New Japanese Media Report On South Korean Copies Of Japanese Products
Following last month’s obsession with Chinese copies of Japanese products and Disney theme parks, comes this report from Fuji TV’s investigative team on blatant copies of Japanese products that can be found in South Korean supermarkets:
Most shocking of all? Perhaps the fact that Lotte, a company that was founded in Japan, has been selling imitation Pocky in South Korea since the 1980’s. Lotte Korea has even copied promotional ideas that Pocky’s creators originated. Unfortunately, South Korean law protects the companies that have copied Japanese snack products, and there isn’t much Japanese companies can do at all, especially for products that were created during a peroid when Japanese imports to South Korea were restricted.
[Via Neomarxisme]
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Well, Lotte was founded by a Korean after the war…is this revenge?
At least the general reaction of Seoulites seemed pretty good – they weren’t impressed with the copying.
I find this a bit hypocritical considering Japan’s entire modern culture was based on copying the west.
Borrowing one’s culture from the west is one thing, companies making unauthorized copies of other companies’ products is an entirely different matter.
I agreed with James. I called it’s stealing.
Isn’t there an international law that is against this kind of thing?
Pepero Day has been around for almost a couple decades now, hasn’t it? Whereas, none of my friends in Japan have ever heard of Pocky Day.
WOW I go to a korean and japanese food store in my local town and they have things side by side one being japanese and the other korean…its obvious how big of a rip they are lol.
well..i too was surprised coz here in Australian supermarket,, i found lots of Japanese items but when u get to look at it and read,,well well,,its either made in CHINA it says or South Korea or Vietnam..and tell u,,its excatly the Original product name and company of Japan,,like KEWPIE,,its written in Japanese then on the down part , its says product of china..
maybe i will try to send u pics of these products in Japan Probe,,but not in UTUBE…
also the fruits labeling here is also funny and strange coz even my japanese daughter laffed,,so she told me to get photos of them,,hahahahaha,,and i did and im gonna send it,,to Japan probe site,,,
Sounds great, the e-mail is japanprobe(-at-)gmail(dot-)com!
there was a failed legal battle between starbucks and an obvious rippoff logo for a korean cafe chain. korean law will side with korean companies. their economic success is built of imitation – i guess their perspective is, why mess with it?
i vaguely recall this story, no starbucks did win and the store had to change signs, the only issue was that monetary compensation was dropped. that is, unless this was a different case, but it’s a dubious story that a big company would lose in the long run.
Last I heard, Starbucks lost in South Korean courts:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/11/bloomberg/bxstarbucks.php
just googled the name for the pic, not the same that I saw 4 years ago but wow, seeing the two side by side is hilarious. thanks for providing the link, apologies for considering any doubt, evan.
The owner of Lotte is a ethnic Korean.