Why we should cancel #CancelKorea
Joeseph Velasquez in Ang Pinoy Stories
Oct 20, 2020 • 2 min Read
Filipinos and South Koreans are quarreling on social media and Filipinos are on #CancelKorea mode. Why? A Filipina TikToker has a rising sun tattoo on her arm that South Koreans found offensive as it is a symbol of imperialist Japan (hint: mistreated Korean soldiers in World War II). The TikToker has since apologized, but insults and flag-tearings flooded socmed. And #CancelKorea was born.
Let’s not add more fuel into the fire so let’s remind both Filipinos and South Koreans that they —WE— are bound to one another even if we are from different ethnicities and culture.
- The most notable date in Filipino-Korean history is March 3, 1949 when bilateral relations between Korea and the Philippines were established. This was when the Philippines officially recognized Korea as a sovereign state.
- During the Korean War of June 25, 1950, the Philippines (alongside the United States 25th Infantry Division) sent 7,420 Filipino soldiers to fight for South Korea against China and North Korea.
- Records state that 112 Filipino soldiers died during that war, 288 were wounded, 16 more went missing, and 41 became prisoners of war alongside Americans and South Koreans soldiers. This reflects an important bond: that Filipinos and Koreans were brothers at arms and were willing to protect each other, both within and outside their homelands.
- Filipinos are avid consumers of South Korean media. There are swarms of Filipino fans for K-pop and hundred thousands more for K-drama. Filipinos admire and can relate to South Korean telenovelas. K-pop bands perform to sold-out concerts in the Philippines.
- In the midst of the Covid19 pandemic, the brotherhood of the two countries is very much alive. In May of 2020, the government of South Korea donated php25 million worth of Covid19 detection kits that covered 35,000 tests.
- Filipino veterans of the Korean War also received 50,000 pieces of N95 masks.This 2020, both countries will mark the 70th anniversary of the PEFTOK landing in Busan at the start of the Korean War (1950–53).
Filipinos and South Koreans should look back at the history of their countries, instead of quibbling over a tattoo. Both must focus on the strong bond that their countries have developed.
Cancel the hashtag, please.
Photo Sources: IG of jay_arts07 and Bela Poarch
