Theme park giving S Koreans a Japan fix despite pandemic

A museum or sorts but not a theme park.

Ordinary Koreans are generally good folks, and have moved on. Why can't the pig headed politicians do the same.

What's going on to chauvinistic "No Japan" boycott campaigns? So hypocrite.

Very authentic - the ubiquitous power lines in the background..

its just politicians and right wingers on both sides that enflame the hate.

This is kind of a flippant comment. Looking at the news, it’s not “right-wingers” who are actually causing the large majority of thefts, murders, rapes, warmongering, weapons sales, and so on.

What's going on to chauvinistic "No Japan" boycott campaigns? So hypocrite.

Do you think that all Korean people hold identical opinions? Stereotyping entire nationalities is not healthy.

I'm not surprised that certain Koreans dislike Japan when there are people who stereotype them and incorrectly call them hypocrites.

factcheckerToday  07:02 am JST

Ordinary Koreans are generally good folks, and have moved on. Why can't the pig headed politicians do the same.

As long as you mean the pig headed politicians on both sides of the argument...all good

Most normal common people are not against each other , its just politicians and right wingers on both sides that enflame the hate.

Here I'm NOT attacking common ordinary people on both sides, only questioning the efficacy of anti-Japanese campaigns led by radical activists (also backed by some politicians). Boycott attempts targeting almost anything "looking Japanese" have often been made in a highly agitated manner, but all were very short-lived and unsuccessful (but they don't want to acknowledge it). They should have learned a lesson from past failures.

looks almost like Japan, some things are missing to make it the perfect exerience: electricity poles, traffic lights every 10m (must not be synconized) the mountain in the back needs to be concreted over and a Pachinko and convenience store just next to those historic buildings and lots of advertisiment signs, last but not least, most trees need to be pruned so harc that they are sticks, that would make it just right and awesome

nICE!

Franz PichlerToday  09:24 am JST

looks almost like Japan, some things are missing to make it the perfect exerience: electricity poles, traffic lights every 10m (must not be synconized) the mountain in the back needs to be concreted over and a Pachinko and convenience store just next to those historic buildings and lots of advertisiment signs, last but not least, most trees need to be pruned so harc that they are sticks, that would make it just right and awesome

Nijimori Studio, located in Dongducheon, South Korea, not far from the border with the North, features a set of buildings that bring visitors back to Japan's Edo Era (1600s-1860s)

15 comments and only one third of them are actually on topic. Selective moderation policy in action again.

factchecker: "Ordinary Koreans are generally good folks, and have moved on. Why can't the pig headed politicians do the same."

It's not a one-way street. I agree the pig-headed politicians should do the same, but the same ones in Japan should as well. Two sides of the same coin, and if the public had their way -- the general public -- places like this park would exist all over and people would be exchanging and enjoying each other's culture. People in Japan obviously love Korean culture with the food and the K-pop, movies, etc., and many in Korea love Japan and Japanese culture as well. Here's hoping there is more like this.

@Michael Machida

A museum or sorts but not a theme park.

You have a narrow definition of theme parks.

@factchecker

Ordinary Koreans are generally good folks, and have moved on. 

Ordinary Koreans have not, the majority of public backs government stance against Japan regardless of political orientation, that Japan must admit that Imperial Japanese military ordered the forced conscription of Comfort Women and forced laborers, and must pay damages to surviving forced laborers.

@noriahojanen

What's going on to chauvinistic "No Japan" boycott campaigns?

Japan has shrunk in the mindset of Koreans as a failed, insignificant country, not worth paying attention to.

Yes, Koreans really really think of Japan as a failed state, that's how Japan is seen from outside world.

Pretty much most of Japan's industrial champions collapsed, and now Toyota is following the footsteps of Toshiba and Panasonic with its slow transition to EVs.

After the Japanese automotive sector collapses, there is nothing left for Japan, but finances and hospitality/tourism, because Japan does hospitality/food/tourism far better than China and Korea.

@Sammi Batsu

Yes, ordinary Koreans have moved on. Only pointless right wingers are still whining about history. Maybe it's time you move on too?

Authentic? Anyone spot a line of vending machines?

Looks pretty good. If anything, a bit too clean and planned. I suppose we could check it against ukiyoe or Meiji era photos.

Even in the old photos I can remember seeing, shotengais had massive signage everywhere. Unlike temples and shrines, my impression of commercial spaces in Japan is more sensory overload than calm, balanced and uniform.

Ordinary Koreans are generally good folks, and have moved on.

FYI, a survey in South Korea found that almost half of all South Koreans would side with North Korea in a war against Japan, while 40% said "I don't know".

Another survey found that South Koreans view Abe more negatively than Kim Jong Un, a dictator who imprisons entire families, gives death sentences to his own officers, and executes people in public.

@Falco

You have to understand that North Korea is legally ROK territory, hence any Japanese attack on North Korea means an attack on ROK and the ROK is forced to respond by destroying Japanese origin of attack.

And Japan is the only country in the world that has affirmed by treaty that North Korea is ROK's territory according to 1965 treaty and Japan can't even normalize diplomatic relations with North Korea without terminating the 1965 treaty. The most Japan can do is to set up a representative office in Pyongyang similar to one in Taiwan.

Regardless of what anybody thinks about the political tensions between South Korea and Japan, there are Koreans out there who enjoy Japan and Japanese culture. And vice versa, there are plenty of Japanese people who enjoy Korea and Korean culture as well. What is so wrong with that? Not everything has to be divided by political overtones.

I always think these type of places very peculiar.....I can't imagine a Baverian village attraction being built in the English countryside for example...unless it's being used for some sort of army practice base.

Wow the anti Korean propaganda is at full speed here.

Nice japanese structure!

Quote: Before the theme park opened, however, Kim had to weather harsh criticism, especially from lawmakers, given the frosty ties between South Korea and Japan over historical and diplomatic disputes.

I can just imagine their criticism and thoughts: How dare you portraying Japan in its/her reality and interesting history, we need it as a scapegoat whenever we mess up!

Good for Mr. Kim not giving in. The reaction of the visitors also show, many of the SK people have grown up, using also other information than that offered by their government or school/university. Normalization of ties with Japan must be a nightmare for activists, therefore I really welcome such initiatives of people like Mr. Kim. The houses look very authentic, must really be an interesting place to visit.

Anyway, I think the Japanese village in question is kind of cool. It would be to be there on a rainy day and eat super hot Korea food and wash it down with Korea beer.

Unless there's an Onsen, FORGET it.

I see no mention of an Onsen...ain't tryin' very hard to recreate

Its fashioned after the Edo period of Japan .

Its a park not a museum so it doesn't need to be absolutely perfect in every minute detail.