On online community Ilbe, Japan is one of the most frequently discussed foreign countries and netizens exchange a variety of opinions about topics ranging from pop culture, tourism to history and politics. There have been a series of posts about Japanese media’s coverage about Korea over the last few years. The following article from the Asahi Shimbun partially explains the context of such posts.
Why the swarm of anti-Korean and anti-Chinese books at bookstores?
Note that ‘gukppong’ (국뽕) which means ‘nationalism-meth’ is an internet slang word highly popularized by conservative netizens to make fun of embarrassingly patriotic narratives.
From Ilbe: [August 2014]
Let’s take a look at voyeuristic Japanese websites
Japanese netouyo bastards go on about cutting ties with Korea every chance they get. Let’s see how much they care about Korean reactions and what’s going on in Korea. I used a web translator for you guys to see what kind of articles they post.
And there are a freaking lot more websites like those, kekekeke
[…]
You Ilbe users might have only known about Kaikai, that specializes in translating Ilbe comments. But there are too freaking many, right? They are all anti-Korea themed websites that peep at Korean reactions. I spent half an hour finding those websites that only cover “Korean reactions”. If I decided to find them all, I would’ve probably been able to find several times more. What’s worse is that those sites have so much traffic. On most of those websites, for each article, the number of Japanese netizens’ comments amounts from 30 to several thousands or even several tens of thousands, kekekeke.
On the contrary, take a look at the biggest foreign netizen comment translation sites in Korea, Gasengi and Gesomoon. On average, Gasengi articles get about 50 comments and it seems Gesomoon articles get even less than that. Also, there are YouTube channels where Japs peep at Korean reactions.
[…]
On Ilbe, if you post something from Gasengi or Gesomoon, they give you down-vote bombs saying these Kimchi men caught voyeurism. But IMO, such voyeurism and stalking is on a mental illness level among Japs. While these Japs always whine about ties with Korea, they are such big Korea stalkers.
FYI, there are English websites that show Korean reactions, too. One of the biggest is “Netizen Buzz”. But those users are mostly K-pop fans who are friendly towards Korea.
Comments from Ilbe:
ip타임N904:
Why do they pay so much attention to Korea? Do Kimchi men care about Taiwan? I can’t freaking understand this. Do they care a lot about China, too?
Gsniper: [Responding to above]
Just like how we are interested in Japanese reactions, they are very interested in Korean reactions, too. We are their next door neighbors.
Ikpure: [Responding to above]
But we aren’t as interested as them, keke. Also, those websites I found specialize “only” in Korean reactions. There are a lot of websites that cover other foreign countries’ reactions, too.
호랑이무현:
I think this article will be translated by them, too, kekeke.
뉀눔뉴뮤눠: [Responding to above]
It gets translated only when there are enough comments that do not hurt Japanese pride or that praise Japan. The problem is that most of their translated articles on sites like Kaikai are different from the original context or they just select the comments that praise Japan. It seems the Japanese need self-brainwashing so much.
좀비패는고양이:
Since there are a lot of young users here on Ilbe, they can’t make good judgement, intoxicated by gukppong [nationalism-meth]. If it weren’t for Japan, Korea wouldn’t even exist. South Korea is the middle ground between brute North Korea and heavenly Japan. By the time we become a developed country with $40,000 GDP, you will realize that Japan is right and just.
찢찌샤: [Responding to above]
Kaikai fellas will 100% be translating this comment. Don’t spew shit like this even if it’s your schtick.
녹색의윙윙:
I guess they also have trolls who mock Japan while praising Korea, right?
렇게사랑한다: [Responding to above]
You can see them from highly down-voted comments on Yahoo Japan’s Korea-related articles.
홍어대변기:
Ironically, such voyeurism becomes Japan’s power. We also need to peep on neighboring countries, especially Japan and China, and build a database. Isn’t it funny that their unique perversion is their strength? Just like their otaku culture that cares so much about details.
콘셉트:
Japs disguise themselves as Koreans on YouTube and they comment under things like Thai music videos that they all copied K-pop and Thailand is uncivilized to draw aggro. Then automatically South East Asian fellows leave comments bashing Korea. This is not isolated. I will post about this later.
ㅈㄷㄹㅈㄷㄹㅈ:
Let me tell you why they are acting like that. Japan has been in recession since the 90s. Especially during the financial crisis in 2009, Japan completely went under. Their GDP hit -15%. Then they experienced the big earthquake and the crisis grew bigger. In the meantime, China surpassed Japan in GDP and Korea’s Samsung beat down Japanese electronics companies. They felt this atmosphere of severe crisis. While they were feeling anxious, Lee Myung-bak visited Dokdo and mentioned the Japanese emperor in 2012. Japan was also in disputes with China about Senkaku. Their anxiety reached a maximum. Their attention towards China and Korea, their wish that those two countries would collapse got stronger and stronger. Then you may ask why they are much more interested in Korea than in China. Japanese and Korean languages are quite similar in terms of word usage and grammar. So even if they rely on machine translation, they can have a good understanding of written Korean, and there are many Japanese people who can speak Korean, too. Also, although China has a huge population, their internet culture isn’t as vibrant as Korea’s. In Korea, every citizen uses the internet and there are new hot topics every day. Hence, Korean reactions enjoy more popularity. Also, Korea is more developed than China and is also next door to Japan. Recently, there was the Hallyu [Korean wave] fad in Japan, too. Although people say that Hallyu died down in Japan, there are still enough people who are interested in Hallyu. Just like how Koreans are still interested in anime. You can see the comments and views for Hallyu-related videos on Nico Nico Douga. When groups like EXO or Girls’ Generation hold a concert in Japan, tens of thousands of fans show up. As for Korean dramas, quite a few Sushi girls still watch them. If you type some Korean drama titles in the search bar on Yahoo Japan, related search words pop up quickly. For example, if you type “You Who Came From The Stars”, you get related search words like “EP 9” and “Japanese sub”. Korean dramas are still popular among certain demographics in Japan. It’s like those Koreans who watch anime keep watching it no matter what.
안나대미:
Fuck, Ilbe thinks fucking highly of Japan anyway, kekekekekekeke.
Jack.D: [Responding to above]
Because it’s true. No matter what, our cultural and economic level isn’t on par with them yet.
예수.:
Voyeurism is so big in Japan and I think the country that resembles Japan the most is Korea. Koreans also post Japanese reactions for any events. “Japanese reactions” for Christ’s sake ^^ That means Koreans are also insecure.
IMAXㅅㅅ:
Compare the most read articles in the international news section on Japan’s biggest portal site Yahoo Japan and Korea’s biggest portal site Naver, kekeke. More than 70% of the most popular international news articles are about Korea on Yahoo Japan.
