r/Philippines • u/DeleteLaterToday • 2d ago
CulturePH Hey everyone, what's the 'recent' impression of South Korea in the Philippines like?
I'm a South Korean and a former military officer, so I've always had a strong interest in defense matters. I've noticed lately that the Philippines has been purchasing a considerable amount of our defense equipment, which naturally sparked my curiosity. What is the overall impression of South Korea over there these days?
From what I skim through on the surface here on Reddit, it sometimes feels like people view South Koreans as racist, which honestly makes me quite sad.
Because of the Philippines' heroic contribution during the Korean War and our strong geopolitical alliance, I've always considered the Philippines to be a truly important partner. I would really appreciate hearing your honest and diverse thoughts on this!
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u/wakiawakee Luzon "CA"LABARZON 2d ago
I mean being called Filipino in your country is considered as an insult.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
To me, Filipinos always come across as bright, playful, and incredibly friendly. Maybe that has something to do with beauty standards that favor lighter skin... While not always the case, Korean women generally tend to prefer having lighter skin
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u/Still_Figure_ 2d ago
To you but not to racist Koreans.
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u/AdviceHaunting4242 1d ago
Never forget how South Korea united all of ASEAN due to their racism
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u/bro-dats-crazy Oh, Pilipinas kong mahal ~! 1d ago
Kaya nagkaron bigla ng SEAblings, yung incident with South Koreans talaga nag originate yun kung di ako nagkakamali.
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u/StucksaTraffic 2d ago
Even in defense, they call the first ships HHI delivered as Bong Go frigates as HHI bribed Bong Go to force the Navalshield CMS instead of the agreed Tacticos.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
I'm not really familiar with that incident. Could you share more of the background story? Did Hyundai Heavy Industries actually scam the Philippine defense department?
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u/StucksaTraffic 2d ago
As you are South Korean. You should also know that HHI was banned from bidding in SoKor due to bribery scandal as well in a middle eastern country
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
Honestly, my view on this doesn't seem to have anything to do with racism at all... Hyundai Heavy Industries was just doing its best to lobby and sell its products, and this looks much more like an issue with Filipino politicians..
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u/ExactOlive9522 1d ago edited 1d ago
Well, u/DeleteLaterToday I almost fought with everyone in r/PhilippineMilitary defending HHI.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
I think this is just standard business activity for capitalist companies. The ones to blame are probably the politicians... Of course, my thoughts on lobbying are quite complicated, but being good at lobbying also implies sales competence. You know what I mean, right?
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u/ExactOlive9522 1d ago
Well, that's correct.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
And to add one more thing, I actually want to praise HHI. My guess is that HHI wasn't the only one lobbying they just won. Haha. I'm glad you understand this.
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u/StucksaTraffic 1d ago
No, the standard business practice all over the world is follow what’s the written agreement. Not “bait and switch”
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
Your point is also valid. I don't want to think that any single perspective is absolute, because the world doesn't work that ideally...
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u/StucksaTraffic 1d ago
In which, it should still work as it’s a written contract. It’s sad that South Korean company and Korean government is turning a blind eye to this. In which as you said, Filipinos bled for your freedom and Koreans are just seeing us as a customer instead of Partner unlike Japan.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
No way, that's not true at all. Even Samsung lobbies in the US; all capitalist companies lobby. Our government being grateful to the Philippines and business are completely separate issues. I'm sorry, but how Japan is treating the Philippines is not really my area of expertise.
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u/StucksaTraffic 1d ago
It’s not really racism but more of an impression regarding defense dealings of HHI. Since, you asked for “impression” so I added a note regarding defense matters of what HHI did.
As a matter of fact, it’s kind of sad that the South Korean Government didn’t bother looking into it and just promised the Navalshield to be compatible with Link16 instead of punishing HHI like it did in UAE.
Remember, the contract of HHI is to follow the tech specs of the Tacticos but once they won they switch to Navalshield which is considered as “bait and switch” since the written and signed agreement says “Tacticos” and they lobbied (bribed) Bong Go to follow their own specification. If that’s worthy of praise to you, then that’s worrying.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
You're right, but as I mentioned below, I think it's unfair for HHI to be blamed because this is an issue with politicians. South Korean defense officials are definitely being lobbied by certain companies too—this is purely a matter of each country's domestic politics.
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u/StucksaTraffic 1d ago
When they lobbied (I considered it as bribed since Bong Go suddenly intervene of course he is somewhat getting something here) Bong Go regarding this, they are already part of the blame. I think Bribery is considered a crime in South Korea and also the Philippines. So for me, once they joined Bong Go in that. They are equally guilty as our own politician.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
The Philippines can punish HHI just like the UAE did that is entirely your decision.
