South Korean novelist admits to plagiarizing Japanese author

A South Korean book called "Legend" was found to be copied from a Japanese book entitled "Patriotism". I can't help but laugh at the irony.

Is anyone really surprised ? Koreans may blame Japan and Japanese in all possible sins but still they borrow various things from Japan, from know-how techological secrets of electronics to literature.

Korean author plagiarises Yukio Mishima of all people? I thought that colour was forbidden.

Despite its rather gruesome subject matter, “Patriotism” will always have a special place in my heart because it was the first Mishima stories I read (probably in high school). I would thoroughly recommend it either in Japanese or English. My only warning is that it is not for the faint of heart.

@ymashi: and Japan never borrowed from the west in modern times? nor did they copy various things from Korea and China in the ancient past?

For those interested, Mishima produced and played the lead role in a short film based on 愛国心.

akkk1JUN. 24, 2015 - 03:13PM JST @ymashi: and Japan never borrowed from the west in modern times? nor did they copy various things from Korea and China in the ancient past?"

Plagiarizing a written work is not "borrowing." It is the practice of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. It is theft.

As A Realist points out, plagiarism is a deliberate act of stealing someone else's work yet this author acts like it happened without her input or knowledge and she can't remember it happening. Great example to show to future generations of writers in South Korea.