뇌시개개새끼:
If you go to Gasengi, there are a lot of mental people, too. I saw one guy bullshitting that Joseon was ahead of Japan just because they had streetcars earlier than Japan, ke. That guy wasn’t even a far-right winger. Just a literally gukppong [nationalism-meth] patient. The first streetcars in Seoul were made by Japanese engineers from Kyoto using American capital and the driver was a Japanese, too. He just didn’t listen.
Onedge: [Responding to above]
It’s like anti-Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese sentiments have been fostered by such internet comment translation websites.
잡학게이:
This is for real, kekeke. Honestly, all those bullshit comments about Japan on the Korean internet are child’s play compared to Japanese netizens’ comments about Korea, kekeke. They have a legion of netouyos who rush to any Korea-bashing articles, so the website admins can make a living off of it. It is such an outdated notion that Japan doesn’t care about Korea.
보지보지456:
Is Japan really going under? Why do they care so much about this fucking tiny country? Kekekekeke, honestly, Koreans curse out Japan when there are articles about them but I didn’t know Japs were pathologically obsessed with us like that… I guess it’s true that Japan is going under.
펭귄의물리학:
This is for real. Yahoo Japan is like Naver in Korea. Whenever there is the word “Korea” in an article, their netizens foam at the mouth and the number of comments hits more than 10,000. Those bastards are so butthurt about Korea. Please stop caring about us.
이토히데아키:
Hey, I’m really curious. Isn’t Japan ahead of Korea overall? Why do they care about Korean reactions? We just laugh and ignore Taiwanese bastards no matter how much they go crazy at us. Why is Japan especially obsessed with Korean reactions? Oh, of course, weeaboos are SoBs.
Rpvs: [Responding to above]
They used to regard Korea as weaksauce in almost every area. It seems they got a full erection after Korea caught up with them in some areas, keke. Several days ago, Korea’s Human Development Index (HDI) was ranked higher than Japan’s. When there was an article that Korea’s current account surplus ranked 5th in the world, Jap netizens were so butthurt in despair.
사창가5m:
It’s undeniable that Japan is a stronger country than us anyway. Then why are they insecure about our uncivilized country?
Prueri:
What are you talking about? Netizen Buzz is an anti-Korean website disguised as a Hallyu fan site. Allkpop is cute compared to them.
Ikpure: [Responding to above]
They just hate Korean netizens who bash their favorite Korean singers. It seems most of their comments are positive.
From Ilbe: [April 2015]
Popular books currently on sale in Japan
Most of these books got 4 or 5 stars in online reviews.
1. JAPAN CLASS – Collection of foreign reactions from Japan’s voyeurism sites. The reviews are divided. I think it’s a bit funny that even a book like this is published in the first place.
2. The US and China’s Arrogance and Lies
3. Anti-Japanese Korea’s Self-Destruction Has Begun
4. There is No Future for Anti-Japanese Korea
5. Japan, Respected by the World
6. Shameful Korea Written by a Korean
7. The Birth of Asian Hegemon Japan
8. Evil Korea
9. Tried Living in the UK, Japan, France and America: Japan was the best place for me.
10. Japan is Nearly a Utopia From a UK Perspective
11. I Have Lived in Europe. Japan wins by 9 to 1.
But this book’s review isn’t very good among the books of this kind. It got mostly one or two stars. Several five stars given by right-wing netizens.
12. Why Muslims Respect Japan.
13. Thank You for Fighting for Us, Japan. Japan Praised by Asia
14. True Reasons This Briton Living in Japan Does Not Return to the UK
15. China: Defeated by Japan and Ostracized by the World
16. Japan is Ahead of the UK by 50 Years
17. Why is Japan Beloved by Asian Countries?
18. Big Lies of Anti-Japanese History that Curses Japan
19. Japan’s War; It Was Righteous: The Facts China and Korea Want to Hide
20. American Occupation that Prevented Japan from Rising up Again
21. The Japanese: Why are we so different from the Chinese and Koreans?
22. 33 things that Japan Can Show off to the World
23. Why is Japan Respected by the World?
24. The Japanese are Fundamentally Different from the Chinese and Koreans.
25. Chinese and Koreans’ dark heart that forgot Japan’s generosity
26. True Nature of the Chinese Unknown to the Japanese
27. I want to become Japanese: Japanese People from the Perspective of 27 European Countries
28. Japan Becomes Like This After China Collapses
29. The Era of China has Ended
30. The World Has Begun Abandoning China and Korea: The state of Growing Anti-Chinese and Korean Sentiment
31. The World Admires Japan and Its Emperor
32. Abandon This Country: The Madness and Weirdness of Koreans
FYI, there are books like these, too.
The World’s Civilizations Originated from Japan. The Japanese and the Jews. Surprisingly Similar Japanese and Jews. Ancient Japan’s Jewish Origin Legend, etc. It is not just these books. Their media and YouTube broadcasts show a strong tendency toward this stuff. Not those personal channels. They usually quote Oh Seon-hwa or Kim Wan-seop to bash Korea.
Honorary professor Funabiki Takeo at Tokyo University pointed out such a self-praise fad is based on their anxiety. He said when Japan is going through hard times or the Japanese are uncertain about their identity, this type of “special Japanese” theories become popular as a tranquilizer. He said the first period was during the war with China and Russia, the second period was from 1929 when the Great Depression began, and the third period was between the end of World War 2 and the rapid economic growth era. He added that the current climate in Japan resembles the second period and the targets for comparison are shifting to Korea and China from the West back then. All these books were published within the last year.
What other country on earth keeps publishing books like these and makes them best sellers? It’s endless indeed. Is this some wuxia novel series or what…
Comments from Ilbe:
야타카아:
Japan is currently being pushed aside by China in East Asia and turning into the setting sun. So there are many publications like those.
타이탄짱이랑:
Honestly, I think the country where collectivism and unity is strong is not Korea but Japan or China. In Korea, I don’t think we can see it much except when World Cup is going on or something like that.
W3G:
Superiority of Japan? I see something along those lines a lot from those books… But it’s true. They have the third biggest economy. They do not fall behind in terms of culture, citizenship and sports infrastructure. I wish Korea was like that. We should stop feeling insecure about Japan and fix our problems first.
킬러:
They surpassed Korea in terms of nationalism a long time ago. It’s going crazy.
윈에이드:
Do you think our country doesn’t have garbage books like those?
타이탄짱이랑: [Responding to above]
When did a wave of such books get published and become best sellers because our society is anxious? You are not getting the point, keke.