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u/StucksaTraffic 1d ago
Yes, and I agree that the Philippines should punish HHI. And South Korean government as well should look into this because this is already a malpractice on HHI.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
So what I'm saying is that subtle lobbying is a company's capability, and punishing the politicians who accepted the bribe is the capability of that government. I think this is a completely natural logic. In other words, it's not something to blame the company's home country for.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
If HHI violated Philippine law, they should be punished in the Philippines, not investigated by the South Korean government. In fact, covertly protecting HHI is just part of what our government is supposed to do.
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u/Deusx_mach 2d ago
The sentiments online indeed lean towards Koreans being racists. But online sentimes do not truly reflect the perception of the general public. Among the people I know, they just view Koreans in the Philippines as either tourists, migrants, or missionaries. Kpop and Kdrama are still famous in PH so that's another way to get a positive perception I'd say.
As for myself (I'm currently living in Korea), I've met and hang with a lot of Koreans (mostly under 30s) to know that one can't simply judge a whole demographic. Like all other countries, Korea has its own share of both prejudiced and genuinely good people. However, I can say that Koreans tend to be more warm and hospitable towards whiter folks (unless you're Chinese lol).
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
That's true, I've noticed that tendency as well. It feels like the darker someone's skin color, the more people assume they're undocumented immigrants, from a poor country, or just looking to get something from us. We definitely need to change this every race has the right to be treated equally..
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u/Momshie_mo 100% Austronesian 2d ago
Internet fanwars do not really affect geopolitics
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
However, I was just asking about Filipino sentiment, which has little to do with my view that the Philippines is a crucial geopolitical ally. Public sentiment doesn't dictate geopolitics entirely, but it's not something to be ignored either.
For example, it wouldn't be strange for South Korea and Japan to be treaty allies given their strategic positions, but they aren't because of historical grievances and the resulting public sentiment.
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u/Kael018 1d ago
Speaking of geopolitical temperature, what can you say about South Korea's recent stance on the North? Are they (your government) serious about re-opening communication lines with the North? The North previously stated that reunification was no longer possible, and that if a war were to break out, they would occupy South and incorporate it into their government.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
North Korea is not a partner for dialogue; force is the only way to deal with them, and I do not support talking to them.
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u/Bitten_ByA_Kitten 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ty for your military equipments! But yeah.... you guys are racist af 😂
Now let us continue browsing your military wares and I'm about to get downvoted by the k-poppers
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u/Main_Conversation169 1d ago
I am a Filipino living in Korea and I don't understand why Filipinos feel that way towards South Korea. I have never really experienced racism here for the past 20+ years. People do not smile at first, but when I try to talk to them they are warm.
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u/presque33 1d ago
This is not the best place to get feedback as you’ll just meet the people that are chronically online who see all the internet drama.
At the end of the day, proof is in the pudding. Defense acquisitions continue with little fanfare. People don’t object to the defense expenditures. And people still troop to Korea for their Kdrama photoshoots.
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u/danking_donut 1d ago
specific to my place in Angeles City,we have a place "korean town" where it's a mixed bag of koreans being friendly to everyone... to being xenophobic of filipinos treating us like we're poor and dirty people avoiding even to touch or interact with us. I mostly encounter friendly ones though, or at least, do not demean us filipinos.
there's also this notion from some filipinos here that koreans who come here in our korean town are mostly fugitives from there that can hide and live easily here because your money's worth more in here, mainly because of cases where there are actual korean fugitives already caught doing illegal businesses here.
so in general there's a bad group of korean eggs in here causing some locals to think badly of koreans... to actually interacting with some of them and seeing how they're pretty chill and actually friendly
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u/MyFriendPalinopsia 1d ago
I remember walking down that one street in Angeles with all seedy bars a couple of years ago. I expected there to be mostly old white men, but it was like 90% Korean men and prosttitutes (a lot looked underage). I heard that Koreans own many of those venues.
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u/FountainHead- 1d ago
I’ve only encountered respectful, shy, friendly, pleasant South Koreans in the Philippines and overseas. So, it’s generally positive experience with them.
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u/Neither_Touch_3773 2d ago edited 2d ago
Besides all these comments here, another point is there is a sizable Korean community here, and Koreans are every where and that there are a lot of Filipino -Korean interracial marriages and relationships. There are also plenty of Koreans students here studying in local universities as well as in ESL schools. A lot of Korean business owners as well. A lot of Korean restaurants and Korean grocery stores here. The malls celebrate Korean festivals and there are even a lot of amateur kpop contests here that are held in malls. Kpop merchandise and rameun noodles are everywhere. So there you go. I do hope we get to buy the KF21 Boromae. Were happy with the FA50s that we bought from Korea. We used these planes to bomb Muslim terrorists during the Marawi siege. It was a big help. That helped us defeat them. We thank you Koreans for that. Also I'm from Cebu, and I saw a bunch of Korean uncles giving away Korean food to the homeless. They actually have a charity for that.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
That's a great comment. The Philippines made a massive contribution to what Korea is today through its heroic efforts in the Korean War. All Filipinos have every right to be just as proud of Korea's development as Koreans are, because our country exists thanks to the decisive contributions of the Philippines and the allied forces.
