The Future of Korean-Japanese Relations Summed Up in 30 Seocnds

*Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about geopolitics*

My theory: The future of the relationship between Japan and Korea is more of a interest-based marketing question than a political, economic, or territory-based one since...

Pop Music

Pictured: The men(?) of Big Bang

Anime

Pictured: Dragonball Z

K/J-Dramas

Pictured: Rain (Bi) in Full House

Martial Arts

Pictured: Judo

and Videogames

Pictured: Tekken

have more influence on the public opinions between the nations than Prime Minister Shizo Abe or President Park Geun Hye will ever have.


My point is that this stuff: 

"In recent years, however, the relationship between South Korea and Japan has greatly deteriorated over many disputes, including the territorial claims on Takeshima, Japanese prime ministers' visits to Yasukuni Shrine, and differing views on history of Imperial Japan, during Korea under Japanese rule.

According to a 2014 BBC World Service Poll, 13% of Japanese view South Korea's influence positively, with 37% expressing a negative view, while 15% of South Koreans view Japanese influence positively, with 79% expressing negatively, making South Korea, along with China, the country with the most negative perception of Japan in the world."

from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan%E2%80%93South_Korea_relations


"In her speech to mark the anniversary of Korea’s liberation from colonial rule on 15 August 1945, Park called upon ‘Japan’s leaders to take a correct view of history and especially to take proactive measures acceptable to the comfort women victims of the Japanese imperial military while they are still alive’."

from: http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2014/09/23/why-history-is-a-problem-for-park-geun-hye-in-confronting-japan/


...basically matters f*ck all in the grand scheme of things in the era of globalization (much to the dismay of political analysts, bitter old folks, and war hawks on both sides), and I think the younger generations from both countries generally understand this fact and will eventually turn the old neighbor/extended family dispute into a much more arbitrary, productive, and friendlier one focused around shared interests and industries to improve the economic potential for both countries. China can come too.