Japanese Media: "Then and Now, a Country Welcoming Foreigners as Guests"
A far-right media outlet in Japan focused on Koreans' love for luxury goods and criticized them as a "country of 외화내빈, then and now." 외화내빈 (外華內貧) is a four-character idiom meaning "appearing splendid on the outside but empty inside."
Yukan Fuji, a right-wing tabloid affiliated with the Japanese Sankei Shimbun, published an article on the 16th written by far-right figure Murotani Katsumi (74). Murotani is a former Seoul correspondent for Jiji Press and the author of multiple anti-Korean books such as "Akhanron (惡韓論)" and "Bung Hanron (崩韓論)."
In the article, Murotani sarcastically stated, "'외화내빈' is one of the few four-character idioms created by the Joseon people," adding, "At first glance, the products seem excellent, but when actually used, their performance is poor and they break quickly ? the so-called 'K-quality' is a product of the 외화내빈 national character."
He continued, "The reason the Joseon dynasty or Goryeo-era yangban created the idiom '외화내빈' was probably because the culture of focusing only on outward appearance regardless of inner substance was widespread throughout the country at the time."
He also pointed out Korea's so-called counterfeit luxury goods problem and household debt situation. Murotani said, "Korean youth eat cup noodles for dinner but take photos wearing fake Rolex watches with empty Hermes boxes as the background," adding, "I don't think this is a strange or pitiful culture. It is simply the image of a sinking country."
In response, Japanese netizens expressed negative reactions such as, "Koreans care a lot about how others see them, including with plastic surgery," "Wearing luxury goods doesn't make a person luxurious. Japanese youth understand that," and "A culture that is hard to understand."
However, some commented, "Japanese youth are the same. Some buy luxury goods to show off to friends on SNS," and "Not all Koreans like luxury goods."
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