As the Netflix animated film 'KPop Demon Hunters', centered around K-pop idols, gains international acclaim, Chinese people have begun to make baseless claims that it "stole Chinese culture".
According to FlixPatrol, an online video service (OTT) ranking site, the film, released on the 20th, has topped the global movie charts since the 23rd. It has achieved number one status not only in Korea but also in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia, Mexico, Japan, and a total of 26 countries, continuing its box office success.
Amidst this success, some Chinese people have started to argue that the Korean elements featured in the work are "stolen from Chinese culture", sparking controversy.
On Douban, China's largest review site, there are about a thousand reviews related to 'KPop Demon Hunters' as of the 24th.
Among these, there are nonsensical claims such as "it plagiarizes Chinese culture", "why are Chinese elements added to Korean ones?", and "the movie repeatedly features Chinese knots".
Professor Seo Kyung-duk from Sungshin Women's University mentioned, "Since Netflix is not officially available in China, it seems that these reviews were left after illegally watching 'KPop Demon Hunters'."
Professor Seo added, "Illegal streaming has become the norm in China, and what's more astonishing is their lack of shame about it."
Furthermore, he pointed out, "Instead of making baseless claims that 'Korea has stolen Chinese culture', Chinese people should first learn to respect the cultures of other countries."
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)