"Japan-Korea Match Complete Defeat but No Sense of Desperation" Even Japanese Professor Was Surprised

'Korean Peninsula Expert' Professor Kimura Kan's Column Sparks Interest
Analyzing Korea's Reaction to WBC Defeat and Forced Labor Compensation
Netizens: "The Era of Having No Place to Rely on Except Sports Is Over"

"After losing the Korea-Japan match, there is no sign of the unique Korean 'solemnity.' Where has Korean nationalism gone?"

Professor Kimura Kan (57) of Kobe University Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, known in Japan for his expertise on the Korean Peninsula issue, recently contributed a column with this content, attracting attention.

On the 4th (local time), Newsweek Japan published a column by Professor Kimura titled "The old Korea that was elated or depressed by the outcome of Korea-Japan matches no longer exists."

Professor Kimura wrote, "I was in Seoul on the 10th of last month," and continued, "When I returned late to the hotel and turned on the TV, the World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korea-Japan match was in full swing. By the 6th inning, the Japanese team had significantly widened the score gap, and Korea's defeat seemed imminent."

He added, "I thought, 'Korea must be feeling deflated,' but as I watched the broadcast, I felt something different from the past," and continued, "At the moment the Korean commentator said, 'This is our country's reality. We must honestly accept it,' I realized that the usual Korean 'solemnity'?which appears especially when the Korean team is at a disadvantage?was missing."

He further stated, "Korea is known as a country with strong nationalism, and Japan, which once ruled this country, was its main target," and "For that very reason, sports Korea-Japan matches always attracted attention, and Koreans were emotionally affected by the wins and losses."

He also said, "When Korea defeated Japan, they flaunted superiority, and when they lost, they were angry at their weakness and vowed revenge in the next game," but "In March 2023, Korea showed no such reactions. And this was the case in fields beyond sports as well."

He then mentioned a rally by civic groups opposing the Korean government's 'third-party compensation plan' as a solution for forced labor compensation during Japanese colonial rule.

He described, "It was a strange scene where far more media cameras were waiting than the roughly ten people from various civic groups. Passersby on the street showed little interest in them," and added, "If this phenomenon is evidence that Koreans have come to think about Korea-Japan relations more rationally, it would certainly be good news."

"Inferiority complex toward Japan has faded"... Korean netizens show mixed reactions

On the 10th of last month, after the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Korea-Japan match held at Tokyo Dome in Japan ended with Korea's 4-13 defeat, Korean pitchers bowed their heads in greeting.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Professor Kimura, who has served as a visiting researcher at the Sejong Institute and a visiting professor at Korea University, is regarded as an expert on the Korean Peninsula and has authored books such as "Modern Korean History" and "How to View the Korean Peninsula."

Among Korean netizens who read this column, there was some agreement with the observation that the 'solemnity' has disappeared, but opinions differed somewhat on the reasons. One netizen wrote, "The ethnic sentiment felt toward Japan was rooted in an inferiority complex, but now that income levels have become similar, that consciousness has faded."

Another netizen commented, "During the time when there was no other way to beat Japan except in sports, people were overly invested in matches against Japan, but now that Korea leads in many other areas, there seems to be a perception that 'there is no need to be as solemn as before,'" which resonated with many.

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