Blah, too long a thread, I stopped reading halfway through.
I am a fully home-grown korean, having spent most of my life in SK and all that. While I cant speak for China/Taiwan, you would have to be a damned liar to not admit how much blatant and outlandish hatred towards the Japanese they seed in their younger generation in Korea; it is true, I have seen too much of it while growing up there. Part of the blame goes to the Teacher's Union in Sk, which (in my opinion) has strong political interest in spreading pro-NK propaganda. Those are the same people who would brainwash their kids to hate americans to death, and I have witnessed all that too.
Of course, I am not saying thats the sole reason; more importantly, the so-called system in Korea dating back to Lee Seung Man and Park Cheong Hee's regimes (never mind that he was often vocal against US's meddling in domestic issues) have been infamous for tyranny and paid little attention to noble ideals such as human rights. Incidentally, their diplomatic alignment happened to be pro-US and pro-Japan. This culminates in Park regime's secrete and controversial sub rosa deal with Japan to secure funds for economic development in exchange for re-establishing diplomatic relationship despite fervent consensus resisting such move; whether this sparked SK's remarkable economic growth is up for debate.
The notion that the ruling class had strong ties with Japan and US was not limited at the presidential level. Punishment and trials never took place and those same sellouts (Japanese sympathizers) managed to maintain status-quo, as the US military Gov in Korea distrusted the Korean Provisional Gov and adhered to the hegemony previously set up by the Japanese Resident General, abominated by the locals for obvious reasons. Much of this general historic information is found on wikipedia FYI.
Bottom line - conservative (and traditionally corrupt, undemocratic) power in SK is viewed to be largely pro-US and pro-Japan, so it is naturally seen as cool, liberal and patriotic to shout anti-Japan slogans and burn the American flag. Along with fandeath, there is another cultural phenomenon found OINK (only in Korea): even when Korean head coach admits Japan had a better team and deserved to win the recent WBC tournament, Koreans claim that they got shafted by unfair tournament rules pushed down their throat by Americans (long story, but Japan was the victim and Korea was most likely a beneficiary)
At least Koreans love baseball (certainly not as much as the Japanese) and have embraced it as a naitonally popular sport, unlike soccer. Pro-soccer league in Korea is all but deceased and left to rot, except whenever there is a soccer match against Japan, it becomes an instant national event (a de facto holiday); bandwaggon soccer fanatics poppoing up left and right - they wouldnt care if they lost worldcup or whatever as long as they win against Japan.
Another interesting cultural facet in Korea is how well-wired the country is. Although this is generally considered a good thing, you would be rather amazed how easily uninformed masses are swayed by some inflamatory post at a popular internet forums or blog. This coupled with the traditional tendency of social exclusionism, it isnt too unusual to see massively furious and almost compulsury reaction even to slightest "instigation" originating from Japan.
It takes two to tango, however; Japan also has their knees deep in historical amnesia, having ranks of nationalist groups with absurd agnedas. If you ever wanted learn what distorted version of WWII and early 20th century history some nationalistic Japanese harbor, browse through 2ch for a bit (or so I keep getting told time and again). To those who arent well-informed in this matter, the atrocities the Japanese have commited during the WW II makes Hitler look like an angel hisemlf (not really, but certainly the Japanese were much worse). The Japanese conservatives are criticized for provoking their neighbors in their attempt to bolster nationalism deemed required to abolish Article 9 and rearm themselves.
What I wanted to point out, is rather how I keep hearing from my friends in Japan that the majority of people there simply dont really care much or know enough about Korea altogether. It is just a series of recent trends in Japan that pushed Korean soap operas and Kimchi to the mainstream. Excluding the radicals found at places like 2ch and their likes, the yougner generation is reportedely more acceptive of Korean culture and do not readily buy into tabloid propaganda like Kenkanryu.
I dont wanna come off as speaking from my high horse, but many enlightened Koreans (or those who know better than average about Japan) agree that much of overzealous anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea is sometimes baseless and taken too far, though at the same time they assert that Japan could use more well-planned strategy in keepin their neighbors happy (history textbooks, reparations, shrine visits and etc) if they are planning on reconcilliating.
Ultimately, what matters in the end is where they want to end up in the future. I, for one, wish all countries in far east could enjoy prosperity in relatively healthy diplomatic and political atmosphere (that, of course, is not without having solved all the outstanding crucial historical/political disagreements and sweeping them under the rug). Reparations or not, I am willing to bet many of those brainwashed Koreans do not wish to be in good terms with Japan no matter what.
There is no saint in the diplomatic realm, more often than not a survival of the fittest; there is a constant wave of clashes over territorial distpute between the nations in the far east, necessarily entailing rash chauvinistic sentiments. At the peak of tension between Korea and China recently, anti-Sinoism in Korea (though briefly) rivaled anti-Japanism. This in fact examplifies:
1) Though seemingly deep-rooted, anti-Japanese sentiment in the younger generations in Korea is undeniably heavily affected by brainwash education - partly a fashionable and shallow concept.
2) Koreans, as I have stated earlier, are reknowned for displaying a series of collective, often fervid yet short-lived zeal over a transient issue. Getting worked up in some anti-Japanese rally is just another annual event, really.
3) Perhaps further exacerbation of anti-Sinoism may dilute some of anti-Japanese fever.
For all I care, some of my best friends here used to be Japanese. Case in point: though I am not sympathetic toward's Israel's cause as a nation, I had no qualms whatsoever with Jewish friends I have met in school and conciously avoided sensitive topics in discussion. Unfortunately, same could not be said about many fellow Koreans I have observed; their minds are too clowded to see that there is a stark difference between hating on and blaming a random, unaquainted individual, and criticizing a large indistinguished group as the whole collectively. Maybe they could learn a thing or two from reading Malcolm X's autobiography. Needless to say, most of them never had a japanese friend, knew little about japan and preferred to keep it that way. Hatred and likewise racism largely comes from ignorance; its easy to hate on someone you dont know well enough, dont care to learn about either - how convineint it is to create some scapegoat figure so you could curse and point finger at to lash out all your anger and stress.
As a closing remark, I wanted to add that you are bound to get different takes on this as we only perceive things as we have personally experienced or observed in our lives. Some of the posters above have contrasting views on the issue, and maybe truth is somewhere in between. Though I have written little about WW II atrocities, not by any means to downplay what significance it has; my purpose of posting here was to present a unique POV to the mix. Personally, I try to distance myself from the older generation when consdiering this international struggle; not that I turn a blind eye on their grievances they had to endure, just that I dont make it my utmost purpose for existence to blame it on the descendant generations and make sure they repent their sin. From what I have seen, brainwashing does exist (whether this is righteous is maybe another can of worms). Two wrongs dont make it right, and I wish that Japan stops modifying their textbooks among other things as much as people in my country would strive to eliminate this anti-japan-over-anything attitude.
Back then, no. But I'm 44 years old and never dated -- I think my mom would welcome anyone now.
Whoa, I remember you saying that like 4 years ago.. Guess things havnt changed much :brokenheart: Keep your head up, 45 is the magic number, I tell ya!