아동강간범:
It means their society has a certain level of anxiety. When things are economically and socially hard, people tend to get absorbed into collectivism or give up their individual life. In such a society, they have to find scapegoats and feel that “they are doing their part” by abusing those scapegoats. Japan’s right-wing, hikikomori, Russia’s skinheads, or suicide rates. Korea is the same, too.
room335:
If those kind of books were published in Korea, the writers would’ve been humiliated big time for being gukppong.
일베충들킬뻔:
The Abe administration doesn’t want an apologetic and self-reflecting Japan. They want a strong and respected Japan.
정신분석게이:
If Japan was truly a utopia and a great place to live in, they don’t need to advertise it like that. They feel something is lacking so they exaggerate and praise it.
씨없는부랄김대중:
So funny how those gukkas [Korean Korea-bashers] got shut down, kekekeke. They always go apeshit and arrogantly preach about how bad gukppong is in Korea and how being a gukka or a weeaboo is the true patriotic stance like it’s some New Enlightenment. Even when you point out plain facts to them, they brush it off as gukppong and talk about patriotism and national security, fuck kekeke. Did we say the Hwan nation from Hwandangogi is real or Goguryeo ruled Siberia or anything like that? Even when you just point out facts, they act like a wall that can’t listen and still think they are truly being patriotic, tsk tsk.
나기사다이스키:
I wouldn’t believe it even if you say those kind of books were published in Korea about 10 years ago. It’s like, Japan used to be cool even when Korea was a loudmouth. Has the situation reversed?
guest:
The Korean woman who bashes Korea while sucking up to Japan as a Korea representative is the one who used to sell her body in Japan and gets paid for letting them use her name in books.
년후고인돌:
Their big publication market allows such shitty books, too, which is better than Korea. Down voted.
네셔널리스트:
I wrote about this a few days ago. Certainly, there is some sickness in Japanese minds right now. They always go on about how Korea is an anti-Japanese country but once they visit Korea, they will be puzzled and ask themselves about it. The anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea is limited to history and Dokdo problems. Usually, Koreans care much less about Japan than before. On Ilbe, there are a lot of Japan-related posts but on other websites, Japan-related posts are very rare. Recently, Japan got spotlight for history or Dokdo issues again but it died down quickly. On the other hand, the anti-Korean trend is strong in Japan. Japan is the only country on earth that fanatically and relentlessly disparages another country 24/7.
나는정신병자:
Even the CEO of Oracle is a hell of a weeaboo. There are so fucking many Wapanese in Hollywood, too. The Japanese can drink gukppong because they have things to back it up. Fucking Korea doesn’t have that.
타이탄짱이랑: [Responding to above]
Don’t be blind. Everything has a reason. The person who first introduced Buddhism in the US was a Japanese monk. Back then, Buddhism was very new to the West. It wasn’t Indians who went around spreading it. At that time, China and Korea were a mess going through war and colonialism. That’s why there are many Japanese-style Buddhists in the US. Samurai and stuff like that were popularized by revered Japanese director Kurosawa Akira. When the Kungfu stuff got so popular, ninja legends were incorporated in the American media and spread throughout the world. Ninjas in Japan disappeared a long time ago. There is a school that re-enacts ninjas in Japan. It was like a comedy. You would be disappointed. The image of ninjas in American media spread throughout the world and now you even see ridiculous ninja schools in Arab countries.
나는정신병자: [Responding to above]
Shut up. What matters is that fucking Joseon doesn’t even have things like that. Sushi or Japanese dishes are popular in foreign countries but Korean restaurants go out of business, kekekekeke.
타이탄짱이랑: [Responding to above]
Korea began interacting with the West in modern times, but Japan was interacting with Portugal, France, Netherlands, etc. a long time ago, although it was copying rather than exchanging. Korea interacted with central Asia, Arabs, Iran, and India. Shilla was mentioned even in an Iranian myth.
말스: [There is a long sub-thread under this comment. Only a small part is shown here.]
As someone who’s living in Japan, they aren’t exactly wrong. Recession continues in Korea while Japan at least has seen the onset of recovery. Koreans are being frogs in a well. They underestimate Japan too much. Just like how Taiwan sees Korea. If we want to be a developed country, we need to know where they truly stand. The employment rates in Japan are much higher than in Korea. I don’t know how Koreans can underestimate Japan when they should try to learn from Japan’s citizenship and social systems, kekeke. It seems the only developed Asian countries are Singapore and Japan. Malaysia and Korea are mid-developed countries. Don’t foam at the mouth and attack me though. Whenever I make comments like this, there are people who call me a weeaboo. I wouldn’t mind if they at least realize what I say is true. Koreans tend to take criticism about their country or themselves as a curse. A good debate culture has not settled yet. To fix this, people in their 20s should try living abroad as interns and realize the problems in Korea instead of drinking and playing around. I get a strong feeling that most guys who call me a weeaboo seem to be those who have never lived abroad.
타이탄짱이랑: [Responding to above]
Japan is recovering? I laugh.
나는정신병자: [Responding to above]
Nikkei hit the peak in 15 years. In the meantime, KOSPI is struggling.
나기사다이스키: [Responding to above]
I write this briefly because it’s bothersome to edit on a phone. Let’s see what happened in Japan. The government bonds got less attractive due to inflation. Institutions and individuals flocked to the stock market. Foreign investors who left due to low profitability came back. They moved from undervalued to normal. But the problems of an aging population, an economy dependent on domestic consumption, and unresolved national debt remain. In Korea, it’s constantly undervalued due to the North Korea risk. Low yen undermined Korean companies’ revenues. There were many negative factors such as Hu-gang Tong, Abenomics, newly emerged countries, etc. Anyway, the stock market doesn’t provide some absolute indices you can use to evaluate the country’s economy due to many factors. For example, if the government implements a law that compensates anyone who bought stocks listed on KOSPI and lost money, KOSPI will go up through the roof but the country will get fucked up, you know?
스꺼어얼루나: [Responding to 말스]
Your advice isn’t like “Japan is like this and that. We can learn from it.” Even for the same thing, when Japan does it, you are like “heavenly Japan!” but when Korea does it, you are like “Retarded gukppong…” Your comments drip of double standards and selective arguments. Nothing really constructive. What do you expect? Should I force myself to take it constructively?
말스: [Responding to above]
Sorry about my poor comments, ke. It took some time to finish house chores. I have been called a weeaboo so many times. The reason why I write comments like that is because I want Korea to become a developed country. Not spitting, littering or pushing on the street. About 3 out of 10 do this in Japan. What about Korea? About 6 out of 10. Reducing that 30% gap doesn’t happen overnight. So I tend to sound jaded about Korea’s future. Sorry.
