I am married and living with my Korean husband. She has lived in Korea for a year. The international situation in Japan and South Korea is always talked about in government-related news, but basically only negative information is circulating. Is that true? From my own experience, I would like to talk about what is actually happening.
Young Koreans
Many are interested in Japanese culture
Many young Koreans are interested in Japan. Japanese food and fashion are especially popular, and in terms of fashion, cute designs are popular. In Korea, there are many simple designs, but Japanese clothes often use lace materials, mesh patterns, and elaborate designs.
As for food, shabu-shabu, takoyaki, and other foods that cannot be eaten in Korea are popular. Also, the cost of flying from South Korea to Japan is cheap, you do not need a visa within 30 days, and you can go on a day trip, so it is not uncommon for young people to go to Japan casually.
Korean historical textbooks
There are difference of historical perspectives
Since I was educated and raised in Japan, I do not objectively understand what kind of description Korean history textbooks have and what kind of history education is being conducted. However, when I talk to her husband, I feel that there are some differences, such as what is not written in Japanese history textbooks is written in Korean textbooks.
What actually happened and on what scale can only be inferred from the records at that time. That’s why I don’t know if the content in the textbook is exaggerated, and I don’t know if the word exaggeration is appropriate in the first place. However, I sometimes wonder if there are some exaggerated descriptions in Korean history textbooks.
I didn’t remember clearly because it was a long time ago when I took classes at school. However, I don’t think we Japanese have that much hatred for South Korea, and I don’t think history textbooks were written in a way that encouraged negative emotions. Also, I don’t think the teacher was saying anything negative. Rather, many people have a negative image of the United States because Japan dropped the atomic bomb.
Description makes readers hate Japanese?
My husband said this about the Japanese annexation of Korea. “At that time, Japan had adopted technology from Europe, so it had a method of long-distance attack using guns, etc., but South Korea had only weapons like spears, because South Korea was isolated. It was because he had no relationship with other countries in such a state. The reason why South Korea was annexed to Japan was due to the obvious difference in armed forces, and I think it was natural for South Korea to be occupied. I think it was too weak, I think it was useless. But that was how Japan ruled South Korea, and I was able to develop Korea’s technology and life. I am very grateful for this, but by forced labor. It is a sad past that the Japanese government treated Koreans like slaves. For example, on Gunkanjima, Koreans were sent to dangerous jobs such as coal mining, and Koreans were used like slaves for a long time ( I don’t know if Japan really did, but they seem to learn that way). The Japanese government still insists that Takeshima is Japanese territory, which is a problem for Japan and South Korea, but the location of Takeshima. Why can we say that Takeshima is Japanese territory when some Japanese don’t even know it? Every Korean knows the location of Takeshima. ”
I’m not very familiar with history, but I felt that Korean textbooks were intentionally written to make Japan hostile. Also, I feel that many Koreans do not dislike the Japanese, but many dislike the Japanese government.
Copied products
There are copied products of those of Japan
In South Korea, there are Japanese sweets and copy products of songs. For example, there are copy products for sweets, Kappa Ebisen, and pointed corn, and there are also copies for Keisuke Kuwata’s Tsunami and Mika Nakashima’s snow flowers. Of course, these are sold early in Japan, so it is thought that they went from Japan to South Korea.
However, Koreans often do not know them. Rather, many believe that they were born in South Korea. Therefore, sometimes when I say to her husband, “Oh, this is also in Korea,” her husband often says, “This was born in Korea.” Of course, if you look up the sale date, Japan is faster, but Koreans don’t know that. However, it is quite possible that Koreans are not ill-mannered and simply do not know.
Never felt racial discrimination
Recently, South Korea has taken in various things from overseas, and the number of people going abroad has increased. Therefore, I feel that there is no prejudice against foreign countries and that the prejudice against Japan itself has decreased. In fact, many young people are interested in Japan.
However, many Koreans are sensitive to historical and territorial issues. I think that the country of South Korea itself is creating a state in which the government is brainwashing the people and as a result hates the Japanese government. In other words, Koreans do not hate the Japanese, they simply hate the Japanese government. There are Koreans who react nervously when it comes to history, but I never felt discriminated against while I lived in Korea.
Even so, there are Koreans like my husband who think differently in the first place.