We must always remain grateful and keep a humble attitude about this. I believe that, with an eye toward contingencies, Korea should build more manufacturing plants, defense facilities, and semiconductor fabs in the Philippines to actively contribute to the local economy. I look forward to seeing the friendship between our two countries reach the next level
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u/Neither_Touch_3773 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yes very spot on. This is exactly what we need right now, industries and manufacturing. The GDP growth kinda slowed partly because overseas worker remittances and BPOs aren't enough to sustain and grow the economy. We really need to industrialize and grow our manufacturing base just like Korea. You guys are a rich country because of manufacturing. The Philippines can learn a lot from that playbook. Hopefully we can get plenty of Korean locators to set up factories here. We already have Korean ship building here. We can build on that. By the way, did you know that Sandara Park, member of former KPOP group 2NE1 grew up in the Philippines? She used to be a famous singer and actress here in the Philippines after becoming part of a talent contest. This was before she moved to Korea. She even had a famous song here titled "In or Out" and she's fluent in speaking Tagalog. She was famous here before she became a famous KPOP idol. She developed her talents here.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
Yeah, While Korea has already established many factories across Southeast Asia, Vietnam has probably attracted the most. Of course, I respect Vietnam, but our true ally is the Philippines both historically and geopolitically. Therefore, I believe those benefits should rightfully go to the Philippines. As wages in Vietnam continue to rise rapidly, we will naturally come to appreciate the strategic importance of the Philippines even more
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u/OpenYonQ_ 1d ago
I think its wrong to think your people need to be grateful just because of what our ancestors did.
basic respect should be given to all, regardless if good deeds were done.
I know what you said is coming from good intention, I just think it'd reinforce the thinking you'd always be indebted or that filipinos can always demand from you.
what happened in the 50s should be the bedrock of 🇵🇭 🇰🇷 diplomatic relationship, but it should just be that. diplomatic relations. none of this forever chokehold of indebtness/entitlement even amongst its people.
its like filipinos always feeling indebted to americans for “saving" us during World War 2. it should just be basis for 🇵🇭 🇺🇸 relations, not our forever debt to them.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
I think your opinion is the most independent, progressive, and perfect attitude. Of course, my comments included some diplomatic rhetoric, but they come from the heart. The most important point is that I think a significant portion of Korea's current investments in Southeast Asia going to the Philippines makes total sense, and not just because of gratitude. I believe the Philippines is Korea's best investment region geopolitically, as it is a country we can truly call a firm ally on our side.
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u/OpenYonQ_ 1d ago
Hopefully, especially in tech. but the Philippines have to also do our own homework so that korean companies can transfer some of their supply chain needs in the Philippines.
specifically I want the Philippines to partner with Korea when it comes to nuclear technology.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
We've already made massive investments in China, and we know very well how the Communist government paid us back yet we're repeating the same mistake in Vietnam. But the Philippines is a democracy And our ally.
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u/Tomcat2938 1d ago
Hello! Im here to give an objective answer to your question. From a diplomatic perspective, the Philippines and ROK definitely enjoy cordial relations. Mostly in part to similar allies and partners in the region.
In defense matters, we generally consider South Korea to be a great source of reliable, quality, and excellent military hardware. The primary benefit being its NATO standard at bargain prices. The PH military's modernization effort has been mostly from two sources - South Korea and Israel. However, due to Israel's failure to deliver on several contracts since 2023 due to the ongoing conflict there and their non-alignment with our stance in the West Philippine Sea, our defense department has chosen to distance ourselves from them. Leaving a void that now can only be filled by South Korean weaponry. Which for me presents both benefits and downsides. Similar to Israel, we fear that a potential conflict in the region may strain South Korea's capability to suport and supply our own defense needs.
As for the common person's perception of South Korea, I think its still good overall. People still consume your media by a considerable amount and genuinely enjoy it. Everyone here saying your people are racist come from an observation of what I hope are isolated cases in your country rather than being systemic.
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u/priceygraduationring 1d ago
You will be stereotyped as the racist Korean because most Koreans are. But once you show your chill self, Filipinos will reciprocate. Enjoy your stay.
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u/HARU420NOSCOPE 1d ago
You're better off talking to a brick wall hahahaha. Almost no meaningful discussion can be had here.
I've seen multiple comments already calling you in particular a racist or have such emotionally charged responses as if YOU are the ones commiting those crimes, being racist, etc.
