Korea Vs. Japan: A History Of Beef
Our hopes have been answered: The U.S. is out of the World Baseball Classic, leaving us with tonight’s all-East-Asia final pitting Korea and Japan. That may not sound exciting, until you appreciate the shared history of the neighboring rivals. Think of Korea vs. Japan as sort of like the Red Sox vs. the Yankees, if New York brutally raped and pillaged Boston over a hundred times throughout history, terrorized generations of Bostonians over multiple decades and forced them to change their names, lose their cultural identity and speak only with a New York accent. Yeah, something like that.
To paraphrase J.M. Coetzee paraphrasing Rene Girard: The fewer the differences between two parties, the more bitter their mutual hatred. Korea and Japan are right next to each other and share similar bloodlines, cultures and economies, yet an extremely bitter tension still exists between the two countries. Why? Check out our breakdown of the Korea-Japan beef through history below…
1592-1598: Toyotomi Hideyoshi led one of the first recorded Japanese invasions of Korea as part of the Seven Year War. The Japanese decimated the peninsula and kidnapped thousands of Korean artisans and brought them home'along with the ears and noses of troublemakers. The Mimizuka monument, which translates to “Ear Mound,” still stands today in Kyoto. That shit just don’t sound right!
1910-1945: Japan’s 35-year annexation of Korea included the familiar imperialist atrocities, but perhaps none worse than the “comfort women” forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military. Actual numbers vary, depending on where you’re from (Korea says 200,000+; Japan says 20,000), but there’s no disputing that the majority of comfort women were Korean. The debate continues today, with a recent uproar over Japanese historical textbooks denying the existence of comfort women, which is about as believable as Rawse’s denials about being a C.O.
2001-2006: Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi created a stir with his annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors soldiers'and convicted war criminals'who died fighting for Imperial Japan. These public visits angered Japan’s neighbors, adding to widespread anti-Japan sentiment. Imagine the Chancellor of Germany paying homage to old Nazi leaders and you might get a sense of the outrage in East Asia.
2005-Present: South Korea currently occupies Dokdo, a group of islets between Korea and Japan that Japan claims is part of its territory. The two countries have long bickered over the area, with tensions rising in recent years with multiple protests and diplomatic sneak disses by each country. Should the two nations rap battle for it?
2009: The Japanese were none too pleased when Korea planted a flag in the pitcher’s mound after beating them last week. Who will get the last laugh? That’s why we’ll be watching tonight.
KP March 23, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Korean pride up in this joint.
focalmatic March 24, 2009 at 6:57 am
It took Complex to cover this story correctly??? I am stationed here in Korea and the tension between the two countries is very deep and very real. It seems like in the US – its just another game, but over here there is a deep dissent between the two . Japan feeling like “get over it” and Korea feeling like they are trying to right the past/narrow the gap with every win over Japan whether its Hyundai winning NA car of the year or getting the Gold in the Olympics for baseball. Its hard to fully grasp the magnitude of this game if you are not exposed to it, but it is definitely eye opening. I liken it to Manny Pacquiao carrying the entire country of the Phillipines on his back when he fights – that is what is happening/happened here. I feel bad for the Koreans cause they were so close to winning in the bottom of the 9th…no one seemed to congratulate each other afterwards too.
Korean March 24, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Hmm. I’m a Korean.
But, you know, Korean never says, 200,000 comfort women were Korean.
As i know, 25% comfort women were Japanese, 40% were Chinese.
so, major comfort women were not korean.
Korean March 24, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Korea is small popular country than japan.
But,
Even small popular Country
Korea surpass Japan in many apsect.
Movie, Drama, K-Pop, ship building, memory chip, LCD, IT tech… and so on.
And, Do you know how many baseball player in Korea and Japan?
Japan : 12 millions (Actually, baseball player numbers, and They playing baseball at school)
Korea : 4 thounsands (Actually, baseball player numbers, and They playing baseball at school)
Baseball is very popular and national sports of Japan.
But, Baseball is not so popular as Japan in Korea.
OK? this is nothing but a “miracle of han river”
Japan is 3000 times larger baseball player than Korea!
ed March 24, 2009 at 11:12 pm
To complete your entry, Japanese nationalists unfurled several Imperial Japanese Flags (rising sun flag) during the WBC Finals to continue the beeffest. Mind you, this also constitutes “beef” with the US since we had Pearl Harbor and fought a war over there (not to mention beef with Taiwan, Philippinesans, PRC etc). Also a correction. The Japanese first planted a Japanese flag on the mound after a win during the 2006 WBC. The Koreans were replying in kind in 2009
1M March 25, 2009 at 11:07 am
seriously? complex trying to get political and instigate “beef”? wow..
yeah yeah yeah March 26, 2009 at 3:28 am
Comment by Korean — March 24, 2009
Dear, Korean
since WHEN Korea surpassed Japan? even Koreans in Korea don’t say that. get real.
Graham March 26, 2009 at 4:56 am
One of these days, the writer of this article will get the chip off his shoulder….