오징어제조기: [Responding to 말스]
World’s 5th biggest military. World’s 5th biggest technological industry. World’s 5th biggest manufacturing industry. World’s 4th biggest cultural industry. Average income exceeding 30,000 dollars. University graduates’ first salary is 2,700,000 won, which is on par with Western Europe or Japan. This is a mid-developed country?? Aren’t you underestimating Korea?
말스: [Responding to above]
I refuse to take gukppong.
Military – Our defense industry is tainted with corruption. Will we be able to use 100% of what shows up in the numbers?
Technology – We have a pyramid structure based on subcontractors. Japan is centered around mid-sized companies. Do you think we can compete against them?
Manufacturing – I admit it. Park Chung-hee did a good job and it has led to what we have today.
Culture – Pushing, spitting and littering. I see these three in Japan only occasionally, not all the time. You will know this well if you live here.University graduates’ first salary – Even if that is on par with Japan, Japan’s employment rate isn’t as low the 60% or 70% in Korea. Most of them can get a job right after they graduate.
Calling Korea a mid-developed country is already an overestimation. There are so many things to fix in Korea. You will see that if you go abroad. If Korea was that good, why is the rate of nationality change the highest among the OECD countries?
꼬플렛: [Responding to 말스]
Honestly, I acknowledge that Japan is a great country. But what I fucking hate to see is something like that. It’s like they think Japan is the center of the world if you look at those books. Self-acclaimed honorary white people or non-Asians and whatnot. The branches that bear the most fruit hang the lowest. Their stuck-up attitude is fucking obnoxious.
말스: [Responding to above]
You see bullshitters in Korea, too, right? Same thing. There are writers like those in Korea, too. Just ignore them. If you talk to really ordinary Japanese people, they are too busy making a living to care. How many of them would even care about Korea?
<(:3:::): [Responding to above]
It is more of a problem that pretentious guys like you who cannot distinguish between criticism and self-hate lecture about debate culture in a condescending tone.
말스: [Responding to above]
If that is the only retort you can make about me, I have nothing else to say. How is my criticism self-hatred? Did I say anything wrong? The moment I feel Korea is fucked up the most is the moment I leave Incheon Airport. If you don’t know what I mean, keep on living like that. Those who lived in Japan and came back to Korea might understand what I mean.
<(:3:::): [Responding to above]
You only lived in Japan, right? I knew it. Those who lived in Europe, South America or even North America don’t underestimate Korea like that. What you said is a fact? What fact? So how uncivilized are Koreans? Jap fellas are very sensitive about saving face and courtesy. That has developed into mature citizenship and it is their strength. But they can be two-faced and show strong individualism. On top of that, they don’t have the courage to satisfy their needs so all kinds of perverted things flourish in that country. They are quiet and clean but grey. Koreans are more aggressive and less sensitive about courtesy than them. But Koreans can also care about other people with true hearts. We say Koreans are rude but from a global perspective, Koreans are still on the better side. In Europe or the US, you can occasionally meet racists in private spaces. If you ever meet those uneducated ones who get violent as soon as they don’t have it their way, you will realize what I mean. Also, how is Japan’s economy a wall we can’t climb over? That is the story of the 80s and 90s. Japan’s growth has been stagnant for a while. Meanwhile, Korea and China grew up and the practical gap closed in. They make a fuss about Abenomics to get back the glory of the past. Some say they have seen half success but they attempted to revitalize economy through abnormal inflation. We can’t say whether they are recovering yet because we have yet to see how they control the side effects. What if Nikkei hit the peak momentarily? It is still drawing sine waves. I’m confident that I know better than you. Don’t act like you know everything after having lived in Japan for a bit. So obnoxious.
말스: [Responding to above]
Keke well, I decided to write more since you said I’m obnoxious. Honestly, I’m not happy with my comments because I couldn’t write all I wanted to say due to my poor writing skills. I studied in Canada. I’m currently living in Japan and my parents are living in New York. Sorry I can’t prove this. Just from what you wrote, it seems you’ve never lived in Japan for at least more than half a year. Strong individualism? It seems you’ve taken the image about Japan from the media with no filter. Let’s even say you have lived in Japan before. If you still felt strong individualism, I think you just couldn’t make friends here. I see more good things from Japanese people’s personalities. It’s hard to find bad traits. Individualistic tendency? It exists. There are more independent people who live their own lives in Japan than in Korea. Crazies? We just see a lot of them on news. Mostly social misfits. Grey cities? I’ve felt that way when I first came to Japan. I thought they were quite uptight and only care about their own interest. However, after I settled here, I began to see different things. There are good and bad guys. Sure, this is a corny story that applies to Korea, too. But I met many good people here. You have no idea. Before you say I don’t know about worldly affairs, look at your own comments. It is you who doesn’t really know. You just tried to argue with me using an image the media fed you. Isn’t your experience just from shallow socializing with exchange students in Korea from Europe and the Americas?
I’m not saying Korea has many bad things. I’m saying we have lots of things to learn. Korea is much better than Japan when it comes to transit, delivery services, and telecommunication. For these things, Japan can learn from Korea. On the other hand, what Korea can learn from them is their attitude. You may not feel it because you are in Korea. I feel I’m in Korea as soon as I set foot in Korea because I see people spit, push, or litter. I feel it when I see people who ignore greetings on a bus. Koreans treat people they know very well but I think their attitude towards strangers is rude. Koreans have jeong [affectionate attitude]? No. It’s just that they like to butt in on others’ business. Koreans are a bit more flexible than the Japanese, but Koreans are more likely to look down on or curse at someone. I hope you experience the world more and realize this. I won’t bother going into detail about the economy. Stock market and trade indices get renewed every day or every month. Argue with me after you observe those. Japan’s economy isn’t something Koreans can talk lightly of. Truly, honestly, I pity your ignorance that shows in your long comment. I don’t know why you think you know better than me. All my family members are living abroad. I can confidently say that I have more overseas experience than you. I have a different vision than you in the first place. I don’t know if you read Japanese newspapers. I read Mainichi and Yomiuri as well as Joongang, Donga and Kyunghyang. You will see how much of a frog in a well Korea is. You will feel that Korean articles are written with emotion, while Japanese newspapers cover even a simple event very meticulously.