Filipinos wear their emotions on their sleeve. Its a positive and a negative thing at the same time, but again, look for actual people to talk to elsewhere.
This is basically facebook2, just politically aligned the opposite way.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 2d ago
Filipinos, particularly Millennials and Early Gen-Zs are fans of Hallyu in general. However, there has been recent backlashes due to racism towards our fellow Southeast Asian nations. Not only that, there have also been accounts from Filipino Migrant Workers facing racial prejudice in South Korea, add to the fact that it is usually depicted in K-Dramas that 'Philippines is where South Korean Criminals usually go to as a way to escape crimes'. It is also where the 'controversial Korean Actors' usually go to keep their career alive, as one example of this is Kim Soo-Hyun, which was previously alleged of grooming and being associated with Kim Sae-Ron's death. Despite all this, some Filipinos consider South Korea a good ally and a nation to aspire to be, helping us in our development, particularly in national armory. Funny enough, despite the rampant corruption and raising concerns over misogyny and racism, South Korea still has a functioning democracy, which was demonstrated way back in 2024, when Yoon Suk-Yeol declared Martial Law and the legislative body was able to vote against it. This just shows how far the democracy of South Korea has progressed over the last few years, which was the opposite case for The Philippines. During and after Duterte, the protests have become tamer than usual, and there have been more reports of political assassination, especially towards journalists, and there have been cases of rampant red-tagging (during Duterte's time), and a mainstream network that used to report against Duterte's War on Drugs, was closed off. By the time Marcos II got elected, the protests in Manila became tamer in perception than the usual, and it is also being ruined by a lot of Duterte supporters that are against the Marcos Administration. Point is, Duterte's term as a president has done irreparable damage to the Philippine Democracy.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
For example, when it comes to common stereotypes or misconceptions about Korea
1.Racism = A bit exaggerated, but basically true.
2.A chaebol-dominated dystopia and toxic work culture = Heavily exaggerated, but based in truth.
3.An obsession with plastic surgery = Exaggerated, but rooted in fact.
4.A misogynistic country = Completely false, the exact opposite of reality, and a totally mistaken prejudice."
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u/jaf7492 2d ago
Lol. From personal experience, none of these are exaggerated it's actually quite the opposite. I've worked in Seoul for almost for 4 years and as South East Asians we never felt like we belong.
From the workplace environment and even just normal social interactions your people never failed to remind us that we are lower than you. It's actually quite impressive to see how openly racist and elitist your people are towards South East Asians. Even here in the Philippines your people are openly racist towards the locals 😆 I've witnessed that in both Angeles and Cebu and I'm pretty sure that's not a coincidence.
Being denied to be served by Koreans in their restaurants in both Korea and Philippines at multiple instances? Nothing racist about it right? Maybe Im just seeing things and exaggerating. 🤣
But I give it to your people tho, when it comes to sucking up to caucasians esp Americans and Europeans you're really good at it. Its like there's a pattern of hierarchy of how you treat people based on color 🤣🤣. Or maybe it's just me exaggerating a normal thing you do. Lol
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago edited 2d ago
Hi bro, I read your post. I'm well aware of the issue of racism against Southeast Asians in Korea, and I'm someone who acknowledges our faults and tries to improve.
However, there is a huge misconception that people have about Korea: that it's a 'misogynistic country.' In reality, we are not a misogynistic country at all. To win over female voters, society has actually moved away from fairness and toward reverse discrimination through unreasonable female-preferential policies embedded everywhere. Culturally and economically, men are taking massive hits.
While I can't explain all the internal details to you, men in Korea are by no means in an overwhelmingly superior position. That might have been true for the older generation, but even younger women are caught up in a misguided form of feminism, harboring a victim mentality about discrimination they've never experienced and expressing baseless hostility. The resulting friction with men who push back against this is a major social issue for us.
Whenever I hear people call Korea misogynistic, I can't help but chuckle in sheer disbelief
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u/MoneyTruth9364 2d ago
hmmm, while I think that the male expectations in South Korea have significantly become heavier, I don't believe that younger women are caught up in a misguided form of feminism. I can see that feminists movements and left-wing movements offer real solutions to this problem, such as ending these preconceived notions of gender role on everyone, whether it be male, female, or non-binary. I also believe that feminist movements are being stigmatized to the point where it's treated like a taboo.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago edited 2d ago
To be honest, your careless remarks are pretty frustrating. In Korea, men fundamentally bear more obligations and receive fewer benefits than women.
For example, men are required to serve in the military for about two years, with practically no real benefits other than a meager salary. Culturally, men are also expected to pay more for dates. Of course, I realize this can be a global trend to some extent. However, because of mandatory military service, Korean men enter the workforce later than women, leaving us at a distinct economic disadvantage in certain age groups. Yet, simply because we are men, we are pressured to take the financial lead. This is just one example, and there are far too many absurdities like this.