What is wrong about the prime minister paying homage to the Yasukuni Shrine? You know that Koreans and Chinese who died in the war are buried and honoured there, right? It is not the same at all with German paying homage to Nazi or what not.
“Who wil get the last laugh?” Get real. It is a baseball match, and if you are putting a nationalistic slant to it, then you must be a really sad person. No one in Japan cared if Korea won or not. Jesus
Korean March 26, 2009 at 4:05 pm
@ yeah yeah yeah
LOL. Before 19 century, Korea was Teacher of Japan.
All of Japanese culture derived from China.
but its culture teached by Korea.
Korea was only good thing to Japan.
Japan was only invasion to Korea.
@Graham
“No one in Japan cared if Korea won or not. Jesus”
it is well known that the only thing that japs think about from the minute they wake up until they sleep each day is “I must go on the internet and find ways to degrade Korea’s image b/c I am insecure about Japan’s image and am afraid that Korea is more popular than Japan”.
Japanese are really Stalker of Korea.
Cleary, in 1990s, Japanese ignore Korea.
But, Nowdays, They are really watch out Korea in every aspects.
Ugly Images of Asian Rivals Become Best Sellers in Japan — NYTimes
“Lacking confidence, they need a story of healing,” Mr. Yoshida said. “Even if we say that story is different from facts, it doesn’t mean anything to them.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/19/international/asia/19comics.html?ei=5090&en=b0d32e601cb39284&ex=1290056400&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
Korean March 26, 2009 at 4:18 pm
@yeah yeah yeah
*Korea : 48,000,000 populations
*Japan : 120,000,000 populations
Summer olympic Medal Ranking
Korea > Japan
Winter olympic Medal Ranking
Korea > Japan
Asian Game medal ranking
Korea > Japan
FIFA World Cup Medal Ranking
Korea > Japan
World Baduk Ranking
Korea > Japan
Memory Chip technology
Korea > Japan
LCD technology
Korea > Japan
Ship Building technology
Korea > Japan
IQ (average)
Korean > Japanese
Body Height (average people size)
Korean > Japanese
Sports results
Korean > Japanese
Program for International Student Assessment
Korean > Japanese
I couldn’t write all in this page.
Korean March 26, 2009 at 4:20 pm
But, I didn’t say, “Korea surpass Japan”.
we are not have any science nopbel prize winner yet.
Korea is still developing country.
Mike March 26, 2009 at 4:33 pm
@Graham
“It is not the same at all with German paying homage to Nazi or what not.”
Come on..it’s a well known fact that Japs do have small dicks.? Maybe that’s why they need to vent their frustration by killing whales, beating their wives and girlfriends, and shooting up innocent Americans at Pear Harbor.
Jap men are like long duck dong, gay effeminate and hairless Japs and nazis have murdered millions when they attacked (nanking, 731 unit, vietnam massacre, sneaky pearl harbor attack….)but on judgement day? they will face God’s wrath. never apologized for their sins saying this or that,(forcing USA to buy their Jap shit cars)
Japs are like the most evil snakes. They are quiet, pretend to be polite, crawl onto the ground as tame as a whale when its master bit it, but it could bite his master as crazy as a wild wolf if get a chance. Remember? They were bombing pearl harbor while its official was lying to the US President. What a good lier!
I know every japs are sucking US dick as happy as they could pretend to be. But I know how pathetic deep in your morons’ head. Japs are deserved in the hell, forever.
realist March 26, 2009 at 10:09 pm
buddy above me clearly has some problems. americans have done worse in their history of war so you think the same shit about them? and what have japanese done to you in the present day, which is whats important. i dont see them going to war for oil but i do see them developing your tv and electronics that you probably use everyday. then i saw your comment about “god’s wrath” and i realise you believe in fairy tales so it’s not like your brains working properly anyways.
Jxpride March 30, 2009 at 6:21 am
@ KOREAN
since japan has a larger population, it should be harder for japan
Cleanliness of country
JAPAN > KOREA
Tourism
JAPAN > KOREA
Infrastructure
JAPAN > KOREA
AUTOMOBILES
JAPAN > KOREA
Life expectancy
JAPAN > KOREA
Top University
JAPAN > KOREA
ECONOMY
JAPAN > KOREA
Transportation
JAPAN > KOREA
…should I keep going? It is true Korea may have alot of pride and can surpass Japan in some aspects, but when it comes down to it, Japan will win. Japan cant be #1 at everything. Korea can still build their ships, make lcd screens that can compete with sonys and force their students to have no life.
Samuel March 31, 2009 at 2:25 am
Japan has been caught lying and cheating at every stage. Their foreign policy is to exclude all others from Japanese business, but to monopolise foreign markets by cheating and being generally underhanded. They constantly get humiliated by scandals that make American business ethics look wholesome. They seem to forget that their country only exists because of the generosity of America and Britain, and that their economy would collapse given the slightest lack of interest by either nation today.
If you haven’t been to Japan, it’s hard to imagine the stupidity of these racist fuckwits. Imagine redneck racist scum in the South, talking the most archaic shit about ‘niggers’ and you’ve got the same level of intellect. Imagine neo-Nazis bashing Jews without a single reason, and you’ve got the same level of intellect. Japanese are really no better than either.