<(:3:::): [Responding to above]
I have also studied in the US and I heard about other countries from my friends who lived there. I’ve never been to Japan. Aren’t you just saying emotional things purely based on your personal experience? You said Japan was desolate at first but it changed after you settled there. Let me ask you, do you think that doesn’t apply to other countries? Your corny story applies to Korea, too. Also, how is what I heard from my friends shallow? What you said was also just your personal feelings and experience. What’s the difference? The only advanced Japanese culture you can boast about is their law-abiding attitude and respect for public order. I acknowledge it, too. But do such things decide whether the country is developed or developing? If you think so, you are the true frog in a well. In the world, it is Japan who’s especially sensitive about those things. You read my other comments, right? Of course, Korea’s economy is not comparable to Japan’s. Do you think I’m an idiot? Don’t worry. It is not something someone like you who say their articles are of a different caliber after reading a few Japanese newspaper articles and getting intoxicated by their meth can comment about. Stock market and trade scale? Kekeke, your joke was funny. If you have time, go read some economy papers and textbooks. I do that because I major in economics. What is Japan’s current state, what is Abe doing, what effects will be brought about, etc. Study and come back. Not just after reading a few newspapers written to fit the staff room’s agenda. Stop thinking that Japanese guys are only objective and sharp. It seems you are a kid who can’t understand society overall. You say I can’t talk about countries I haven’t visited and you use only personal experience when we talk about current affairs. The way you talk about economics… Yet you are more stuck up than anybody else. Baseless confidence. That’s why I was ticked off. Because someone who’s not all that was acting like he is something. It seems you are in your early 20s. I’ve seen guys like you a lot here on Ilbe. I will just move on. FYI, I know very well what you mean by your advice. Don’t worry.
말스: [Responding to above]
What? Are you an undergraduate student? I quit my graduate school and do business. It’s true that I’m stuck up. I’m as successful as I wanted to be, ke. It would be better if you stop telling me to study. Economy issues are my daily life. So…you’ve never been to Japan? That’s why we can’t talk. If you had studied in Japan at least for a year, you would nod at me. Don’t get mad. Know your place. I’m not mocking you. Knowing your exact place is good for broadening your vision. Let me refute all your points one by one. Listen.
1. You said blah blah about your friends from Europe, the Americas. As you said, you heard their stories. It’s not even worth refuting something that’s not your own experience but just in case you forgot about what you said.
2. You studied abroad? Did you go to Detroit or something? You can observe their attitude even from something as mundane as changing lanes. US – “I’m a kind person who can yield for others.” Japan – “Please change lanes all you want as long as you don’t interfere with me.” And Korea? You already know, ke. They drive aggressively. Developed and developing countries aren’t distinguished only by wealth. It starts with manners over trivial things. Do you understand why I can’t agree with you? Can you claim that you’ve never spat on the street in Korea? Maybe you can’t say that without lying, ke.
3. A frog in a well
You’ve simply studied in the US. I don’t think you can see what I can see. Do you know the relationship dynamics of the Japan-US mutual defense pact and Korea-US mutual defense pact? Do you know what posture Japan and the US will take joining the war if such a war broke out on the Korean peninsula? As someone who’s studied politics, economics, management, and philosophy, I can predict to a degree although I can’t be 100% accurate. I may sound presumptuous, but I can see as much as I have studied. I won’t talk any more. You probably think I’m a crazy narcissist, keke.4. Personal experience
It seems you have problems with me using my personal experience. Just ask those who studied in Japan whether they agree with me. Those who wasted time drinking would not know. Ask those who actually studied there. They will acknowledge a lot of what I said. Just because this is my personal experience, it doesn’t become invalid. Everyone else is sharing the experience. Don’t just call it personal. Please try to understand the social climate I have noticed in the country.Lastly, you are a fool indeed. There is no end to studying. Although I’m also studying, I have some pride in my position so I can talk like this to you. Honestly, it’s funny that I say all this without proof, but can you be confident that your social position is more stable than mine? Maybe you can’t? As a current student, you are trying to use your knowledge against me but you sound too naïve. Learn more and go abroad on a working holiday visa or for graduate school to broaden your views. I stop here. Don’t write another long comment after you get pissed off by this comment. Just think that you were talking to an idiot.
<(:3:::): [Responding to above]
Kekekekeke….I can definitely see what kind of person you are. I don’t even have to talk any longer. You keep talking about how your own experience is important yet you brush off others’ experience. You were praising Japan’s cleanliness then you jumped to the driving in the US. You just pick whatever you find convenient for your argument. Did you get so touched and cry after you studied those mutual defense pacts? Why even bring that up and boast about how much you’ve studied? You couldn’t even refute what I said about economy and just keep bullshitting that I just have to live in Japan to know, kekekeke. Sigh, I’ve lost words. That is what you call refutation? I was at a loss for words for a while, keke. Your expressions tell me you are aware that you are an idiot. So you live in Japan. Revealing your defensive psychology without pride just resembles what Japs do. It also gives me goosebumps that you are even older than me. Did you go to some no-name graduate school? How nice that you quit, ha.
씨없는부랄김대중: [Responding to 말스]
I get what you mean, but honestly, have you ever seen any decent guys among those who say we should learn from Japan? They either passive aggressively put down Korea while praising Japan, blatantly act like a weeaboo or pretend not to be a weeaboo while deliberately weaving together fragmented facts to claim that “Korean history sucks indeed” to get up-votes here. I’ve seen only those guys. How many young Koreans would think Japan is behind Korea unless they are some idiots from the 486 generation? The door has been open for Japanese culture for more than a decade and weeaboos run amok in Korea now. You may know how much civil awareness has improved in Korea over the past decade. Also, frankly speaking, the pathological cleanliness in Japan is Japan’s own unique trait. I’ve been to the UK, US and Japan. Other countries weren’t as clean as Japan. The cleanliness of Japanese streets is pathological and I don’t mean this in a bad way though.
말스: [Responding to above]
That is the kind I hate the most. Those who look down on Korea while only praising Japan. I wonder how many of them have actually lived in Japan apart from traveling here a bit. Of course, Japan has many down sides, too. However, those are less than Korea’s for sure. What I want for Korea is to reduce those down sides. Korean history is all good except for Joseon. I hate those bastards who mock it, too. My Japanese father-in-law has been on business trips in Korea since the 60s. He says there is a world of difference between then and now in Koreans’ civil awareness. He says he’s surprised to see no smoking zones in Korea now because he remembers the time when people used to take a dump on streets.
Planet:
It is true that they try to instill a sense of pride in their retarded young generation by using Korea. When Japan was at their peak, books critical of Japan sold well there. It just means that they have lost confidence. So we don’t even need to bother caring about it and bash them for it. Just don’t pay attention to them. Korean politicians have been using Japan for their political gain, too. It’s interesting that in Korea there was a time when “Let’s learn from Japan” kind of books were popular and then in the 90s, books like “There is no Japan” sold well.
김태호킬러:
As someone who has lived in Japan, it is funny to even care about this. There are so many different kinds of books in Japan. It’s funny if you think all Japanese care enough to read those books. Korea and China are anti-Japan to the core but anti-Korean trend in Japan is just for business. Nobody cares about Korea.
생각없이산다:
Is there any proof that those books are popular? It seems many commenters here think those books are best sellers, but I couldn’t find them in the current best seller rankings.
