Seogyeongdeok Calls Claim That Japan Originated 'Ojingeo Game' Play "Inferiority Complex"

"Japan's Silence on Historical Atrocities During Ilje Gangjeomgi... A Cowardly Move"

Netflix Original Series 'Squid Game'.
Photo by Netflix

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] Professor Seokyungdeok from Sungshin Women's University criticized Japanese media that claim the original source of the games featured in the Netflix original series "Squid Game" is Japan, saying it "only appears to be an expression of inferiority complex."

On the 5th, Professor Seokyungdeok posted on his Facebook, "Recently, Suzuki Shotaro, the Seoul bureau chief of Nihon Keizai, a leading Japanese economic media outlet, wrote a column titled 'The Japanese Shadow Shown in Squid Game,' claiming that the original source of the games in the drama is Japan."

Previously, on the 29th of last month, Bureau Chief Shotaro wrote in his column, "Among the games appearing in 'Squid Game,' 'Mugunghwa Kkoci Pieotseumnida' (The Rose of Sharon Has Bloomed) originated from Japan's 'Daruma-san ga Koronda,' and games like ttakji-chigi (folded paper tile flipping), marbles, and dalgona candy picking are all games familiar to Japanese people."

Professor Seokyungdeok said, "Fine. Let's assume all these claims are correct. Then, it is Koreans who created these play cultures into ingenious drama content that sparked a global craze," adding, "The world will remember the 'Mugunghwa' (Rose of Sharon), not the 'Daruma-san'."

He continued, "This seems to be an expression of 'inferiority complex' out of jealousy over the success of 'Squid Game.' While strongly asserting that these play cultures were spread during the Japanese colonial period, they remain silent about the historical atrocities committed by Japan at that time. This is truly cowardly," he criticized.

Additionally, Professor Seokyungdeok criticized the past incident when Kuroda Katsuhiro, Seoul bureau chief of Sankei Shimbun, disparaged bibimbap as 'yangduguyuk (羊頭狗肉)' in a column after he and the 'Infinite Challenge team' ran a full-screen bibimbap advertisement in New York's Times Square. 'Yangduguyuk' means 'hanging a sheep's head while selling dog meat,' implying something that looks excellent on the outside but is poor inside. This shows that some Japanese media have recently been persistently making unreasonable criticisms not only of Squid Game but also of Korea's bibimbap.

Professor Seokyungdeok emphasized, "Japanese media seem to be afraid that Korean cultural content is spreading worldwide, both in the past and now. In response, we must communicate humbly with the global community and devote all our efforts to developing better content to build a 'Cultural Powerhouse Korea.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.