Comments on: Korean monks tear down evil Japanese fence

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:12:33 +0000

I thought it was called poor grammar?

By: Alex

Alex — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:10:26 +0000

I wholeheartedly agreed that the Korean media is shooting itself in the foot. I just can’t stomach it when people see some random display of nationalism and then start attacking Koreans over it, like the Chosun Ilbo represents the entire country.

By: The Sanity Inspector

The Sanity Inspector — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:30:54 +0000

That’s called cutting off your nose to spite your face.

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:55:58 +0000

Here’s an example of the local media at its worst (though it seems a routine practice):

http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/08/korea-herald-has-more-on-ulsan-teacher_11.html

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:55:08 +0000

Here’s an example of the Korean media at its worst (unfortunately, it seems a routine practice):

http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/08/korea-herald-has-more-on-ulsan-teacher_11.html

By: Brian

Brian — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:47:11 +0000

Alex, I think you linked to the wrong post up there.

Anyway, Alex, I still feel these kinds of displays demonstrate that it’s more profitable to hate Japan here than it is to move on. Why else the need to remove a pillar and a fence 64 years after the end of Occupation? Now, yeah, I get that these wounds are slow to heal, and that Koreans still perceive that Japan has never sincerely apologized or atoned for stuff like comfort women or those conscripted into the army or into factories. But displays like this aren’t conducive to any healing process.

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 11:17:03 +0000

You’re right. There has been no original article linked anywhere, so I assumed it was a blockquote from it. There’s just a picture and James claiming that the Koreans are calling the Japanese “evil”, and then a bunch of comments about Koreans this and Koreans that. Keep in mind the pictures are from the Chosun Ilbo, which is regarded by both left and right leaning expats as the worst Korean news source ever (Including Brian in Jeollanam-do!):

http://briandeutsch.blogspot.com/2009/07/suncheon-school-principal-stabs-himself.html
http://koreabeat.com/?p=8559
http://www.koreanmediawatch.com/2009/07/the-chosun-ilbo-has-besmirched-itself/
http://www.diffism.com/2009/07/21/chosun-ilbo-we-love-irony-and-scantily-clad-women/ (mine)

The comments by expats in Japan on Korean news stories sort of remind me of the Debito followers (or Jon Huer followers, if any even exist), but applied to Korea instead. What you do is take a minority of obnoxious examples (say, the Uyoku Dantai, or Chosun Ilbo) and then claim that they represent the entire nation. It’s such an easy setup!

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:43:08 +0000

That reference is to the old Seoul Capitol building, which has been torn down.

By: Shelly

Shelly — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:20:25 +0000

“You can’t make this shit up.”

No pun intended, of course.

By: Alex

Alex — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 08:26:20 +0000

Looking at the article again, it doesn’t say that the fence itself was built by the Japanese, so it’s just a political statement with no physical relation to Japanese imperialist rule.

That being said, it’s an important political statement for Koreans – It was never meant for the rest of the world. The insinuation in the title of this post with the wording “evil” gives the story a negative bias towards Koreans, when no such wording was ever mentioned in the original article. In fact, it says,

Opponents countered that Korea, now a wealthy land, was no longer troubled by such symbolism, and that reminders of the Japanese era were needed; many opposed the move on the grounds of the expense incurred, and the merit of the existing building. (Other Japanese-era buildings, such as the old Seoul Station, and Seoul City Hall, are considered landmarks of the city.) A proposal was made to move the building to a new site, although this would have been far more expensive than demolition.

Not all Koreans even agreed with the demolition in the first place. This is about an obscure group of monks making a message, and then the pro-Japan/anti-Korea crowd making a uproar over nothing. If you’ve lived in Korea long enough, you’ll notice that many Koreans have a negative image of Buddhist monks in the first place. (Mostly, they consider them loud beggars)

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:24:21 +0000

I’ll bet a year’s supply of kimchi that this was a wall that was old and about to come down anyway, and the monks decided a political statement would be a good idea.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:00:20 +0000

What are the nationalities of the other poop piles?

By: LB

LB — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 05:24:55 +0000

Did this fence have 天皇陛下万歳 or similar inscribed on it? I can’t see anything distinctly Imperialist Japanese on it in the photo, or anything that would classify it as a “monument”, perhaps you could shed some light on the matter?

By: tokyojesusfist

tokyojesusfist — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:03:46 +0000

They didn’t tear down a monument to Imperial Japan, they tore down an old, inconspicuous fence. For great justice, no doubt.

By: Craig

Craig — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 23:09:26 +0000

Monuments, or fences…?

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 15:37:56 +0000

And we should all be upset over the West tearing down Nazi monuments, right?

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:28:47 +0000

Back in 1995, the president of SK marked the August 15th holiday by starting the demolition of the old Seoul Capitol building, constructed by the Japanese. Granted, it was nefariously built to obscure Gyeongbokgung, one of the city’s five palaces, though there were arguments for and against tearing it down some 50 years later.

By: samurainbob

samurainbob — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:27:22 +0000

Maybe he’s related to the (spunky) Dutch garden gnome named Plop?

By: hoihoi

hoihoi — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:11:25 +0000

take Japanese cherry tree out and send back to Japan

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:39:41 +0000

Incidentally, Kim Ben must surely be taken from 勤勉, to study hard? Isn’t this a GOOD thing?

By: HamachiMan

HamachiMan — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:03:44 +0000

Cry me a river! You should see the things they teach, that’s right, actually teach school kids in Korea about all Japanese people. A wee bit worse than this (though I am not justifying this poop character as it would be offensive).

Let the riots begin!

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:21:42 +0000

Mr. Kim, tear down this wall!
Of course they tear down a useless wall and leave all the other buildings the Japanese built, like Seoul Station.

By: T.

T. — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:53:55 +0000

I’m not really sure why they’re obsessing over turds. Aren’t there more important matters they should be worrying about? Like the fact that North Korea shares a border with them?

By: T.

T. — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:52:44 +0000

I wonder what they’ll tear down next year? And the year after that? What happens when they run out of things to tear down? Hmmm.

By: thaKingRocka

thaKingRocka — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:23:17 +0000

should i be similarly upset that my nation seems to have some representation with my national symbols adorning a festering turd with blue eyes? and if i’m reading correctly, he only ever says, “yes” which would indicate an inability to learn japanese. frankly, i don’t give a … damn. and the koreans shouldn’t be wasting their time worrying about this stuff either. they’ve got fences to tear down.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:18:49 +0000

Well said, nigelboy!

“I am deeply offended that you would portray me as easily offended!” It sounds like every ex-girlfriend I had in high school.

By: nigelboy

nigelboy — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:00:35 +0000

“His name is “Kim Ben,” and he is described as, “A tough high school student who is EASILY ANGERED.”

“South Korean netizens are OUTRAGED by the existence of a Japanese poop character that is meant to insult their great nation.”

You can’t make this shit up.

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:57:21 +0000

Worst monks ever.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:23:47 +0000

Yeah, they are amusing. They tend to defeat their own goals of gaining sympathy. Takeshima is one thing, but the Sea of Japan / East Sea issue makes the nationalists look very stupid. Tearing down the old Japanese govt building in front of the palace is one thing, but pulling down a wall? What, did it have Property of the Imperial Japanese Empire all over it?

By: Craig

Craig — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:03:43 +0000

I love reading these stories of Korean nationalism, and Dokdo or whatever. So funny. It’s amazing they have diplomatic relationships with other countries.