LOL April 2, 2009 at 9:59 pm
wow. yea i know Japan is one of the most powerful countries, but you guys gotta remind what they have done in order to be powerful. Japan attacked korea all of a sudden with out proclamation of war. Japan stole everything including tech, unique culture, life, happiness, love, family, home, land, national heirloom, etc. And still japan is saying Dok-Do is theirs even though they already took Korea’s island ‘Dae-ma Do (Daema Island).” They even tried to steal Kimchi from korea like a few years ago. I don remember what exactly they said but they were like “Kimchi is Japan’s traditional food blahblah” This is how Japan became the world powerful country.
and Koreans
not only Dok-Do but you guys should get back Daema do also. we cannot say korea should get back the land that they used to have in Bal-Hae dynasty and Goguryeo, since there was a treaty dealing about it, but japan stole Daema Do without anything but force and distortion of history.
i know not much of history of japan and korea,
correct me if i know anything wrong.
Irv April 9, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Realist, 1M, and, Graham can suck a fat one
Korea is the underdog obviously so i have to root for them
Korean…you write funny
Anonymous April 29, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I have to disagree with you, Jxpride. Japan does recieve more tourists and is probably more well known in the west, but Korea has better educational systems. Both countries are relatively equal in cleanliness (Japan has a higher population in accordance with having MORE LAND that S. Korea does). When it comes to automobiles, countries such as Germany top both Korea AND Japan. Japan only has a “better” economy because of its higher population and due to the nation having been “developed” for a longer duration that Korea. I’m not being biased against Japan, but Jxpride was seriously being a prick. Japan doesn’t top Korea, and Korea doesn’t top Japan. Both countries have their own advantages.
Japanese August 7, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I am sorry for what this user called ‘Korean’ has written here; he is from a Japanese forum called 2channel which harbors unrest against Koreans. Many Japanese go with ‘Korean’ as their alias to make Korea look bad.
Please don’t be fooled by nationalistic Japanese posing as Korean. Koreans rarely go into English websites.
KickinFamily August 18, 2009 at 10:51 am
A side note on the Seven Year War… Yes, the Japanese invaded Korea (called Chosun at the time), but the Koreans won the war, primarily due to Admiral Yi Sun-Sin controlling the waters and winning the naval war, cutting of Japanese supplies, etc.
KickinFamily August 18, 2009 at 10:52 am
Er, make that “cutting off Japanese supplies”… Stupid keyboard. :)
indonesian boy October 7, 2009 at 6:07 pm
you bastard..fuck your bitch mother –> nation raped another asian woman….my country someday will kill all your children and rape all of your fucking nasty woman..if my country one day will be stronger than now…trust…it is just a matter of time…….REMEMBER THISSS ASS HOLE
MAJIN October 13, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I believe that someday….they will be very good
friends.
boo October 15, 2009 at 3:05 pm
well…i dont like koreans they are bunch of selfish!!!feeding from other peoples country yet have the guts to insult them.they bring illegals and dont know how to treat employees well…japanese are kinder than those koreans..they know well how to treat foreigners even if they are from poor countries.they express no discrimination…just compare foreign scholars-japan can finance the whole students need which korea cant(very cheap).and they treat their MS as slave because they are poor in English and very unprofessional in acts(have u seen a professor hammering a lab equipment in front of his students) while japanese are very opposite them.
i havnt heard any scholars from korea that wer happy studying there…
in japan they prepared everything before hand…that’s SYSTEM!
they feel very bitter about japan because they surpasses them
NipsForDicks October 19, 2009 at 10:43 pm
YES! you are right. Koreans are only bitter towards Japan b/c we surpass them in all aspects! It has totally nothing to do with raping their women, destroying their economy, taking their civilians as slaves, and attempting to demolish Korean culture so we can replace it with Japan’s. It has nothing to do with the 35 years of oppression, forcing them to convert to Shintoism, assasinating all their politicians, etc. It has nothing to do with our past prime ministers visiting the graves of Japanese war criminals!! Long live Japan!
boo October 15, 2009 at 3:10 pm
an 1 more thing..korean products are very low-quality..my brother bought a HYUNDAI dvd player 9 mos ago and now its broken..nxt a HYUND stove after a month…its really funny coz i cant still remember the sound of the parts falling apart…and we’ve waited for 3 mos of repair bt the store wner said that i cant be repaired so we just have to ask for a replacement of the product…even my friend said that i shoould not buy KIA motors they are not good
kyute October 15, 2009 at 3:16 pm
then why us filipinos dont feel bitter when japan conquered us…because we are humble people we know how to forgive and forget..
NipsForDicks October 19, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Fuck Korea. Japan is proud of their past. We love raping woman, colonizing innocent countries, and frowning on other Asian countries because we have honor and pride. We are great for the 35 years of annexation on Korea and the Rape of Nanking to China. Nips For Dick Pride Forever. Long live the Rapist Country Japan!!