Yoon Seoin, Known for Pro-Japanese Far-Right Views,
Claims He Faced "Discrimination Against Koreans" in Japan
Cartoonist Yoon Seoin, known for his pro-Japanese far-right tendencies, became a topic of controversy after it was revealed that he was subjected to discriminatory treatment against Koreans at a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) in Japan. Yoon Seoin YouTube
Cartoonist Yoon Seoin revealed that he was subjected to discriminatory treatment against Koreans at a ryokan (lodging facility) in Japan.
On June 13, Yoon posted a video titled "How could this Japanese ryokan treat me like this?" on his YouTube channel. In the video, Yoon explained that he recently visited a ryokan in Ureshino, Kyushu, Japan, together with his wife.
Yoon reported that, while staying there, his wife suffered an accident in which her foot was pricked by a 7-8 mm thorn protruding from the threshold of the room's wooden floor. He said that, following the ryokan's instructions, he personally drove his wife to a nearby hospital and had to pay 25,000 yen (approximately 237,000 won) for the treatment out of pocket, as insurance did not apply.
Cartoonist Yoon Seoin, known for his pro-Japanese far-right tendencies, became a topic of controversy after it was revealed that he experienced discriminatory treatment against Koreans at a ryokan (lodging facility) in Japan. Yoon Seoin YouTube
The problem arose with the ryokan's response after the accident. The next day, Yoon informed the manager about the incident and provided the hospital treatment details, requesting follow-up measures. However, the manager responded insincerely, telling him to "pay the room fee first" and openly expressing hostility toward Korea.
Yoon stated that the manager accused him of being a scammer and even told him to "shut up." Regarding compensation for the medical expenses, the manager maintained a high-handed attitude, saying, "Japan is strict about insurance, and there are really many scams. So you must submit all the related evidence."
Yoon showed all the relevant documents and photos of the surgery at the hospital, but the ryokan refused to pay the medical expenses, citing reasons such as "the photo of the injured foot is too close-up, so there is no way to prove that the injury happened at our facility," and "a staff member should have confirmed the thorn was embedded at the time." This was accompanied by continued verbal abuse. The manager also made sarcastic remarks, saying things like, "You should learn more about Japan before traveling," and "I might be too scared of Korea to travel there."
In the end, they offered to cover half of the medical expenses, but even this was described as a consolation payment rather than compensation for damages. Afterwards, Yoon lodged a formal complaint through an acquaintance living in Japan, and the manager explained that the harsh language was due to using a translation device.
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