Losmen Bu Broto: The Series is a 2025 Indonesian drama streaming on Netflix that is an expanded version of the Losmen Bu Broto film from 2021, which itself was adapted from a 1980s TV series named Losmen. Containing 8 episodes of about 40 minutes each, the Netflix series is centered around the Broto family members, who run a homely guesthouse in the city of Yogyakarta, when a scandal suddenly threatens to damage the love and bond between the individuals. While Losmen Bu Broto: The Series might not be up to global standards either visually or story-wise, it is still worth giving a watch if you are into Southeast Asian films and culture in general.
Netflix’s drama begins by introducing us to the central characters of the drama, in a scene that also nicely serves as the opening credits. The Broto family runs a moderately successful guesthouse from their home, with the elderly couple, Mr. and Mrs. Broto, mostly running the whole place. They are helped by their eldest daughter, Pur, who is an excellent chef with immense interest in culinary experimentation, and she is responsible for running the kitchen at the place. The second daughter, Sri, has no connection with the family business, as she wants to pursue music as a professional career, being a talented singer. The youngest child of the family, Tarjo, is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in business, and he is very keen to apply his education to the operations at the guesthouse, for he wants to give the place a modern makeover. Despite his best efforts, though, Tarjo often messes things up for the guesthouse, which is why he feels unappreciated by his family.
One of Mr. Broto’s closest friends, Jody, comes to the guesthouse with his wife, Anna, for a relaxing holiday, and the owner is very enthusiastic about tending to all their needs. Jody is not only a dear friend of Mr. Broto, but he also played a crucial role in helping the guesthouse survive by loaning them some money at a time of need. Therefore, the family tries to make their stay as luxurious and special as possible, but the vacation is cut short for Jody, as he receives an important work call and has to return to Jakarta. Anna, who does not seem to be on the best terms with her husband, decides to stay back in order to experience the unique culture and history of the Javanese city, all of which is quite new to her.
As a professional writer currently on a break to find inspiration for a new novel, Anna starts to enjoy the trip, especially because of the company of young Tarjo, who takes her around the city. Tarjo also finds a friend in the woman, as he feels that she truly understands his current situation. Much like Anna, Tarjo is also on the search for inspiration in his life, which he feels is extremely necessary if one wants to do something worthwhile professionally. Both of them soon find support in each other, but this friendship takes a romantic turn when the pair kiss after a night of drinking at a club. Although Tarjo is scared of a scandal, as Anna is married, and Anna claims that she does not consider the kiss to be anything significant, the two soon start to develop feelings for each other.
Along with this main plot, Losmen Bu Broto also covers the lives of the other members of the family and the guesthouse staff. One of the workers at the establishment, Atmo, is overjoyed when he helps and befriends a Korean woman on the street and brings her to stay at the guesthouse, as he is a dedicated fan of K-dramas. Pur still grieves the untimely death of her fiancé, and she is mostly stuck running the kitchen as efficiently as possible when she starts to feel loved once again. The second daughter of the family, Sri, and her husband, Jarot, are given the most screen time after Tarjo and Anna, as they struggle to strike a balance between pursuing their individual dreams and passions while also having to fulfill their responsibilities to their family. Sri and Jarot have to go through the difficulties of any couple who married at a young age, and there are moments when they genuinely fear that they will not be able to stand the test of time.
While the Netflix series attempts to provide a fairly comprehensive view of life at a modest guesthouse in Java, we can’t help but feel that much more depth could have been added to the narrative. The eight episodes seem quite superficial when compared to global standards of storytelling, but the series still deserves praise for at least bringing a mostly local story to international audiences. The treatment of some of its characters, particularly Anna, also requires a bit of scrutiny.
While Anna initially seems like a strong and independent woman who can make her own decisions and stand by them bravely, there is an unexpected switch in her character in the second half, when she appears to push the boundaries of societal norms only because she wants to do so. Her screen time also drops off towards the end, which is somewhat difficult to accept, considering the importance that she is given at the beginning of the series. Perhaps the accepted societal norms in Indonesia have a major role to play in such treatment, but it can be a bit jarring, or even annoying, to some viewers.
The acting performances are adequate, with Wulan Guritno as Anna and Baskara Mahendra as Tarjo appearing the most, while Mathias Muchus and Maudy Koesnaedi, as Mr. and Mrs. Broto, respectively, are the most convincing. Erick Estrada also deserves a special mention, as he plays the goofy helper, Atmo, with great ease. The music can often seem far too melodramatic, mostly because it goes on for long durations at a stretch, and then its absence is felt in scenes that are dialogue heavy. The visuals and the overall style are also of a TV soap drama, which can be perceived differently by different viewers. Although Losmen Bu Broto: The Series has a number of shortcomings, it still makes for a fairly enjoyable watch and presents a glimpse (although not very realistic) into life in Java.
