What does the average Japanese think of Koreans?

[hitotsz]

Just wondering. I was thinking Japan thought of Korea as insignificant until the Winter Sonata became popular?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by hitotsz

Just wondering. I was thinking Japan thought of Korea as insignificant until the Winter Sonata became popular?

These sorts of questions never end nicely. A question like this is so broad, there is no correct answer.

What does the average American think of the British?

It's a generalization of a generalization.

And I don't think people in Japan have ever thought of Korea as "insignificant" either before or after Winter Sonata.

[Sashimister]

Originally Posted by hitotsz

Just wondering. I was thinking Japan thought of Korea as insignificant until the Winter Sonata became popular?

One TV drama changing an advance nation with 130 million people?

lol You'd make a good tabloid reporter!

[hitotsz]

i retract that sweeping conjecture

[manganimefan227]

Are you asking for a political opinion?

[hitotsz]

i'm Korean, and in my experience, there is some (substantial perhaps) anti-Japanese feelings (mostly older generation, i think) in Korea, but also lots of otaku who love everything about Japan, and don't care about past history. Also i think a lot of Koreans think that Japan is cool because of their technology like shinkansen.

Are many Japanese aware that there are some anti-Japanese feelings among Koreans?

Also I wonder what the Japanese are taught regarding the colonization of Korea? do they think it was good, bad, both, or don't care?

Also, in my experience vast majority of Westerners seem to be 100x more interested in Japan and China, esp. Japan, than in Korea and think that Korea is extremely uninteresting country and think that "there's nothing there." I was wondering if many people of Japan thought similarly?

sorry if these topics are taboo, i feel bad bringing it up but i've been curious for long time.

btw i've been living in America for a long time n i think that Americans think British are cool: their accent, technologically advanced, their currency is worth more.

[Nyororin]

There is a level of anti-Korean sentiment in Japan. I don`t really think it`s usually directed at the average Korean person - but more at statements and actions of those in positions of power... And of course, it seems like the media on both sides is good at making mountains out of mole hills.

In general, to be honest, most people don`t really care all that much. There are extremes where they hate Korea and Koreans, and the other end where they love Korea and anything Korean like crazy... But I would say the majority falls in the middle.

I actually want to point out that the example of Winter Sonata is actually not that far from the truth. Not that people thought of Korea as insignificant, but more that they didn`t think of it much to begin with. (There is a difference between thinking something isn`t worth thinking about, and just not having reason to think of it.) With the popularity of Winter Sonata and other Korean dramas - I think that it has driven home the fact that Korean people aren`t all that much different than Japanese. I think it is completely possible that there were people who didn`t think well of Korea but who changed their opinions on seeing popular media. Just looking at government and hearing reports of the extreme ends doesn`t give an accurate image of the real people.

I was personally more interested in Korea than in Japan when I started being interested in Asia - one of my childhood friends was from Korea, and I spent a fair chunk of my childhood at her house. I had planned to study in Japan and then study Korean in Korea - but, well, I fell in love and got married in Japan so that plan was never fulfilled.

Anyway, to answer the direct questions;

Are many Japanese aware that there are some anti-Japanese feelings among Koreans?

Very much so. The media, along with the Korean community in Japan, makes it impossible not to know.

Also I wonder what the Japanese are taught regarding the colonization of Korea? do they think it was good, bad, both, or don't care?

Textbooks are generally fairly neutral - there were good intentions behind part of it, but it`s never good to do that sort of thing, etc... Mostly just the facts and figures are presented without a whole lot of opinion inserted. If there is a story representing it positively, there is one balancing it with the negative results of the colonization. I don`t really think there is anyone who thinks it was good, but I am sure there are plenty of people who think that it was partially good (in terms of modernizing Korea - such as rail systems, medicine, and education).

I was wondering if many people of Japan thought similarly?

Korea is far too close to Japan for people to be oblivious of it`s culture and history. It`s probably the most popular holiday destination for Japanese tourists, and has a good reputation. Definitely not a feeling of "nothing there".

[fatalbert130]

Many Japanese are not interested in Korea.

A Korean movie and the drama are not popular in Japan so that it is reported in Korea.

I do not teach the relation with Korea as for the history education in the Japanese compulsory education very much at school.
I think that there is much one teaching a relation with China from Korea.



I registered myself with Enjoykorea (enjoyjapan) of NAVER.
I know performed many disputes there.


Probably I think that a participant of Japanforum is not interested in this topic.

[TalnSG]

I would expect the interest to vary greatly with the generation, interests and location of the person.

Bae Yong Jun and Winter Sonata seem to have had some positive impact along with some K-Pop artists and K-dramas on mostly the younger generation.

The issue of Zainichi and more ancient ties between the two countries should would be expected to raise issues with acheologists and historians, and others with interest in history and political ramifications. But if the Japanese are anything like most Americans, its more background information than something that determines their relationships.

And while those on or near Dokdo/Takeshima are highly attuned to the issue of the island's ownership and are very vocal about each others nationality, I doubt it consumes much interest for the rest of the Japanese on a daily basis.

However, when questioned specifically about international relations, most people have a surge of opinions. While they may be deep seated, often they are not something that greatly influences them in the course of their every day lives.

[ShiroiHana]

Well, interesting posts! ^^