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'Parasite' star hopes film will help Japan-Korea cultural ties

21 Comments
By Chris Gallagher

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Packed house in Shibuya last night. The Japanese are able to separate politics and not get caught up in bad relations.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Maybe if you study the correct history and not the Japanese far right altered history, you will realize Japan is the root cause of all problems - Japan attacked Korea 714 times over a thousand years pre Meiji period. So I would think that it would only be natural for the Koreans to distrust the Japanese. Well, a typical Japanese might say the Koreans should move on? Perhaps, but I find it ironic because the Japanese can’t even move forward politically, judicially and mentally - it’s stuck in the 1900s.

And this is what is exactly wrong with SK, 714 times in pre-Meiji? Why don't we go back to the ice age and start counting.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Perhaps, but I find it ironic because the Japanese can’t even move forward politically, judicially and mentally - it’s stuck in the 1900s.

What a joke, a Korean saying that the mentality of the Japanese is stuck in the 1900s. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence will know that the opposite is true. Too funny.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

quercetumToday 08:58 am JST

Packed house in Shibuya last night. The Japanese are able to separate politics and not get caught up in bad relations.

Yes, it's very heartening, isn't it.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

So it's all South Korea's fault for being so finicky and demanding on Japan.But then everyone in the world has many faults of his/her own too.I am not interested in picking faults with anybody.Let's just move on and enjoy the "Parasite" show.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Absolutely agree with you erbaviba.

While Song's heart is in the right place, Japanese have never had an issue accepting South Korean products and culture, even in the thick of the South Korean anti-Japanese sentiments last year. While South Koreans were openly calling for people to boycott Japanese products like beer, South Korean pop groups were still enthusiastically being embraced by Japanese fans.

What people like Song should be saying, is he hopes his fellow countrymen can be as open minded as the Japanese people have been. It's not the Japanese citizens that have been causing the problems.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Maybe if you study the correct history and not the Japanese far right altered history, you will realize Japan is the root cause of all problems - Japan attacked Korea 714 times over a thousand years pre Meiji period.

Was it " Japan"? that attacked Korea 700 whatever times or Wakou pirates? Seems you are the one who needs to study the correct history especially about these pirates

In fact, the word 'Korea' is one of the top two most searched words in Japan. Break it down by age group and gender, and the only group interested in Korean culture are females under 30. The rest of Japan search for news on Korea, hoping to see something that Japan is better at to brighten up their day.

Yahoo news for example, when you click International news, it always full of Korean news regardless you are interested in or not. And then you notice all those Korean news media are the ones which always mind where not only SKorea is being ranked but also Japan. Can't help it. They are mostly Koreans who are reporting those from Japan in Japanese in Japan.

For Koreans, the word 'Japan' isn't even in the top 10 for all search engines. Koreans don't even care about what goes on in Japan.

So who are you then. What do you care by checking in the most searched words in Japan? Very often, ethnic Koreans Kyppos make much bigger fuss about Japan compared to ordinary domestic Koreans.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

this is what is wrong with the SK, they think Japan is the one causing all the problem with the SK relation. Sure the Japanese welcome the Parasite with warm appreciation, it has never been a problem in Japan even for any other movies or artist from SK, Now, how about SK? Young people might want it but the status quo will keep on their Japan bashing.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

Maybe if you study the correct history and not the Japanese far right altered history, you will realize Japan is the root cause of all problems - Japan attacked Korea 714 times over a thousand years pre Meiji period. So I would think that it would only be natural for the Koreans to distrust the Japanese. Well, a typical Japanese might say the Koreans should move on? Perhaps, but I find it ironic because the Japanese can’t even move forward politically, judicially and mentally - it’s stuck in the 1900s.

What does any of that have to do with the article and the discussion here?

Here is what Song states:

"I hope we can go back to the early 2000s, and have an interest in each other's works," Song told reporters at the Japan National Press Club. "Japan and Korea are close countries and can relate to each other's cultures.

"Looking at how 'Parasite' has been received even in Japan, I hope we can have a mutual interest in each other's cultures."

As others have been correctly pointing out, he needs to single out his fellow South Koreans to grow up and start acting like grown adults. I realize he's trying to have it both ways and play it safe, but I think it's ludicrous that he's hoping "we can have a mutual interest in each other's cultures," when in fact Japanese have never waivered in their interest of South Korean culture. While South Koreans were busy putting up signs calling for boycott of Japan, Japanese were supporting Kpop stars, eating Korean food, and supporting Korean culture. While the likes of Moon and his anti-Japan fan base were demonizing all things Japan, the Japanese people in turn paid no heed and none of that had any negative effect on their support of South Korean culture. People like Song are barking up the wrong tree and calling out something that isn't even there.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

If you read correctly between the lines, I was implying that both Koreans and Japanese are stuck in the past. That is, you're both the same. Jokes on you buddy.

