Japanese cultures have been gradually opened in various fields such as movies, songs and computer games. The opening of Japanese cultures was in a crisis in 2001 when so-called ?he distorted Japanese history textbook?broke out.
So there was a time for suspense. However, ?002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan?was very successful and in 2003 at the Korean-Japanese joint declaration, so both countries will enlarge the cultural interchanges between them.
However there are several public opinions for the cultural exchanges. Although the problems about sex appealing and lasciviousness of Japanese cultures are the second issue, Japanese cultures were concerned about Korean in-fluences on economic and cultural invasions.
But, most Korean have thought that excellent and sound cultures of Korea will suppress the mentioned worries, assimilate Japanese cultures and create one step toward more advanced stage of new culture.
The total opening of Japanese cultures in 2004
Since 1998, Japanese cultures have been introduced step by step to our pop cultures. In fields of movie and video game, the cultural opening was limitedly permitted. However, Japanese cultures which will open in the next year are the movies over 18 and for restricted showing and popular music in Japanese.
The government had not decided whether we will open fully or partially and took the case into very serious considerations, because of heavy influences on the nation.
But, irrespective of all these conditions, the opening of Japanese culture opening will come true.
Worries
Whenever Japanese pop cultures were opened to us, discussing focus of our culture was that of worries. We always worried and concerned about culture invasions, market invade and bad influences on national emotion.
First, if much more advanced Japanese economy invade that of Korean, Korean domestic industries will be paralyzed and it will encroach our whole cultures in the near future. It means the invasion of cultures to Koreans under the name of Japanese imperialism.
The low level of Japanese cultures will influence our various culture fields like those of Korean teenagers and deteriorate the level of our culture.
Expectation
Several years ago, the best films of Japan were released one by one. As we watch the Japanese films, we had confidence and it accelerated the entry of Korean pop cultures into Japan. Even though Japan did not fasten the open door toward of Korean pop cultures with a bolt, and then Japanese people were more positively accepting Korean mass cultures.
Starting the era of bilateral exchange between Korea and Japan, Japan began to be interested in Korean culture and support its mass media to spread out them widely. Since Japanese pop cultures were introduced to Korea, Korean films of proven box-office power in Japan have been more than that of in Korea. It was ?The Sassy Girl (2001)?that high ranked in Japanese box-office. It was not Hollywood films or Japanese movies. It was just a Korean movie.
It did not give different viewpoint for the whole opening of Japanese cultures next year, contrast to past openings. Rather than, it was a chance to us. Because of our cultures, such as television serial dramas, Korean songs will come into the Japanese mass cultures and markets.
And don? for get Synergy Effect which was caused by tourist industries in connection with ex-changes between Korea and Japan. Japan are selling their mass cultures and sightseeing together for nation people. For example, several months ago, television drama Winter Song of Love was spotlighted and gathered many Japanese manias.
However, it not only gained public favors, but also influenced on the tour industry for Korea. The Japanese tourist agencies came up with plans about Korea sightseeings and sold these items.
Already, 100~150 millions of Japanese had visited.
The opening is the chance
Now, it is behind time that we should talk for or against Japanese cultures. Already, the government announced policies about the opening of Japanese cultures and first of all, the opening has been begun. As stated above, the opening is inevitable and now going on. It is necessary for Korean to think of what kind of Korean pop cultures will be opened in Japan on the contrary. The result of openings last 3 times don? seem to be a shock, as we were concerned about. Rather than, it seems to extend our ability of cultural industries.
Especially, in the field of films, Japanese movies did not make their inroads into Korea markets, but Korean encroach the Japanese films markets. The opening of Japanese cultures gets rid of vague mystery and illusion about Japanese cultures. It also brings out into the hidden Japanese cultures that are mostly in a low grade. Last, if the government supports Japan studies and extends academic courses on Japanese pop cultures, we can be much more positive toward those of Japan.
Lee, Seoung-wook Reporter
cadet6404@hanmail.net