“No Japs Allowed”: Korean internet cafes get racist
As much as we love Korea, K-Pop, Korean food and Korean girls, the continuing furore over the island of jagged rocks that is Takeshima/Dokdo has been causing some upsetting silliness over on the peninsular.
Now an internet has put up a sign in Korean and (bizarrely) English stating its refusal to allow Japanese would-be netizens from entering the premises.
Both Korean and Japanese online observers have been quick to point out that if the sign is not in Japanese, people will not understand it — or just won’t think to read it.
The sign displayed proudly at the internet cafe in Korea also says that Japanese patrons may enter if they “scream 3 times that Dokdo is Korean territory”.
To be fair, Japan has its own share of infamous “No foreigners allowed” signs — but these usually apply to white people (in particular, Russians) and black people, and are mostly confined to public baths in Hokkaido, where there have been problems with rowdy, non-Japanese speaking aliens.
There are also inumerable establishments where foreigners are not welcome, including Yakuza-friendly bars, many sex shops (though the myth that foreigners cannot visit fuzoku is, in our experience, just that, a myth), and the occasional club.
And to make matters worse, now Chinese protestors are getting angry again about Senkaku / Diaoyutai islands.
All this makes our lusting after hot Chinese and Korean girls very guilt-inducing!
We also found images of these signs from the Lake Hills Jeju Country Club a few years ago saying that Japanese are not welcome, though we are not sure if they are doctored or accurate.
4 Comments
I’m an Asian, not Korean nor Japanese and have been to both country many times. To be neutral particularly not to get involve in the political stuff, the Japanese people are a much more polite people, hands down! I have seen signs in red districts that reject foreigners for a reason(s). Because many local Japs can’t speak English, arguments and disagreements in terms of policy and payment are prone to occur. It’s the last thing they want. So it’s a legit justification to put up signs not because they are prejudice but as a business buffer.
In retrospect, Koreans, despite all the global financial advancement and their strong pop cultural influences in Asia and progressively into Northern America, they are not culturally friendly people. Yeah I’m making a generalization but that’s what statistics are all about, generalizing. I have a friend who TOUCHED a jacket to get a feeling of the fabric so he could decide whether to buy it for his son but the owner shouted across the shot saying ” Buy but DON’T touch “. When I’m there, I have this awkward feeling of being spied on everywhere I go. Later, I’d learned that staring is in there genes. I guess unlike the west, we were taught “it’s not nice to stare” but perhaps they have a different set of norms taught their own culture. I’m just saying……
So this sign war instigated by the Koreans against the Japanese isn’t patriotism but rather it demonstrate the lack of Class. You may have all the money in the world but you can’t buy Class. Period.
@layhoma
Interesting insights, thanks for sharing.
Yes, it’s our opinion that these sign-displayers (in both countries) are just a small minority of people and we would never want to suggest that most Koreans or Japanese would reject each other just because of their nationality.
Interesting point about the red light districts. In our experience that’s similar to why many foreigners have trouble in Japan in brothels, sex clubs, strip clubs and hostess bars. They often turn up in large (and rowdy) groups and don’t speak the language — so get turned away out of fear of the practical problems that might arise. (There are also issues of some discrimination that are more physical — foreigners are believed to be larger downstairs and thus potentially harder work — and sometimes you encounter strange ideas that all foreigners have HIV. But these are surely less prevalent.)
Our philosophy is always respect each other and ‘when in Rome…’ Then everyone can probably get along just fine!
Silly people, make love not war. So many hot Korean and Japanese and Chinese girls, why can’t we settle our differences with orgies?
@Jack Handy
Our sentiments EXACTLY!