Shooting National Team Athlete Jin Jong-oh's 'Terrorist' Remark Sparks Outrage
Hashtag Campaign Condemning Korean Racism Spreads on Local SNS
Indonesian netizens conducting a hashtag campaign titled "Korea is racist" / Photo by Twitter capture
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] "#southkorearacist", "#stopasianhate"
Recently, social networking services (SNS) in Indonesia have been flooded with hashtags from local netizens condemning Korean racism. As inappropriate expressions about Indonesia have repeatedly appeared in some Korean broadcasts and cultural content, anti-Korean sentiment seems to be rising locally. There are concerns that the Korean Wave (Hallyu) fever that once blew through Indonesia may gradually cool down as a result.
According to Indonesian local online media 'DetikInet' and others, since the 1st (local time), keywords condemning Korean racism have topped search rankings on local SNS platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The main hashtags include "Korean racism" and "Stop Asian discrimination," all targeting criticism at Koreans.
The trigger for the anti-Korean sentiment was the so-called 'terrorist' remark made by shooting national team representative Jin Jong-oh (42). Jin recently criticized Javad Foroughi (41, Iran), who won the gold medal in the men's 10m air pistol at the Tokyo Olympics, saying, "It seems the Olympic organizing committee did not prepare well. Does it make sense for a terrorist to come in first place?" because Foroughi was a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Javad Foroughi (41, Iran), who won the gold medal in the men's 10m air pistol at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics / Photo by Yonhap News
Indonesia is a country where Islam is deeply rooted. According to a 2018 survey by local statistical authorities, it is estimated that about 270 million people, approximately 87% of the total population, are Muslims. Therefore, Jin's 'terrorist' remark was perceived as offensive not only to Iran but also to Indonesian culture.
Moreover, recent domestic broadcasts have featured many scenes that could be perceived as rude from Indonesia's perspective. For example, during the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony, MBC made a mistake by marking Indonesia's location on the world map where Malaysia is actually located. Additionally, recording data such as GDP and COVID-19 vaccination rates sparked backlash from local netizens asking, "What is the intention behind this?"
Last month, the SBS drama 'Racket Boys' also faced criticism for inappropriate depictions of Indonesia. The drama portrayed a badminton match held in the capital city Jakarta, where the Indonesian team was depicted negatively by deliberately assigning them poor lodging facilities to defeat the Korean team.
As controversies continue, Indonesian netizens have mocked Korean racism in the form of memes. In a popular local comic, Koreans appeal to white men by saying, "All races are equal. Stop discriminating against Asians," but ironically criticize Southeast Asian countries as a "slave race."
A cartoon from Indonesia sarcastically criticizing the duality of Koreans regarding racism / Photo by Internet homepage capture
Indonesia has been a country that viewed Korea favorably until recently and showed an open attitude toward the Korean Wave, which raises concerns. There are warnings that this backlash could dampen the Korean Wave fever in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region.
In a 2018 national image survey conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Indonesia's positive perception of Korea reached 96%, ranking first in the world. Mentions and viewership of the Korean Wave on SNS and YouTube also ranked first globally, showing an unparalleled level of 'Hallyu love.'
As a result, voices urging reflection are growing among netizens in Korea as well.
One Korean netizen tweeted on the 3rd with the hashtag "Stop Asian discrimination," saying, "I want to apologize for the rude behavior of our broadcasters and athletes," and added, "I hope everyone unites to maintain peace and cooperate together."
Other netizens also expressed apologies with comments such as "We reflect on this," "We should be ashamed," and "At this rate, we have no right to protest against white people's racism."
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