Liberation Day nears, but 'No Japan' has become 'Go Japan'

TOKYO — “Hey, not over there. This way, this way!”

On Friday afternoon, a group of women in their 30s waved to call over a friend at Asakusa, one of Tokyo’s best-known tourist destinations, in loud, clear Korean. A day before Korea’s Liberation Day on Aug. 15, the area was crowded with Korean visitors, with Korean heard throughout restaurants, cafes and shops.

It was a stark contrast to the summer of 2019, when the slogan “We won’t go, we won’t buy” accompanied a widespread boycott that saw Koreans cancel trips to Japan and retailers remove Japanese beer from supermarket shelves.

It's been seven years since the “No Japan” boycott swept Korea, and the mood has changed markedly: A Japanese K-pop idol singing along to Korea’s national anthem draws applause, while travel to Japan and imports of Japanese beer have reached record highs and Haneda and Narita airports are filled with Korean tourists day after day.

The days when even a minor remark could quickly ignite anti-Japanese sentiment in Korea appear to be fading. Diplomatic and historical disputes are less likely than before to translate directly into rejection of Japanese travel, products or individual Japanese people.

Japanese culture shunned no more

For starters, people are becoming more lenient toward Japanese celebrities on television.

When Korea’s national anthem played ahead of the country’s World Cup match against South Africa on June 25, the members of girl group Rescene stood up while watching a Naver livestream. Japanese member Minami placed a hand over her chest and solemnly sang along. The comment section quickly filled with positive reactions.

A video of Rescene member Woni dressed in Japanese gyaru fashion — known for its strong makeup and Y2K fashion iconic of Japanese young women — and learning Japanese from Minami also became popular online.

The reaction to Japanese K-pop stars was far harsher seven years ago.

In April 2019, Sana, a Japanese member of Twice, faced backlash after posting her thoughts on the group’s official Instagram account about Japan’s transition from the Heisei era to the Reiwa era. Some argued that criticizing a personal reflection went too far, but the debate continued for days. Sana later said the experience had left her "frightened and scared."

The change has been particularly rapid in entertainment and professional sports, where public sentiment plays an important role.

Japanese K-pop members are no longer unusual. Following Twice members Mina, Sana and Momo and Le Sserafim’s Sakura and Kazuha, artists including BabyMonster’s Ruka and Asa, ILLIT’s Moka and Iroha and izna’s Koko now work actively between Korea and Japan.

Japanese members are viewed as key assets who can help groups connect with Japanese fans and lead local promotions in Japan, one of K-pop’s largest markets. Once viewed at times as a potential risk because of tensions between the two countries, recruiting Japanese members and training them within the K-pop system has become an industry standard.

A similar trend is emerging in women’s professional volleyball.

The Incheon Heungkuk Life Insurance Volleyball Club Pink Spiders, known for a strong fan base built in part during the career of Korean volleyball star Kim Yeon-koung, are led by Japanese head coach Tomoko Yoshihara and have Japanese outside hitter Jahstice Yauchi on the roster.

The Hwaseong IBK Altos also hired former Japan national team head coach Masayoshi Manabe and Japanese outside hitter Miwako Osanai ahead of the new season. Even in professional sports, where supporter loyalty matters greatly, Japanese nationality itself is no longer seen as a major obstacle.

Favorable views of Japan reach record 54.3 percent

The numbers show the change most clearly.

A record 9.46 million Koreans visited Japan in 2025, up 69.4 percent from 5.58 million in 2019, when the “No Japan” boycott began, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization. Koreans also accounted for 22 percent of all foreign visitors to Japan last year, the largest share by country. In the first half of 2026, 5.68 million Koreans visited Japan, up 18.6 percent from a year earlier.

Japanese beer imports in Korea also surpassed 100,000 tons for the first time in 2025, reaching 100,322 tons and accounting for 41.7 percent of all imported beer.

Uniqlo, whose Korean revenue once fell to around 600 billion won ($420 million) amid the boycott and the Covid-19 pandemic, has also returned firmly to the trillion-won revenue range.

Attitudes have shifted as well.

A survey of 3,099 people in Korea and Japan conducted last month by the East Asia Institute and the International House of Japan found that 54.3 percent of Korean respondents had a favorable impression of Japan, the highest level since the survey began in 2013.

That marked a 42 percentage point increase from 12.3 percent in 2020, when Korea-Japan tensions were at their peak. The proportion with a negative impression of Japan fell from 71.6 percent to 38.5 percent over the same period.

Historical disputes remain but nonetheless

That does not mean sensitive historical issues have disappeared. Disputes remain over Dokdo, Japan’s wartime military sexual slavery and compensation for victims of wartime forced labor.

A recent controversy over actor Ha Young’s great-grandfather and allegations that he was a pro-Japanese collaborator is one example.

Unlike in the past, however, criticism did not spread entirely in one direction.

“It is dangerous to label someone a pro-Japanese collaborator solely based on participation in a particular organization,” historian Sim Yong-hwan wrote on social media.

The hypersensitivity over historical ties remains, but counterarguments examining the historical evidence and the scope of individual responsibility are also gaining ground.

“We have to buy ‘Chainsaw Man’ merchandise, and is there anywhere abroad other than Japan where you can make this much of a short holiday?” said a couple in their 20s, who the reporter met in Asakusa on Friday.

As more Koreans separate historical disputes from everyday exchanges, anti-Japanese sentiment stoked by some politicians no longer dictates consumer and travel choices in the way it once did. The summer of 2026 paints a stark contrast with 2019, but with a lasting imagery that may continue well into the future.

BY YOU SEONG-UN [kim.hayoon1@joongang.co.kr]