'Demon Slayer' craze in Korea reignites Rising Sun flag controversy

The recent release of the Japanese animated feature “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Infinity Castle” continues to captivate the Korean box office, surpassing 4.5 million viewers as of Tuesday, but the film’s popularity has once again spotlighted a long-standing controversy over the use of images resembling the Rising Sun flag, a symbol widely associated with Japan’s wartime imperialism. On Tuesday, Seo Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University who is known for spearheading efforts to correct historical and cultural misrepresentations of Korea, raised concerns about a Rising Sun flag-inspired accessory depicted in the animation. He also criticized the sale of related merchandise, noting that the image remains a potent symbol of Japanese militarism and colonial aggression in Korea and other parts of Asia. Seo pointed out that various online platforms and shops have been selling accessories modeled after the earrings worn by “Demon Slayer” protagonist Kamado Tanjiro, a design that closely resembles the controversial flag. The earrings previously sparked bWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times