타이탄짱이랑:[Responding to above]
That is because most of them were released several months ago.
“Anti-Korean books sell well indeed…Two anti-Korean books among the Japanese best sellers”: Japan’s book distributor Tohan released the list of best sellers in 2014 (December 2013 ~ November 2014) on the 1st of this month. In the non-fiction new publication category, Murotani Katsumi’s “Bokanron” (Foolish Korea) ranked first. In the same category, Sincere Lee’s “Shameful Korea: Written by a Korean” ranked 7th. […]
노퀘스트:
Kekekekeke, it’s really hard to understand them. All over the world, there are so many countries that hate their neighbors. But is there any other country where lowly books that disparage another country like that become best sellers? Kekekeke, this is truly a subject for research.
네셔널리스트:
I’ve felt this before. Truly advanced countries have a lot of domestic critics. In Cheonjo [the United States], their citizens always criticize their own country. Do popular guys go around talking about how popular they are? It’s always those sort of off weirdos who keep talking about how close they are to someone and try hard not to look weak. It’s the same thing. I can see that Japan is very anxious. Have you ever seen Japan being like this in the 80s when they were at their peak?
좆문가납신다:
Apart from earthquake problems, it is true that Japan is among the top countries in the world. Most Korean entrepreneurs who set up companies in the 1960s studied in Japan. Even after 1980s, they learned technology from Japan. Now, we look at Japan’s welfare systems and other examples. The US and Japan saved this country that could’ve stayed backwards because of Heungseon Daewongun and China’s retarded governance.
아케인젤:
Only a few of them were best sellers. The other copycats were published just to ride the wave.
타이탄짱이랑: [Responding to above]
Why do you think they publish such books in droves? Why one after another? Because they sell. Don’t you know this basic principle? Kekekeke, I did say those books were published within a span of 1 year. You Ilbe users get swayed so easily.
An article from the Sankei Shimbun
It’s not just those books. Their internet and other media are like that, too. That’s why they get higher anti-Korean responses in surveys and stuff now. Talk about what you actually know, kekekeke. You Japan apologists make me want to vomit for real.
내닉보면김치자폐:
That has been analyzed by many experts. Japan is going under and they indulge in self-praise because they are anxious. Self-deprecation is in fashion in Korea because we feel relaxed right now. If Korea becomes like Japan, a lot of Koreans will be drinking gukppong, too. Also, Jap country was once the top economy so their nostalgia is no joke.
From Ilbe:
I’m living in Japan because my wife is Japanese
Hello, Ilbe users. It’s hard work doing Ilbe while scratching your balls. Please understand that I pixeled out my face in the photos. I’m approaching my mid-30s now. I need more than a day if I want to tell my story of meeting my Japanese wife while performing on the street in India and somehow settling in Japan after traveling around the world. When I wrote down our love story to submit it for the spousal visa, it was 120 pages long. Who would want to read it all here? I suddenly wanted to write something about Japan when I was busy traveling around Shinagawa, Saitama, downtown Tokyo, and Yokohama where I live for interviews. I learned a lot about Japan when I was traveling all over Japan with my wife, and today I got lost in thought on my way back home on the train after an interview in Shibuya.
1. The state of roads, sidewalks or social infrastructure
I have visited about 40 countries including Europe, the US, and Australia. I don’t think we can find a country on Earth that has such perfectly paved roads and sidewalks besides Japan. Even if you go to the back alleys, the sidewalks are perfectly laid. Nothing is broken. The roads are maintained on a godly level. I don’t know if they use better technology or the materials are better. Anyway it’s amazing. The boundaries between roads and sidewalks are almost perfectly aligned, too. I think these help Japanese street scenes look nicer. You can find garbage on streets in Japan, too, but the roads are very clean without chewing gum stains except for in downtown areas. Even if there is garbage, it doesn’t look dirty. More interestingly, every city in Japan is like that. I thought only a few cities would be like that when I was in Japan for the first time. But the whole country is perfectly developed.
2. Japanese people’s traits
Japanese people look very weak. There is some unwritten social rule that women can never show their wild side and have to be very feminine. They don’t have that aggressiveness you feel from Korean women. Most of them wear strong pink blush. Men do not show masculinity either. Their hairstyles are very diverse, but they tend to prefer having bangs and style themselves in a feminine way. Their bodies are very thin. I feel they are a little smaller than Korean guys. In their social atmosphere, I don’t think strong-looking guys would be popular. The way they walk also looks weak and fragile. They are also very shy. When we talk, they nod so many times and look shy. Everywhere in their society, ‘reading the atmosphere’ and shyness is pervasive. I concluded that straightforward converation and behavior that were possible in Europe or the US are impossible in Japan. They always talk nicely in front of other people so often it is hard to notice what they really think inside. It also feels like I’m in one big ant society. Like those ants that move calmly and efficiently following rules. They are very submissive to social rules and it invokes the common image of a collectivist country. It seems to be true as I’m living here. They feel very anxious if they go outside the rules. They need manuals to follow. Hence, sometimes, Japan can feel like a prison. Free but not free. Japan can be hellish for those who can’t adapt to this kind of society.
3. Japan’s international recognition and economy
There is a surprising amount of foreigners everywhere in Japan. Most westerners staying in Korea are English teachers, but in Japan, there are many westerners there for business or study. In Myeongdong, there are barely any western tourists. Most of them are Chinese or Southeast Asian tourists. But in Shibuya, there are so many western tourists. People around the world come to Japan to stay or travel for various reasons. I can definitely feel their national brand is a step ahead of Korea’s. Also, no matter where you go, things are big. The size of the downtown in each city is bigger and more splendid than in Korea. I get the impression that their economy is very big because a variety of industries and cultures are fully developed. There are a lot of companies, and I see 4 times more people in suits on the subway than in Korea. If I go to the industrial complex near Kawasaki, the factories are endless.
4. Their perception of Korea
Japanese people basically think Korea is behind them. So they tend to look down on Korea, but due to their culture where they never say bad things in front of you, there are many Koreans who get positive feelings from the Japanese. I could see what they think about Korea a few times when I was traveling. In Bangkok, Thailand, there was a Japanese guy I met. When I told him there is a place to stay named Dongdaemun for Koreans, he said, “That’s why I didn’t go there.” For another example, I was in an interview for newspaper delivery job in Tokyo. My interviewer was an old Japanese man. He suddenly asked, “Will you go back to your country if you get divorced?” Japanese people feel their pride is hurt when they know my wife is Japanese. When I go through customs at Narita airport, they delay things on purpose. (This doesn’t apply to all Koreans.) They would say they ran out of ink and send me to another officer. It’s happened too many times to call it a coincidence. Of course, my passport and visa have no problem. Also, I felt that there is a perception that Koreans work as assisstants in the kitchen, construction workers, cleaners in hotels, deliverymen, or prostitutes in Japan. Of course, not all Japanese people dislike Koreans. I’m just saying there is a social atmosphere like that overall.