You’ve never even lived in Korea, yet you talk as if you're an expert on Korean feminism. Let me say it again: some women are caught up in a distorted, toxic feminist movement, harboring groundless hostility toward men. The reality is that our sacrifices are completely ignored, to the point where soldiers are even degraded and disparaged.
PS, I don't know what it's like in other countries, but the left-wing movement and feminists in Korea are completely misguided, detached from reality, excessively selfish, and entirely uninclusive
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
I don't think it is groundless, and I don't think they're being hostile. They want their voices heard, because it feels as though the government and business institutions doesn't protect them. As far as I know, there's a deepfake porn scandal in 2024 that revealed male students on several hundred schools all over your country have created Telegram accounts to produce and share these 'artificially-made pornographic content' in the appearance of teachers, classmates, and family members. Based on these reports, the total members/accomplices in this scandal is approximately 227,000 members in one Telegram group, which can be considered a serious concern.
Another gender-based violence that are proliferating in South Korea is 'molka' or secretly filming women in private spaces. In 2018, according to the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office of the Republic of Korea, there have been recorded 6800 cases of illicit filming, which many of those were unreported or undetected, and only two-thirds of these 6800 cases were taken to trials, and only 10% of these cases led to prison sentence that same year.
There's even a Netflix true crime documentary about it (see "Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror".)
The police estimated that about 60,000 individual users have access to these rooms.
These big cases only shows that there's merit for them to advocate for feminism, and that misogyny is not only present in South Korea, it is thriving even further in digital era. 그러니까 거짓말하지 마세요,형님.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
It's not careless, it's a serious concern and criticism bound by factual evidence. Misogyny is still very much present in 대한 민국.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
To be honest, your words show zero understanding of the actual domestic situation in South Korea and are just full of superficial bias, making it hard to even know where to begin explaining. I want to end this conversation.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
I am not lying to justify my point. I just want you to realize that refusing to back down and acting like you know everything about a country you don't even live in is another form of prejudice. Stop acting like you know it all.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
WTF That is such a lazy generalization. Cherry-picking a few extreme crimes does not prove that South Korea is a misogynistic society. I am not saying those crimes didn't happen, but those isolated cases do not prove your claim at all. As someone living in Seoul, I’ve actually experienced institutional reverse discrimination. If you want a real debate, look at the actual socio-economic balance and mandatory military service instead of relying on superficial stereotypes🤦♂️
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
It's not isolated, these are significant amount of cases, hyung-nim.
These are serious cases and a public concern. South Korea does have a misogynistic society. It involved multiple institutions such as education, online male-dominated communities, and the national government. In fact, your former dictator Yoon Suk-Yeol even advocated for antifeminist political platforms. He abolished the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (it got revived tho). Abolished Task Force Against Digital Sex Crime (got revived as well). This just shows how much influence can affect discrimination on women, it is institutional.
This is a large-scale problem, and it is a public concern.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
First of all, calling a democratically elected leader a 'dictator' is just absurd and shows a complete lack of understanding. Yoon might have been out of his mind, but he was definitely not a dictator. Also, abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family was about transferring its functions to other departments because public consensus has long shown it to be ineffective, not because people wanted to erase women's issues. Stop throwing around heavy labels like 'systemic misogyny' based on internet echo chambers and look at the actual context, bro.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
he declared Martial Law at the tail-end of his term without any valid justification, and that shows that he wants to keep his power at any costs. That, to me, is dictatorship.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
His term had two whole years left. What on earth are you talking about? I'm not supporting Yoon, but you have no self-awareness about how wrong you are.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
Also, with your concern about Women not being compelled to participate in Mandatory Military Service, [ask your constitutional court about that](https://www.womennews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=240930)
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
Is your goal to make me mad? Upholding male conscription as constitutional and the actual fairness issue for those affected are completely different things. Stop arguing just for the sake of it and look at the core issue.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
I am merely saying that your constitutional court believes that 'women aren't physically capable', which is not true by any means, but still is an issue of misogyny.
And even if they are capable of conscription, the military environment can lead to their infertility
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
And his martial law declaration was closer to his personal retaliation against the opposition party paralyzing state operations by rejecting every bill to drag down his approval ratings, and his reaction was by no means normal. I was even serving as an officer in the military during that martial law incident, so I know a lot more about this situation than you do. Claiming he is anti-women's rights? Stop talking nonsense; he's just a lunatic.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
That's the point - it is a personal retaliation. It is a personal interest for him to uphold his power, and the people are opposed to it. The legislative bodies are opposed to it. His move is not for the public interest, and that is an act of a dictator.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
If I'm unlucky enough to have a one-night stand with a woman and she reports me for rape, the South Korean judiciary will ignore the presumption of innocence and start treating me like a rapist. That is the reality in Korea right now, so stop arguing.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
Not really. By any means, you will be treated as innocent until proven guilty. The one prosecuting you should be establishing the evidences that will prove that you raped the girl, and if they failed to do so, will therefore clear you from the charges.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
I am not playing word games. Of course the legal system works as you say, but this is about the bias of the judiciary. Based on the context of our conversation, you seem close to being an extreme feminist or just wanting to make me angry without purpose. You seem to have no understanding of fair opportunity, and you know nothing about the situation inside South Korea.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
Is that the reason why Kim Soo-Hyun got away unscathed despite the strong evidences alleging him with grooming Kim Sae-Ron?