Yea, nice try buddy. NO where in between the lines in your previous post does it even consider "both" Koreans and Japanese are stuck in the past. What a pathetic attempt to deflect rebutt your previous statement.

For Koreans, the word 'Japan' isn't even in the top 10 for all search engines. Koreans don't even care about what goes on in Japan.

Therefore, it's Japan that needs to grow up, understand their history, and stop aggravating its neighbor.

Why do Koreans say this? They are obsessed with Japan because their national identity is based on bashing Japan. Boycotting Japan is one of the many clear example of how Korea CANNOT ignore what is going on with Japan. Again, any non-Korean will know how much Koreans are stuck in the past just by reading and looking at their actions.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"Strained ties" between Korea and Japan generally means that the South Korean government is ginning up outrage at Japan in order to score political points at home. The Japanese government has relatively little concern about Korea most of the time. Japanese people, for the most part, either have no strong opinions or else they really, really like K-pop or Korean dramas. The number of Japanese people who actively dislike Korea is dwarfed by the number who love Korean pop culture by probably 50-1.

From the perspective of most Japanese people, there aren't any ties that need mending. They're baffled as to why Koreans would suddenly stop drinking Japanese beer, and they're still perfectly happy to watch a good movie.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Let's just move on and enjoy the "Parasite" show.

I did until it became a slash fest in the garden. Sadly shootings are cleaner and easier to take. I could still enjoy the beautiful camera takes when I wasn’t busy reading subtitles.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

JP vs SK bickering will never end, regardless of which side you are on, evident as it is here, even amongst (i presume) expats here; so you can imagine the sentiments amongst the actual citizens of both countries. though maybe the younger ones probably couldn't care less....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"I've come to Tokyo because I want to express my appreciation for the interest that all the filmgoers have shown," the film's director Bong Joon-ho told the same news conference.

Oh Really? But It's been reported already and well known in Japan that you and president Moon made fun of your Japanese fans for humming a tune of " a parody of "Dokdo is our territory" without probably knowing what song it really is.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Good for him.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What a joke, a Korean saying that the mentality of the Japanese is stuck in the 1900s. Anyone with an ounce of intelligence will know that the opposite is true. Too funny.

If you read correctly between the lines, I was implying that both Koreans and Japanese are stuck in the past. That is, you're both the same. Jokes on you buddy.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

And this is what is exactly wrong with SK, 714 times in pre-Meiji? Why don't we go back to the ice age and start counting.

You can't eradicate nor change history just for Japan's convenience, buddy. Facts are facts. And these counts don't even include the atrocious events post Meiji. Instead of blaming it on Korea for embedding distrust into their DNA, perhaps you and fellow Japanese should gain a sense of humility and understand their sufferings.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Movies are meant to be read

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

What does any of that have to do with the article and the discussion here?

Again, if you had cared to read properly, my comment was a reply to a previous comment. Further, it helps explain why according to you 'Koreans need to grow up and start acting like grown adults'. You see, the relationship between the two are not new - the distrust of Japan has evolved over many centuries. Yet, the Koreans I know normally don't dwell on this past. That is, unless aggravated by Japan in which case the floodgate of bad memories open. The fact is Japan is as much to blame for the current situation.

There are some Japanese who love South Korean culture. However, why not mention the majority who hate the culture as well? Comfort women statue at the Aichi exhibition? Demonstrations against Korean dramas on TV? Right wing nutmegs trying to stop BTS concerts? Anti-Korean comments on live TV? Anti-Korean section in book stores? 80% of all online commentaries are anti Korean? etc. etc.

In fact, the word 'Korea' is one of the top two most searched words in Japan. Break it down by age group and gender, and the only group interested in Korean culture are females under 30. The rest of Japan search for news on Korea, hoping to see something that Japan is better at to brighten up their day.

For Koreans, the word 'Japan' isn't even in the top 10 for all search engines. Koreans don't even care about what goes on in Japan.

Therefore, it's Japan that needs to grow up, understand their history, and stop aggravating its neighbor.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

this is what is wrong with the SK, they think Japan is the one causing all the problem with the SK relation. 

Maybe if you study the correct history and not the Japanese far right altered history, you will realize Japan is the root cause of all problems - Japan attacked Korea 714 times over a thousand years pre Meiji period. So I would think that it would only be natural for the Koreans to distrust the Japanese. Well, a typical Japanese might say the Koreans should move on? Perhaps, but I find it ironic because the Japanese can’t even move forward politically, judicially and mentally - it’s stuck in the 1900s.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

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