5. Aesthetic sense
Their aesthetic is very sophisticated. Even if you look at Japanese pictures from 100 years ago, they avoided wearing primary colors and preferred achromatic colors. It seems to be their racial trait. Residential landscapes and clothes are mostly achromatic. They use primary colors to accentuate things. In some sense, Korean and Chinese street scenes resemble each other in terms of their sign designs and people’s clothes. There are trees along the roads but they have their own trees or gardens that are nicely groomed. They have highly sophisticated designs for electronics, food, characters, toys, architecture, etc. Especially their TV programs look good. Their entertainment shows, documentaries, news, animations, etc. look very polished. When my wife and I were watching Korean TV shows, she asked me if they were from the 80s. When I told her they are from yesterday, she said they look tacky. It seems in her eyes, Korean TV shows don’t look polished. How to put subtitles, use background music, effects, fonts, colors…
In conclusion,
1. Japan’s social infrastructure is better than Europe’s.
2. Both their men and women look weak. I still can’t adapt to this.
3. There are so many foreigners living in Japan.
4. It is true that they look down on Korea. I felt it.
5. Their aesthetic is very sophisticated.
6. However, I am one of those who don’t want to live in Japan the longer I live here. Japanese people who stayed abroad for a long time also say they don’t want to go back to Japan because it’s suffocating. I feel that, too. Japan is suffocating for various reasons. Advanced yet not advanced. This is hard to explain in words. Ah! My wife and I plan to live in the US. We are making money in Japan toward this goal.
Comments from Ilbe:
마이너스통장:
I agree with point 1. The roads and sidewalks are something you can easily see, but Japanese people generally try hard to do their job perfectly. It’s amazing to see how they prepare food at restaurants, too. Maybe that’s why expensive Japanese products are worth it.
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
Yes, that’s true. They are very professional. I had no interest in Japan before I met my wife.
진리추구자: [Responding to above]
What’s certain is that people get attracted to what they are not used to. From our perspective, we would only see Japan’s good things and praise them. But if you live there, you would experience some hardship that you didn’t feel in Korea, too. A Japanese person told me it is mentally very comfortable to live in Korea because he has to walk on eggshells in Japan for everything but he doesn’t have to in Korea, keke.
좌좀척결대한민국:
Voted up because I felt exactly the same things when I lived in Japan. Japanese bastards are fucking good at dissing Koreans passive aggressively. They have internalized it from their parents’ generation. It doesn’t change no matter what. Fucking monkeys. The longer you live there, the more fucked up you feel it is. I worked at a Japanese branch of a brokerage company. Even though it was a decent workplace, I still felt it. The woman I met liked me so much but she passive aggressively looked down on Korea. How should I put it… We definitely loved each other but we still had some distance like we are strangers. That really made me lonely. I understand what you mean very well. I hope you can escape Japan after making lots of money.
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
You know what I feel. I’m happy you understand me. My wife surprised me because when we visited Korea, she was taking photos of trash on the street. It hurt me that she was trying to mock Korea. “I love my husband but I hate Korea.” Something like that. Interestingly, Japanese people are all like that. When I was working at a Japanese café, Japanese ladies who were crazy about Hallyu asked me if I was living in Japan to make money. I felt they were trying to imply Korea is poor.
아재고추섬:
I have lived in Japan longer than you. Their perception about Korea I noticed is quite different from yours. At a job interview, they might naturally ask if you would go back to Korea if you get divorced. I have used the Haneda and Narita airports countless times but I never had any trouble. As for your workplace, I think you are just hanging out with those kind of people. My wife also told me that Korean TV is like Japanese TV in the 80s, ke. Voted up for the overall post.
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
I’m at the bottom of the social barrel in Japan, so I see a lot of candid things. I don’t know if you belong to the mainstream society in Japan, but a perspective from the bottom is also important to look at Japan accurately. However, I don’t think you are wrong. It you think so, it is right for you. Thanks for the comment!
아재고추섬: [Responding to above]
I also began with manual work and after 23 years, I’m a branch manager at a mid-sized company. Much earlier than the half-assed Hallyu boom, I married my wife and I’m a dad of two teens now. There may be various viewpoints, but if you have a stronger will to assimilate into Japan, you will probably look at things differently.
진화하는탈출:
I wouldn’t go to the guest house for Koreans, too. What’s the point of meeting them??? I live in Saitama but I never go to Korea town. You can see it from Chinese people living in Korea, too. Those who mingle with locals and those who only stick to other Chinese are completely different.
야매저격수:
I think Koreans also value the ant society you mentioned. Our country is a democracy but we still have a socialist atmosphere. As a country that had a monarchy 100 years ago, there is strong national pride and people tend to equate the nation to the people. Same in Japan. When their countrymen commit crimes abroad, even if it is personally unrelated to them, they feel apologetic. Maybe Koreans admire Japanese people’s cooperation. Korean society and education value cooperation, too.
쎼르파자켓:
From a Japanese perspective, Korean TV shows look tacky, of course. But for Koreans, Japanese TV shows look too hectic and tacky. Aesthetics? They like achromatic colors? Down voted for this bullshit. I acknowledge that their streets are very clean.
아름다운노무현:
I acknowledge that they became rich after the Korean War and are doing well. But their people are so dumb. There may be some opposing voices against what their political leaders try to do, but that’s it. Nonviolent protests and media reports. It seems they have a culture to be totally submissive to the strong. They are still living in the era of shoguns.
바른생각33:
I think it’s natural for the Japanese to look down on Korea. What do you think? Because it is true that our economic and cultural level is below them. (Of course, Japan has their own problems, but that’s beside the point.) We also looked down on China, but as time passed by and in recent 2 or 3 years, our perception towards China has improved even by little. I guess Japan looks at Korea like that, too. They industrialized 60 or 70 years earlier than Korea, so wouldn’t it be natural for them to look down on Korea? Just like an American would look down on Asians except the Japanese through ‘comparative cognition’. Anyway this was a good read. I can’t quit Ilbe because of posts like this.
까까뉴스:
It doesn’t seem like living in Japan would be that much different from living in Korea. But I envy that they are open about porn and sexual jokes, fuck. Korea is turning into the Republic of Pussies that always go on about discrimination against women.