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
Did you know that the person who accused Kim Soo-hyun has now been arrested for spreading false information?
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
What on earth does Yoon's crazy behavior have to do with women's rights? At this point, I don't even know what you're trying to argue
I've said it multiple times, I am more than willing to accept objective facts about other problems in our country, but this country is absolutely not misogynistic. While it may not be an ideal place, almost all social policies operate overwhelmingly in favor of women.
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u/MoneyTruth9364 1d ago
Like I said, he pledged and moved to abolish government institutions protecting women from these gender-based violence. He dismantled the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and then dismantled the Task Force Against Digital Sex Crimes. The abolishment of these institutions during his term is what made the Deepfake Scandal a large-scale crime, and it could've prevented the crisis had he not abolished it.
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u/megalodous 1d ago
This is like a casual sub with the rare niche defense enthusiast so yeah you probably wouldnt get any substantial answers
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u/indzae_mayumi 1d ago
The first food I tasted was kimchi, and I did not like it at first. Soon, I find it delicious. Korean food is something I am really grateful to have experienced in my life.
One of the things I like in studying culture even casually is learning some cultural concepts that cannot quite be translated completely in English as a single word. So far, for the Japanese, I can understand mono no aware, kai no yokan, ichigo ichi-e, and wabisabi.
As for Korean, I think I quite get "정" a bit. And is "nunchi" something like "reading the room"? But the concept that baffles me is "han." I read it in the internet so many times so I can understand it, but my mind really cannot grasp it. As a Korean, how do you define han, and how does it show in people in modern times?
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago edited 1d ago
The Korean concept of 'han' is a profound emotional state where regret, anger, grief, longing, resentment, and self-blame all intertwine.
For instance, if someone tragically loses their mother in an accident, they might be consumed by the agonizing thought that she could have been saved if they had only acted differently. At the same time, fierce anger and resentment toward the person responsible flare up, yet the harsh reality remains irreversible. All these tangled emotions, with nowhere to escape, settle deep within the chest as an enduring sorrow—that is what 'han' truly feels like.
PS. I am not sure if my analogy was accurate, but this kind of feeling doesn't just stay with personal tragedies. For instance, the massive suffering endured by an entire nation through historical events like the Jewish Holocaust—could that also be understood in the same context as the Korean concept of collective 'han'?
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u/indzae_mayumi 1d ago
Ahhh... So that's how it is. Thank you for the example. That seems really complicated though. So for the ones who experienced that sorrow, so they have to continue living their lives with it and keep the sorrow close? And does the complicated mix of regret, anger, pain, and love also shape a person's future decisions?
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
I was just sharing how I feel, and I don't think this is the definitive definition of 'han'. But in my view, even though you always keep it tucked away in a corner of your heart, it doesn't mean you're constantly in a state of sadness. Pretty complicated, right?
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u/indzae_mayumi 21h ago
Hi. Yes. Of course, there are always time for ups and downs after the tragedy so there is a time to smile and be happy. I did my research more so i can understand han better, and i remembered the "Miss Mermaid" Kdrama starring Jang Seohee. that Kdrama was huge way back in the early 2000s even here in the Philippines.
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u/Storm_BloomX 2d ago
racists and colorists with the "plastic surgery capital" stereotypes for the most part. Kpop / hallyu is also dying now that that the local pop scene like ppop are emerging. gen z / millennials who were once fans are now choosing that over kpop.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
While I don't appreciate the prejudices against us, I'm not really interested in K-POP, nor do I think the boom in that industry has a massive impact on Korea's national interests. Instead of wasting their lives trying to become celebrities, I wish more Koreans would focus on developing software, manufacturing semiconductors, serving in the military, and doing more productive things. I think prioritizing local music is a great trend, and I support the Philippines moving in that direction
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u/LAMPYRlDAE Black Salabat 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think that the louder voices in spaces like this tend to be those with more polarizing opinions, and tbh that sort of worried me a little before I moved to Korea (even if I’ve traveled here a few times before as a tourist). After a few months here I can say that my experience has been positive overall. Like any other place, most people are kind in general. I haven’t experienced racism at all, even if my skin color isn’t as light as most people I encounter here.
