My Agent. Lydia Kandou, Donny Damara, Hannah Al Rashid and Yoga Pratama lead the cast, with Luna Maya also among the credits. This review covers the complete series: one season of eight episodes, released in 2023.

A French farce, translated with care

Adapting a format this beloved is a risk, and the series handles it thoughtfully. Rather than simply transposing Parisian situations, it finds Indonesian equivalents: the pressures of family and reputation, the influence of infotainment and social media, the particular hierarchies of a film and television industry where a single controversy can derail a career. The satire is affectionate rather than savage, poking fun at vanity and absurdity while clearly loving the business it depicts.

Nia Dinata and Lucky Kuswandi bring a filmmaker’s eye to the material. The production is polished, with a confident, fast-paced style that keeps the office scenes lively and gives Jakarta a glamorous, slightly frantic energy.

An ensemble with star power

The cast is the show’s big draw. Indonesian audiences will recognise many familiar faces, and part of the fun lies in watching well-known performers poke fun at the industry that made them. Lydia Kandou, a screen veteran, is a strong presence, and Donny Damara and Hannah Al Rashid bring comic timing and screen charisma. The ensemble dynamic, with agents who compete, bicker and occasionally cover for one another, gives the series a workplace-comedy warmth that carries it through weaker patches.

Where the adaptation plays it safe

The main limitation is ambition. By staying close to the original’s structure, the series sometimes feels like it is following a template rather than finding its own voice, and viewers who have seen Call My Agent will anticipate some turns. Eight episodes also leave limited room to deepen the agents’ personal lives, so some storylines feel rushed or underdeveloped, and the balance between farce and drama tilts unevenly from episode to episode. The satire could also afford to be sharper; it pulls punches where the French original was often more cutting.

Who should watch Hubungi Agen Gue?

It suits fans of Call My Agent curious to see how the format translates, viewers interested in Indonesian film and television culture, and anyone who enjoys workplace comedy with a behind-the-scenes angle. Eight episodes make it an easy weekend watch. Content is mild to moderate, with some adult themes and language.

Two follow-ups:

• Cigarette Girl, another 2023 Indonesian streaming series, a very different period romance that shows the country’s prestige drama at its most polished.
• Fleabag for comedy-drama that also balances sharp jokes with messy private lives.

The verdict

Hubungi Agen Gue is a lively, glossy adaptation that successfully relocates Call My Agent to Jakarta, powered by a recognisable cast and an affectionate eye for show-business absurdity. It plays the format safe and some episodes feel thin, but as a light, knowing comedy about fame, it is a worthwhile detour.

Rating: 3.5/5