Boycotting Jpop

[thomas]

Boycotting the import of Japanese culture is a strange way of improving bilateral relations between Korea and Japan. The demand for Japanese pop culture runs high in Korea, so apart from the antiquated symbolism it is only the black market that profits from such policies. Just my 2 euro cents...

Here's what the Korea Times reported on February 17, 2002:


Gov't to Lift Ban on Japanese Songs for World Cup
By Park Soo-in
Staff Reporter

The government will temporarily allow broadcasting networks to air Japanese songs from Wednesday till the end of July, the Culture and Tourism Ministry said Saturday.

South Korea strictly controls the inflow of Japanese pop culture into the country, reflecting the unresolved past between the two countries stemming from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule over Korea.

But as South Korea and Japan are co-hosting this year's World Cup Finals from May 31 to June 30, the local broadcasting stations will have to air Japanese songs, ministry officials said.

A ministry official said Japanese songs could be played from Feb. 20 until the end of July, but emphasized this did not mean there would be a permanent lifting of the ban.

``There is also a period after the World Cup of re-broadcasts of games, so we will allow the airing of Japanese songs on public airwaves until the end of July,'' he said.

The temporary lift on the ban is unrelated to future plans to open up to Japanese pop culture, he said.

Despite the co-hosting of the World Cup, the two neighbours have argued in recent months about various issues, including Japanese history books, which are said by Asian countries to whitewash Japan's wartime aggression.


"South Korea strictly controls the inflow of Japanese pop culture into the country, reflecting the unresolved past between the two countries stemming from 35 years of Japanese colonial rule over Korea."

I wonder how Japanese pop groups or anime kiddie series reflect Japan's past colonial rule...

 

[Tellklaus]

True, but practically we young Koreans don't have much trouble in finding Japanese stuff. It is only the government that is banning J-pop culture.
Though we don't get that much chance to see J-pop concerts in Korea, we have quite an easy reach to Japanese animes, films, music, and fashion. It's everywhere.

And I think the reason the Korean government is relating Japanese pop culture to past colonial rule is because of "Wesek", a Korean word for degrading Japanese culture. During the 35 years of Japanese colonial rule, Japan WAS quite successful in "Japanizing " Korea. In other words, Korean culture became "Wesek". Almost everyone changed their name into Japanese style, Japanese was the official language, Kisengs disappeared(Korean Keishas), and Keishas got popular in Namdemun(or Korean yoshihara). Even some Japanese words were koreanized to those who clung to Korean. Like, ippai(double), pagari(stupid)..etc. Some of them are still used in the Korean language.
I think those old-fashioned politicians of S.Korea are still afraid that this might happen again.........

 

[thomas]

That's very interesting. How would you generally describe the attitude of young Koreans towards Japan? Is their interest in Japan limited to popular culture like anime, manga, jpop etc.? Also, since they haven't personally experienced Japan's colonial rule which role does history play in their views?