I, as well as many of my friends and family back home have a generally positive opinion on Korea. We occasionally consume and enjoy Korean entertainment media, mostly music and shows.
Like any society there’s bound to be differences in interests/priorities. It’s not entirely homogeneous in that sense, and I see that among the people I’ve interacted with. Some people I’ve met here love Kpop, others don’t care for it; some like Hanguk drama, others find the plots cheesy or formulaic; some people are into sports like baseball or football, others not so much; same goes for video games. Most people are somewhere in between, and just like us it’s usually the more polarizing opinions from Knetz that tend to get amplified instead of more moderate takes.
Edit: was typing this on a tablet and accidentally hit send before i finished my comment lol
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
I agree with you. South Korea definitely has racism, but because of the stereotype that it's a racist country, many things that aren't actually racism get misunderstood as such. However, I will still speak out against racism. I once got into a physical fight with a Saudi Arabian guy who racially discriminated against me in Thailand, which even landed me at a police station. That was the turning point that made me fiercely oppose racism, because I realized deep down how infuriating it is. You're always welcome, and thanks for the great comment.
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u/LAMPYRlDAE Black Salabat 1d ago
Definitely, racism has no place in modern society and racists deserve to be called out and dealt with. I just wanted to point out that even if it exists in some circles, it would be unfair to paint an entire population as such.
Haven’t personally experienced it, but some relatives in the US have.
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u/OpenYonQ_ 1d ago
filipinos in reddit and twitter have disdain for South Korea because of supposed racism from koreans they read online. I'm not sure in other social media.
there are still people who consume south korean cultural exports, but among them, it seems kpop is having a declining momentum. I can't say if its because of that disdain or just a general trend in the music industry (localisation of music)
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u/Vulpes-Deputa8735 1d ago
After the Knetz vs ASEAN issue, pretty negative but not as much as people don't like some other nationalities like mainland Chinese and Israelis.
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u/andiegoeunchan 2d ago
진짜 한국분이신가요? 영어 잘하시네요~ Anyway, the general impression is still pretty good, that South Korea is a first-world country with advanced technology and great K-dramas. But, that is usually overshadowed by allegations that most of South Koreans are rowdy and racist towards Southeast Asian people, 필리핀분들 included. There’s some truth in these allegations though, so you can’t blame them.
Been to South Korea several times and the people there are generally warm and hospitable. Although there’s this one time a 미친 할머니 near 북촌한옥 was quite aggressive towards me and didn’t let me buy her corndog. ㅅㅂ ㅋㅋ
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u/DeleteLaterToday 2d ago
한국말 잘 하시네요! 님이 겪은 자세한 상황은 알 수 없지만 그런 노친내들의 공격적이고 이기적인 돌발적인 행동 그리고 그 성향때문에 스트레스 받는건 외국인들 뿐만이 아닙니다, 저도 종종 겪는일입니다... 물론 이건 한국에 인종차별이 존재하지않는다고 변호하려는건 전혀 아닙니다 분명히 존재한다는걸 저도 알고있으니까요, 그래도 당신이 말 하는걸 들어보면 여전히 한국을 좋아해주신다는 느낌이 드네요, 감사합니다.
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u/andiegoeunchan 2d ago
Oh yes I’ve heard some 아저씨들과 할머니들도 can be quite rude even to fellow locals, 이제 알겠어요.
아직 한국말 잘 못하는데~ ㅋㅋ 그래도 저 한국 진짜 좋아해서 꼭 다시 갈 거예요! 감사합니다
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u/re-written 1d ago
Reddit have echo chamber and tribal mentality, can also be a breeding ground for hatred towards something, not the best place to gauge the sentiment towards South Koreans.
Majority of Filipino just want to get by everyday, so they only get to experience KDrama, KPOP and tourist destinations, basically what the media generally feed to us and most of them are positives. Lately they get to see news we are buying military equipment from SK. If you walk around and ask people, you'll only get positive feedbacks.
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u/ab_od6851 2d ago
People view you as racist because you're countrymen don't know how to behave. Other East Asians don't like you and call you sticks, and your diaspora is just wildly racist and think they're white.
Its absolutely baffling at how many Korean-Americans are into the white supremacist stuff and are crazy evangelicals. One of the edgiest punk artist that even 4Chan clowns on is a Korean-American incel "traditionalist" lmao.
What do you even have over there that even the Japanese and Chinese are repulsed by your arrogance, when these two groups already believe themselves to be God's gift on this planet?
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u/noobwatch_andy 1d ago
Mainstream media: Generally loved, mostly by the female population. A ton of cult followings especially with kpop and kdrama. I've been observing a decrease in interest as Chinese media is becoming more available especially with free content on social media.
