Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Korean-Japanese mixed martial artist Akiyama Yoshihiro answered a question about Dokdo/Takeshima/Fucking Stupid Rock In The Middle Of The Sea the other day on Twitter and he pissed off Koreans.
On June 17, mixed martial artist, Choo Sung Hoon (Yoshihiro Akiyama), tweeted “Dokdo belongs to everyone,” stirring up the Dokdo controversy among netizens.
In response to his tweet, a Japanese Twitterer tweeted back, “Between Korea and Japan, who’s territory do you think Dokdo is?” To which Choo answered back, “That’s a tough question. Personally, it wasn’t anyone’s to begin with so wouldn’t it be everyone’s?”
Choo is a Japanese-Korean. While both his parents are Korean, he gave up his Korean citizenship and has built his career under his Japanese citizenship. As his wife is also Japanese, the Dokdo controversy can only be a sensitive topic for him. His comments put him on the chopping block among Korean netizens who are still very sensitive to the Dokdo issue.
Netizens commented, “Dokdo is Korean territory and that is the truth,” “disappointing,” and “that’s a sensible answer to a mean-spirited question.”
“HOW DARE HE TAKE A NEUTRAL STANCE ON AN ISSUE WHERE HE CAN’T PROVIDE A RIGHT ANSWER TO EITHER SIDE
BURN HIM AT THE STAKE”
It’s amusing how the Korean article makes it seem as if he’s a traitor (which is what he will probably be labeled after this … again).
“OMG JAPANESE CITIZENSHIP, GAVE UP BEING KOREAN, MARRIED A JAPANESE
OBVIOUS TRAITOR”
Of course, what they don’t tell you is that Korean-Japanese are damned if they do, damned if they don’t.
Take the case of Tadanari Lee, a soccer player for the Japanese national team of Korean ethnicity.
The 26-year-old forward for the J-League’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima had a brief stint with the Korean national team in 2004 when he was selected to the U-19 Korean team.
It didn’t go well. After joining the team’s training camp at the National Football Center in Paju, Gyeonggi, with high hopes for himself, he was shocked to hear some of his teammates refer to him as a “half-Japanese” with strong racial undertones.
“I trained with the Korean U-19 national football team in the past,” said Lee. “I am a Korean person who was born and raised in Japan. Jong Tae-se mentioned this to the media before, but Korean-Japanese can be classified in three ways: Korean, Japanese and Korean-Japanese. Good or bad, we have two to three different identities.” Jong was born in Japan, holds South Korean citizenship and plays for North Korea’s national football team.
It’s sort of ironic, really. They want them to be loyal to Korea, but make it impossible for them to feel welcome there. Good plan!
These guys are essentially in can’t win scenarios. They aren’t truly welcomed by either society, and even if they give reasonable answers to tough questions, both sides will bitch about core issues. In this case though, it’s generally a hot button issue in Korea more than Japan, so he’s taking heat from that side.
—–
It’s sad that individuals just trying to live their lives are constantly torn and forced to “choose” between two countries that they probably both like.
And in this case, once again, it’s all because of those stupid fucking rocks.
Why would he bring it up in the first place? That’s not very smart of him. Besides, Dokdo should belong to Korea. It’s been known to be of Korean possession historically and Japan sure doesn’t deserve anything too nice after the shit they pulled.
You just love being sucked into stupid disputes between countries who wouldn’t even welcome you, huh?
lol
You sure about that? Last time I visited Korea I didn’t seem to receive hate because I’m Korean-American.
Do anything minutely against their norms and it comes out in a flash, whether it’s behind your back or not.
I know proud Korean Americans who are active in Korean history and Korean issues who get shit for their opinions because they served in the American military to pay for their college education.
lol
I’m curious, where’d you become such an expert on Korean culture? I really hope you’re not using anecdotes. The amusement goes both ways, I’m amused that someone is so quick to condemn a whole nation when you haven’t even spent time with even a tenth of them.
*sigh* outsiderkpop……sit the fuck down.I don’t really think you know your place in Korean society but I sure as hell can tell you from exerience;
OUTSIDER. just like me you’re Korean american( though I’m mixed raced Korean american so whatever) and trust the guy whose lived there for half his life…..They don’t like us too much…..Unless they need our support for something.
Just gonna point out here that the 50 Korean citizens you probably ran into during your vacation in Korea aren’t going to reflect the opinions of the 48.8 MILLION PEOPLE that live in that country.
In this case, majority rules. Whatever you’ve personally experienced is irrelevant. Koreans have proved over and over and over and OVER again how closed off they are to foreigners, whether they’re of Korean descent or not.
Lol @ outsider, they probably talked shit about you behind your back with their native Korean friends and you never knew.
History was one of my majors in college and the focus was on East Asian history. Part of that was sociology and culture related classes. So the foundation is mainly academic books and journals, which are supplemented by current events.
I think eventually the feelings will lift as the older generations die off, just as they have towards Japanese Americans in Japan, but for now, it’s just a reality, IMO.
For Korean entertainment examples, ask Jay Park and Brian Joo how welcome they felt.
I’m not even sure why we’re arguing.
A recent hot issue in Korea was the rally for the deportation of and backlash against Korean-Chinese, because one Korean-Chinese committed a horrific murder.
I mean, come on. What is so hard to believe about my argument?
Newsflash, they don’t like Korean Americans in Korea either.
For someone who seems to stand against stereotyping people, you’re guilty of the same crime.
Obviously I’m speaking in generalities, but Korean Americans who are invested in Korean issues amuse me.
