Comments on: Yoshihiro Akiyama Bitching About Being Zainichi

By: bbundaegi

bbundaegi — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:27:30 +0000

LOL.

By: dogbert

dogbert — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:52:22 +0000

I should have made clear that most experts believe the “me gook” story I posted is inaccurate and not the origin of the word, which most believes predates the Korean War.

I just put it up as a counterpoint to pawi’s post. And it is a cute story — just imagine all those scruffy little Korean kids surrounding some halftracks and yelling up at the soldiers, “Me gook, me gook!”

By: bbundaegi

bbundaegi — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:09:05 +0000

In the link that Robert provided, there is a photo of Akiyama which I swear to God exactly resembles that of the actor Cary Tagawa from the “Mortal Combat” movies. Does anyone else think so too?

By: Bbundaegi

Bbundaegi — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:05:59 +0000

Dogbert,

Call me a neophyte, but I had no idea that’s where the word “gook” comes from. However, it makes total sense! The thing is that almost all Koreans with whom I have come into contact deny that there is any negative racial epithet used against Koreans. I almost believed them too, but I kept hearing so many older people in the US refer to Koreans as “gooks”. However, on internet boards, so many Koreans deny that “gook” refers to Koreans and vehemently say that it is a word used only for Vietnam. However, now I realize that the word’s origins lie much earlier to the days of the Korean war.

By: dogbert

dogbert — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 05:49:03 +0000

Chokbari is kind of funny when you think about it.

Personally, I think this story of “gook” is cute, too.

“Gook
(U.S. military slang) A misunderstood word thought to be derogatory by American troops in the Korean War that was derived from the words “hangook” and “migook”. “Hangook” refers to Korea and “migook” is the common word for America. American troops misinterpreted “migook” (sounds like “me gook”) as an assertion of “I am a gook”.

BTW, twice recently you mentioned having “clients”. What is it you do, exactly?

By: Two Cents

Two Cents — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 04:56:53 +0000

The article mentions the Utoro problem, but I really can’t understand how that would be an example of Korean discrimination in Japan. The land originally was used to house Korean workers hired to build an airplane factory before the war. In 1962, Nissan acquires it, but could not get the residents to move out. Finally, in 1987, Nissan gives up and sells it for 300 million yens to 許昌九 (Heo Chang-gu) aka Mr. Hirayama, who was the head of the Korean community there and received the loan for the purchase from a Mindan (Korean Residents Union in Japan) bank. The deal was cosigned by 河炳旭 Ha Byeong-uk), who was the leader of the Kyoto branch of Mindan. Two months after the acquisition, the land was sold to a company founded by Ha Byeong-uk (Ha & Heo are the representative and executive) for 450 million yens. Then, they try to have the residents evicted. But they fail, and Heo dissappears and Ha sells his company and land to another zainichi-Korean owned company. The company is now trying to sell the entire property to the residents. It’s a case of zainichi Koreans cheating on their own people to get rich.

As for Akiyama, he might actually be received more warmly if he didn’t play so dirty. His fight with Sakuraba on New Year’s Eve in 2006 is now so notorious that he will mostly likely remain the heel of K-1 forever. Among Japanese K-1 fans, he is hated not for his ethnicity, but the way he cheats to win.

By: Tmartin

Tmartin — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 05:22:46 +0000

The problem comes in with Loyalty.

During WW1 and WW2, many Americans were the children of immigrants from Germany. They were willing, and desirous to fight for the USA against their parent’s land of birth.

For example, My Great Grandfather came from Germany. His Son, William, was a sailor in WW1. I had three Uncles fight for the USA in WW2. They were the grandchildren of German immigrants.

The question is not of nationality. The question is of loyalty.

So after 2 generations in Japan…are these persons loyal to Japan or to Korea?

As immigrants to Japan, would they fight against Korea? If Japan would fight against Korea again, would these persons commit terrorist acts against Japan.

***
When people want both pieces of the pie, they often do not get either.

By: user-81

user-81 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:38:45 +0000

“chokbari is kind of funny when you think about it.”

Like lawn jockey or towel head, right?

By: Aceface

Aceface — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:18:59 +0000

“2 words. William Hung.”

Who?
Somehow I have no idea why I get this Australian flag.
But I’m a Chokbari!

By: joe

joe — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:43:42 +0000

So we don’t need to bow down to Chinese that much?

Since when did anyone bow to the Chinese? Im sorry if the Chinese are the biggest joke on the planet but lets not project our personal issues here.

2 words. William Hung.