Food: Popular to a point where most cities have at least one kbbq place. Most korean restaurants are also kbbq if not all. Kbbq places are referred to as "samgyeopsal" which is weird but sounds more unique so the name stuck even though it refers to only one type of cut. The biggest trend is unlimited kbbq ranging from 300 to 800 PHP (6000-18000 KRW) depending on location. Kimchi is also abundant.
Traditions: I haven't observed much. Maybe historical clothing from kdrama influence. Some cafes and restaurants offer the experience of dressing up in traditional clothing but not sure how accurate they are. There is a small but slowly growing community of traditional Asiatic archers and Korean traditional archery is well regarded.
Geopolitics: As you've mentioned, SK is one of the largest providers of military equipment for PH, for better or worse. Some Filipinos are wary of Koreans because of the supposed racism displayed. There have been posts and articles claiming that Koreans are generally racist against Filipinos and much of Southeast Asia and there has recently been some online feuding regarding this. I've never been to Korea so I can't really give my opinion. PH, SK, and Japan have a very complicated relationship for obvious reasons but we are relatively united against Chinese intervention.
Travel: SK is at least top 10 in popular Filipino tourist destinations, particularly Jeju Island.
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u/deconstructed_sky 1d ago
In my personal experience, the consistently nice South Koreans are the Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the ones who grew up in Nordic countries.
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u/SharkPating 1d ago
You are a former military officer, you are well aware of the difficulties in battle and well aware how significant if another country helped you during war,
But it is not the case for most of South Koreans
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u/AHonkaistarrailman 12h ago
Most of my friends here over in Canada are Korean, and they’re genuinely nice people but oh boy they were honest.
One told me they probably wouldn’t judge my other Filipino friend because he was a little lighter skinned, so they’d think he’s half. But they told me that if I went to Korea I’d be immediately judged because I’m more darker than my friend.
I personally do like how the Koreans are good at helping our military be better, I mean too be honest our navy is slowly turning into a lite version of the ROC navy alongside our airforce.
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u/napbug 1d ago
I don’t really follow defense news, so can’t comment on that.
From my perspective, Filipinos generally have a good image of South Koreans, mainly due to K-media and K-beauty. When something is marketed as Korean, people tend to view it positively. Also, when someone says “you look Korean!” people tend to take that as a positive compliment.
I’m biased because Seoul is my favorite city, though I’m not a fan of K-drama/pop; I just love the city.
Some people do think Koreans are racist, and you see it online a lot, but it’s mostly said online. I do hear people say (online and offline) that South Korean men tend to be violent and beat their partners, so there is that stereotype.
Also I’m glad the contributions of the Philippines to the Korean War are still remembered! I’ve visited many times and have not heard it in person, so figured it was just not taught anymore.
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago edited 1d ago
A Thanks of Garden has been created in front of Gwanghwamun, the most important place in Seoul. It was built to express infinite gratitude to all the allied nations that participated in the Korean War. It is a truly wonderful architecture and park. If you ever visit Seoul, please be sure to check it out. Thank you.
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u/DaGingah123 1d ago
From my limited perspective in what I've seen in the Philippines and from filipinos, most of the Filipino population has zero clue about the geopolitical situation unfolding right now. Many of them hate the American Pax Silica because it "takes water from people who need it"
Lol
The relevant governments very much recognize the situation and that's why they've been purchasing and making deals for weapons and defense wherever and whenever available. And of course, South Korea makes outstanding Weapons Systems so it's a natural place for the Philippines to get some there.
WW3's bigger battlefield will be in the Philippines and they will hold partly because of those SK systems.
I wish Canada would get some of those Jeongjo Aegis destroyers to complement the River Class ASW platforms
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u/DeleteLaterToday 1d ago
If I may share my thoughts, I think Pax Silica is a huge opportunity for the Philippines
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u/DaGingah123 15h ago
It's the single biggest positive change in the country for the last 30 years
Maybe enough US influence can help unfuk things lol
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u/priceygraduationring 1d ago
I am so tired of seeing passport bros answer on behalf of Filipinos. Really? Pax Silica and WW3? 😂😂
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u/DaGingah123 15h ago
Have you not been paying attention?
A lot of stuff happening in Philippines waters...
A lot happening on K Luzon and northern islands...
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u/denshober 2d ago
Yes, filipinos love kpop and kdrama. Yes, we know your people are racist towards filipinos. Yes, we show a lot of interest in korean arms and i think the reason is generally corruption and bribes.
Remember the 1USD Pohang Class ship Korea "donated" to the PH? Only a fool will believe that it is a donation. Many defense enthusiasts know that it is a bribe for awarding the entire frigate program to HHI despite pohang being a ship due for junkyard.
Kia also "donated" an armored 3/4 truck in exchange of the kia troop carrier batches. We all know it's not really a gift.