News and Views

August 08, 2005
Drama Series Encourages Korean Pride in Japan

For the past 60 years, Koreans lived under Japanese aliases to assimilate into the Japanese society and to avoid discrimination. But with the South Korean TV drama series called "Winter Sonata," starring South Korean actor Bae Yong Joon, now popular in Japan, many young South Koreans are feeling bold enough to reveal their real ethnic backgrounds. Like many people from mixed-race or ethnic backgrounds, Koreans who were naturalized in Japan will soon be losing their culture slowly if Korean culture continues to lack recognition in Japan. "By integrating ethnic Koreans into Japanese society, the society will become ethnically diversified," says Chung Dae Kyun, professor of sociology at Tokyo Metropolitan University. This is the simple concept that all countries of all cultures need to grasp because by integrating or acknowleding many cultures no matter where in the world through celebrating all cultures, people, abilities, and choices, means that we have the chance to achieve unity and harmony together. While it almost seems unlikely that a popular drama series could spark such a cultural change, all small steps towards appreciating and recognizing diversity is another amazing move forward.

Read more at: Japan Times