[OSENWORLD] Netflix’s animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters is drawing global attention not only for its entertainment value but also for shedding light on history.
A TikTok that recently went viral featured a creator saying, “After watching K-Pop Demon Hunters and looking up the history of tigers, I discovered that Japan wiped out all the tigers in Korea during the last century.” The post has garnered 1.2 million views, 180,000 likes, and more than 2,000 comments, sparking renewed discussion of Japan’s past.
This is based on historical fact: during the Japanese occupation, colonial authorities labeled the Korean tiger a “harmful beast” and began systematic extermination campaigns in 1917.
“This is not the first time that streaming platforms have helped bring Japan’s colonial history to global audiences,” said Seo Kyung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University. He noted that Apple TV+’s Pachinko portrayed forced labor and the experiences of “comfort women,” while Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature depicted Unit 731’s human experimentation in 1945.
“With the global success of Korean content on OTT platforms, more international viewers are learning about Japan’s colonial history,” Seo added. “I hope more K-content continues to spread, so that Asia’s history can be more widely understood worldwide.”
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
Courtesy of Online Community
