[Beijing Diary] Which Korean Articles Do Chinese People Read?

China also has portal sites similar to Korea's Naver. The most representative one is Baidu, and the biggest difference from Korean portals is that a list of 'popular articles' appears on the homepage's first screen. For correspondents who need to closely monitor issues within China, frequently scanning this list is one of the most effective ways to grasp recent developments.

Occasionally, articles related to Korea also rank on the list. What kind of Korean-related articles do Chinese people read the most? To get straight to the point, it is sensational gossip or news about well-known figures within China. Stories about Koreans behaving outrageously or absurd incidents also attract high attention.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Last month, a representative article that repeatedly ranked was the news about actor Yoo Ah-in being summoned for investigation on drug use allegations. The hairstyle and outfit of former President Park Geun-hye, who appeared in public for the first time in a long while after her release, also became a hot topic. Updates and concert news about popular idol group BLACKPINK members often appeared among major articles. A few days ago, an article about a young Chinese man traveling in Korea who was verbally abused by a Korean woman and responded in three languages demanding an apology, as well as news that a Korean university student visiting an exhibition by an Italian sculptor at the Leeum Museum in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, ate a banana attached to a wall exhibit, were on the popular list for several hours. Around the same time, President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the United States, met with U.S. President Joe Biden, held talks, and announced the 'Washington Declaration,' but this news did not attract much attention.

Is Korea any different? The patterns and fields of Korean consumption of China-related articles are similar. The most striking example of this situation was the international motor show held last month in Shanghai, China. Chinese company BYD surpassed the U.S. Tesla to become the global number one in the electric vehicle sector, sparking intense domestic and international interest in the event. Since China has 'taken over' the development, manufacturing, and consumption sectors of durable goods like finished cars, the unveiling of major models from various companies and local reactions were seen as an opportunity to predict market trends.

However, the article that Korean readers showed the most interest in regarding this event was a gossip piece titled "At the BMW promotional booth, on-site staff did not give ice cream only to Chinese visitors." Although many Korean media outlets visited Shanghai to report on the latest trends and voices from the scene, they failed to capture readers' significant attention. Recently, major news included stories about a woman who faced criticism for setting difficult conditions while proposing marriage related to China, and a report about a hotel room where a foul smell of feet led to a complaint, only to find a corpse under the bed.

As Korea-China relations rapidly cool, trade volume between the two countries has sharply declined, and public sentiment has worsened. However, China remains Korea's number one trading partner. Exports to China in the first quarter reached $38.2 billion (approximately 50.5 trillion won). Before preferences and disputes, both Korea and China need to broaden their areas of interest regarding their major trading partners. Merely highlighting the poor and pathetic image of the other country and feeling smug only hinders understanding of the situation.

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