China does have a point that in northeastern China there is a large Korean minority group present that they were trying to represent during the opening ceremony:
South Korea plans to continue global efforts to publicize hanbok, the traditional Korean attire, as its signature culture, a government official said Sunday, as people here are in an uproar over China’s use of hanbok during the winter Olympics opening ceremony.
Korea Times
One woman clad in hanbok appeared among those representing 56 ethnic groups across China during the event held in Beijing last Friday.
You can read more at the link, but clearly the CCP was trying to stick it to the West and their diplomatic boycott of the Olympics over human rights abuses of the Uighurs. This ceremony was intended to make it look like all the ethnic groups in China are happy and content and the West is wrong about repression of minority groups. I doubt this had anything to do with stealing Korean culture.
Foreign visitors look around Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul wearing South Korea’s traditional costume, or hanbok, on Sept. 22, 2018. (Yonhap)
I just published “Hey, Koreaboo, 2009 Called and Demanded Its Scoop on ‘Fashionistas Turning Hanboks Into Modern…” https://t.co/N6rQKGzytp
— Michael Hurt (@metropolitician) October 14, 2017
I asked a few months ago if the progressive term “cultural misappropriation” would eventually makes it way to Korea and now it has arrived over the wearing of a hanbok which the vast majority of Koreans love to see foreigners wear:
Maria, 20, studies the Korean language in Seoul. In her post, she included a caption referencing SHINee’s Taemin, who wore a similar hanbok in KBS’ variety show “Hello Baby”.
Apparently, not everyone was pleased to see Maria donning the dress. According to Koreaboo, some angered netizens accused her of cultural (mis)appropriation. One reportedly called her a “White Devil.” [Next Shark via King Sejong]
You can read the rest at the link, but I learned another new progressive term “white passing privilege”. If this is what people in college are concerned about no wonder they have a hard time finding a good job in today’s economy.
