The massive popularity of the Netflix animation “K-Pop: Demon Hunters” has become an opportunity to inform the world about the historical issues between Korea and Japan during the period of Japanese colonial rule.
Recently, an overseas TikTok user posted a video stating, “Just found out Japan took out all the tigers Korea had for generations last century from watching and searching up the tigers history in kpop demon hunters.”
The post has garnered 180,000 likes and 1.2 million views, with over 2,000 comments discussing Japan’s past actions. Historically, during the Japanese colonial period, tigers in Korea were classified as “harmful animals” and were systematically hunted starting in 1917.
Professor Seo Kyung-deok from Sungshin Women’s University remarked, “This is not the first time that Japan’s history as an aggressor has been made known to the world through streaming platforms.”
He cited examples such as Apple TV+’s “Pachinko,” which depicted the hardships endured by Koreans during the colonial era, including forced labor and the comfort women issue. Netflix’s “Gyeongseong Creature” also portrayed the atrocities committed by Unit 731 during the Japanese occupation in 1945.
Seo added, “The global success of Korean content on OTT platforms has provided an opportunity to educate viewers worldwide about Japan’s actions during the colonial era. I hope that more diverse Korean content will continue to spread globally, helping people around the world gain a more accurate understanding of Asian history.”