파장20w: [Responding to above]
It is much more suffocating in Japan. The Japanese aesthetic is like this. “Do not break this sharp beauty in front of you.” It’s like each citizen lives with an AT field around them. It takes lots of courage to invade others’ AT field. So nothing gets broken or damaged. But you have to be fucking careful. Even for public facilities and everything. You can get stressed out. It doesn’t fit our sentiment.
애게인:
You are in your mid 30s but you live like you’re young. It’s cool. You said you traveled a lot. I guess you have lots of money. ㅠㅠ
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
I don’t have money. If I had money, I would be abroad already with my wife. We stay in Japan to make money. It’s true that I live like a younger person. I don’t care about my age. I forget that I’m in my mid 30s. I can’t stop time but I can forget about time. The calendar is just another prison.
노무흐연:
Whenever I watch Japanese TV, I feel it’s tacky. So it’s the opposite. Japanese aesthetic is better than Koreans? It’s hard to agree. Not better but different. When it comes to macroscopic sophistication, I think Korea is better. Japan, the world’s best country for caring about details, is better for details. Anyway personally, it’s hard to feel Japan is overwhelmingly advanced these days. My cousins live in Japan so I visit Japan every season. About 10 years ago, I got a feeling that Japan is overwhelming but I think it’s hard to get such a feeling now. I have visited Kyushu, Kinki, Kanto, Tohoku and most places. Except for the most developed place in each region, I wasn’t very impressed. Korea also has an industrial complex where you see an endless sea of factories. Maybe you don’t realize Korea is more developed than you think. I think it would be a good idea to travel around Korea, too.
죽창앞에모두한방:
I’m a married guy in Kansai. It seems the atmosphere is so different in Tokyo. Osaka bastards are really extroverted and hot-tempered. Kimchi men can fit in better in Kansai.
엣지사는놈호구:
Korea is fucking hell. There is no hope for young people. I want to marry a Japanese woman and enter the self-defense force after getting Japanese citizenship, keke. It’s hard to become a professional soldier in Korea.
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
Japan is too clean and orderly. Living here isn’t that attractive as it seems. There is no open space. Houses and pavement everywhere. Even parks are very artificial with limited green space. It’s hard to find a good place to relax. Go to Australia, Canada or the US instead. Don’t forget English is your biggest lifeline there. Even if you learn Japanese, you can use it only in Japan. No matter how much of a fucking hell you think Korea is, have you visited places like Cambodia? Their problems are serious. Honestly, you guys can complain a lot about Korea because Korea is at a certain level. Korea is a decent country although civil awareness is a bit bad and people are invasive.
ㅆㅅㅌㅊ궤변론자:
Japan has a disciplined society that values rules. Each individual should take responsibility for their part. Craftsmanship and what not. You can see it from their history. People were easily killed or forced to commit suicide if they rubbed the powerful people the wrong way. If they couldn’t do their job well, they would die. So they worked really hard- obsessively compared to other countries. It was inevitable to live in a society that values discipline rather than generosity. A half-assed job meant death.
아버지말씀:
You are at the bottom of Japanese society. What good treatment do you expect? It is not because you are Korean. Why would Japanese people treat a hippie like you nicely?
발기한노짱: [Responding to above]
For real. I work at a design company and I go on business trips to Japan frequently. They treat me so well. Also, although I can speak Japanese, I only use English there. The OP is treated like that because he looks like a hippie. I also go on business trips to Australia. Nobody looks down on you just because you are Asian as long as you speak English well, you idiot.
겨털세가닥:
Some of what you said is right but I’ve also lived in Japan for a short time. More diverse types of people live in Japan. Some of them have lifestyles that can’t be seen in Korea. There is a macho fashion style that accentuates muscles, too. There are a few magazines just for that style. Hip-hop style, gangster style… The 50-kg male style with typical long dyed hair with beggar-like clothes is in fact hard to see. Japan values feminity in women but once there was a female gangster fashion fad with long skirts. You can still see them. They wear a variety of styles and nobody cares about what you wear. There are unimaginably aggresive female characters in Japanese dramas, too, but nobody thinks it’s weird. But it’s true that most women are like “Kawaii~ Kore kore~”
사스가구로다:
My wife is also Japanese, keke. I know what you mean, but I can’t agree with everything you said. They look down on Koreans? I don’t think so. They just look at Koreans as foreigners. I was never discriminated against during customs at the airports. When I had trouble writing my address in kanji, a Japanese officer even wrote it for me. Maybe you have some persecution complex? It depends on the individual but I felt some weird sense of rivalry. This is so undisputably true. Even if they seem to have animosity, Koreans and Japanese treat each other very well individually. To give a better impression, keke. Odd enough, this stems out of some rivalry.
마이크트라웃12:
Japanese look down on Koreans? It’s true that they have a sense of rivalry though. They care about Korean reactions so much.
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
It is true that they care about Korea a lot because Korea is still the country that is the most comparable to Japan in Asia. I visited Taiwan but their social infrastructure and scenes lagged behind Korea’s.
자유주의수호:
Going through 20 years of deflation, Japan abused the drug that is government expenditure. They invested excessively in social infrastructure, but their national debt is on the level of Andromeda. The true purpose of Abenomics is to save their govenment through circulating national debt bombs. Thanks for the info anyway. It seems like you are a cool guy who knows how to enjoy life.
페이지내용:
I agree with you about the Japanese people’s traits. They really inflexibly care about what others think. It is necessary to a degree but it is too much in Japan. The meiwaku (don’t cause trouble to others) culture they are proud of can be so suffocating to foreigners. We envy Japanese traits like that when we see something on the opposite end of the spectrum in Korea. But for example, when we see the parents of a Japanese hostage killed by ISIS apologizes for causing trouble to the nation, it gives us a wake-up call. As you said, Japan seems like a collectivst country. They don’t forgive individuals who go against the majority. Japan’s bullying culture begins from there. Japanese poltics suits such passive citizens. Their courtesy is excessive and the relationships between individuals is insincere. There are many Japanese entertainment shows that are too perverted or sadistic. Maybe they function as a vent for social frustrations. Their culture of caring what other people think is so fucked up. 2CH netouyos always use the same rhetoric against Korea is that ‘Koreans are hated by the world’. I think that says it all. They always care about what others think of them. They project it into their anti-Korean rhetoric. They hate so much to have a bad image in other countries.
삶의현실: [Responding to above]
Sure, that is one factor that makes me want to leave Japan. I don’t like Japan. Ilbe users keep calling me a weeaboo. I just don’t hesitate to say good things about Japan as well as bad things. As I live in Japan, I feel it is a very unique country. It is a mystery that a country like this exists on Earth. It’s like…are they from Mars? It is true that Japan is a collectivist country. Since Japan is a developed country with strong soft power, people don’t see Japan’s down sides well. When Japan suffers economically, bad things will be more pronounced.
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