Following the independence of Indonesia, people from around Indonesia began to flock to the new capital of the country in search for possibilities not available in their regional homelands.
Pasar Senen area, originally a Chinese-dominated area, became populated by Bantenese, West Javanese, Padang and Batak traders during the 1950s.

By the late 1950s, Pasar Senen had deteriorated into a slum and home to criminal gangs, illegal gambling, prostitutes, and pickpockets.
This reputation continues to this day despite the multiple revitalization of the area.
During the period, the area of Senen - especially those adjacent to Pasar Senen railway station - became Jakarta's largest red light district.
Economically and socially marginalized people would hung out in Planet Senen, such as the homeless, market sellers, contract laborers, prostitutes, criminals, gamblers, and artists.
The red light district area received the nickname "Planet Senen", a catchy 1960s term alluding to the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States, to refer its relative isolation from the rest of Jakarta.
Planet Senen was quoted as "a black place (daerah hitam), a place without a master/without rules, with dead bodies on the side of the road.
A form of prostitution appeared in Planet Senen, known as doger dancer (penari doger).
Doger dancer are performed by women wearing a very tight and very thin kebaya dress and a batik cloth.
They also wear locally made lipstick and powder for their make up; because during that time, imported cosmetic product was not available.
These dancers are mostly immigrants from the east of Jakarta e.g. Klender and Bekasi.
Doger dance performance started in the evening, where men are allowed to touch and kiss the dancers for a sum of money.
This form of prostitution oven occurred inside the railway carriage in the Pasar Senen railway area.

Planet Senen also became a popular meeting place for young artists, poets, and writers in the 1950s-1960s.
These people are known as the Seniman Senen (Senen Artist), would congregate in locals to discuss philosophies and aesthetics of Jakarta.
Among the seniman senen were Sukarno M. Noor, Rendra Karno, Dahlia, Nurnaningsih, A.N. Alcaff, Benyamin Sueb, Bing Slamet, and Misbach Yusa Biran.
The melting pot of artists in Planet Senen would gave birth to Jakarta's recording stars of the 1970s and 1980s.

Dangdut, a genre of Indonesian urban music, developed in marginalized urban neighborhoods in the late 1960s and early 1970s such as Bangunrejo in Surabaya, Sunan Kuning in Semarang, and Planet Senen in Jakarta.
Dangdut musicians who started their career in Planet Senen were Asmin Cayder, Rhoma Irama, Mukhsin Alatas, Husein Bawafie, and Mashabi.
Following the independence of Indonesia, people from around Indonesia began to flock to the new capital of the country in search for possibilities not available in their regional homelands. Pasar Senen area, originally a Chinese-dominated area, became populated by Bantenese, West Javanese, Padang and Batak traders during the 1950s.
By the late 1950s, Pasar Senen had deteriorated into a slum and home to criminal gangs, illegal gambling, prostitutes, and pickpockets. This reputation continues to this day despite the multiple revitalization of the area. During the period, the area of Senen - especially those adjacent to Pasar Senen railway station - became Jakarta's largest red light district. Economically and socially marginalized people would hung out in Planet Senen, such as the homeless, market sellers, contract laborers, prostitutes, criminals, gamblers, and artists. The red light district area received the nickname "Planet Senen", a catchy 1960s term alluding to the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States, to refer its relative isolation from the rest of Jakarta. Planet Senen was quoted as "a black place (daerah hitam), a place without a master/without rules, with dead bodies on the side of the road. A form of prostitution appeared in Planet Senen, known as doger dancer (penari doger). Doger dancer are performed by women wearing a very tight and very thin kebaya dress and a batik cloth. They also wear locally made lipstick and powder for their make up; because during that time, imported cosmetic product was not available. These dancers are mostly immigrants from the east of Jakarta e.g. Klender and Bekasi. Doger dance performance started in the evening, where men are allowed to touch and kiss the dancers for a sum of money. This form of prostitution oven occurred inside the railway carriage in the Pasar Senen railway area.
Planet Senen also became a popular meeting place for young artists, poets, and writers in the 1950s-1960s. These people are known as the Seniman Senen (Senen Artist), would congregate in locals to discuss philosophies and aesthetics of Jakarta. Among the seniman senen were Sukarno M. Noor, Rendra Karno, Dahlia, Nurnaningsih, A.N. Alcaff, Benyamin Sueb, Bing Slamet, and Misbach Yusa Biran. The melting pot of artists in Planet Senen would gave birth to Jakarta's recording stars of the 1970s and 1980s.
Dangdut, a genre of Indonesian urban music, developed in marginalized urban neighborhoods in the late 1960s and early 1970s such as Bangunrejo in Surabaya, Sunan Kuning in Semarang, and Planet Senen in Jakarta. Dangdut musicians who started their career in Planet Senen were Asmin Cayder, Rhoma Irama, Mukhsin Alatas, Husein Bawafie, and Mashabi.
Senen