Koreans couldn’t care less if you are ethnic Korean. If you aren’t ethnic Korean, weren’t born and raised in Korea, and don’t subscribe to the exact dogma of their society at large, you will get shit for being foreign born. Same with Japan. Hell, Japan doesn’t even like Okinawans and they are actually part of the country.
Feel free to be delusional if you want.
Although that’s pretty much true, Japanese people tend to like half-Japanese half-white people a lot… Well, if they’re attractive. People like Rinka, Lena Fujii, Marie, Christina, Becky, etc. I think I read somewhere that Amuro Namie is 1/4 Italian?
Koreans love Daniel Henney too.
Exceptions are made for the famous and attractive.
Hines Ward’s mother was spat on in Korea, but after he won the Super Bowl, he was a hero.
Meh.
Yeah I heard a lot about Hines Ward and his struggle with korea. After he became famous he went back to korea and they kissed his butt and would probably wipe it for him if he asked. But he said he ignored those people.
By the way, we all already get that you’re a Korean-American Korean nationalist (*chortle*) or whatever, so give it a rest.
You were already featured in a Comment Of The Day post due to comments you made over at allkpop, so no reason to go for another.
:o
+1
I don’t see what gain or loss to that inhabitable piece of earth sticking up from the ocean would have to either country. What I want to know what the hell does it possessed? Is there hidden treasure? Is it a very good fishing spot? WHAT IS IT?
I kinda understand the dispute because Thailand and Cambodia has a similar one about the preah vihear temple. But its very recent and no fucks haven’t been given or received by both countries since last year….
my parents didnt give one fuck about that dispute. Same with the other elderly people here.
There was a little military action, but afterwards nothing major happened and it died down.
With the dokdo islands, there hasnt been any military incursion and the two nations are bickering like little kids over it. Id say, just nuke the damn thing.
Apparently it is a good fishing spot.
Natural resources.
Nothing that would make or break either country.
Ignore the right wing nut jobs. You can’t win with them either way.
Of course…you can always blow up those rocks :|
Solve everything.
You sure that it would solve everything? The rocks themselves aren’t really an issue, it’s what it stands for. For Koreans it represents the non-apologetic attitude Japan maintains over the acts they committed. For Japan, I don’t know what it stands for in Japan, maintaining their power? Either way, if the rocks are gone, the attention will just move to some other issue. Also, because destroying the rocks would really solve EVERYTHING. There would be conflicts over stuff like who gave you the right to destroy them, the very very minor environmental impact it would have, who has to pay for it, who has to relocate the couple living on it, etc. Oversimplifying an issue doesn’t help anything. Shouting destroy the rocks is like saying just surprise attack North Korea.
these islands also mean $ because it would give the exclusive economic zone rights to the country who have them.
Lol it’s hilarious how you thought he was serious about blowing up the rocks. Cool it bro.
Doesn’t matter if he was joking or not, it gets annoying to read the same stupid thing every time this topic comes up.
@outsider Yeah, like whenever you talk out of your ass is not annoying…
Lol then don’t come here and bitch with your KA/Korean issues if it annoys you so much.
“FUCKING JAP MONKEYS, DIAOYUTAI ISLANDS BELONG TO TAIWAN!!!!!!”
Please someone just nuke ALL of these damn rocks out of the Asian Pacific.
Seriously getting tired of hearing that from my grandparents everyday.
It’s endless.
Also, by their logic, America shouldn’t be a country anymore since we technically stole all the land from the Native Americans through war and genocide.
:o
And before that, some Native American tribe likely had THEIR land “stolen” from another rival tribe from war and killing, etc.
Everybody’s ancestors have had their land “stolen” from someone at some point.
e__e *reads comments* Dang, what countries are NOT having a border/landmark dispute?
Probably the ones no one goes to because if they land there, the people there will kill them.
They should take the rocks and push them somewhere else.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubePTrs2VJc
Liancourt Rocks again?! Aww yeah, again and again.
Typical Asian passive aggressive bull as usual. But this does have potential for some interesting contests to resolve the issue. They should have an MMA fight or a dance battle or something.
I would say K-Pop vs J-Pop battle, but that’s a little one sided, right Soshi?
AKB48 is just trolling through.
Oh God, those rocky islands AGAIN? Norway has tons of those we can give some to the japanese, if they are in such a desperate need to posess some.
lol
I hade no idea North Korea had a soccer team. Weird.
I still can’t over the fact they have a female team….
Yeah it’s weird seeing them in the Olympics and stuff… their entry is quite small (and of course separate from S.Korea ^^;;) It’s like… 5 people or whatever (as well as those other countries no one really heard of before)
Lol are you sure they’re nourished enough to play sports?
Lets just give these rocks to some one who needs it.
No one.
Oh, there are a ton of stupid things that Korea and Japan are butting heads over. What exactly are they fighting about? Let’s say that Japan hands the islands to Korea. Is that going to end anything? NO.
The most maddening thing about this entire issue is that they’re fighting just to fight, they’re not fighting for a cause anymore. They’re just waving their dicks around like barbarians trying to protect their pride.
Meanwhile, the majority people who were alive during the time Japan took over Korea (which is probably what Korea is really mad about) have passed on.
Might take another hundred years for them to get over it. Americans don’t bitch too much about British people but we’ve had time lol.
It’s a useful political tool, the governments won’t stop it either way.
I support the pigeons and all birds on this one, because they are the only ones who can shit upon these rocks daily and not be messed with.
They hate you when you do something wrong, they hate you when you do something right.
Sad, but such is the life of anyone in the public’s eye.
Oh and on a side note, this reminds me of Kashmir and my family’s intense hatred for anything remotely Pakistani.
It’s pretty entertaining, actually.
Personally I liked his answer. It belongs to everybody.