My generation -- being born in the 80s and raised in the 90s -- grew up with an abundant amount of everything Japanese. What the kids have today in K-Pop and Korean dramas we make up for with anime's and manga's. So although there are some Korean films that I have come to like I never fully connected or stay "in-love" with their culture. I could not stomach the Korean manhwa's taking over the Japanese manga. I prefer listening to J-Pop-Rock music over K-Pop. I would always give my wholehearted love to Tokyo -- despite it being earthquake prone -- over Seoul. My fashion palette beats for the Kimono and Yukata over the Hanbok. And although I seriously love Bibimbop, I would always choose a Japanese restaurant to dine together with my friends and family because Ramen is as sacred to me as pizza and pasta. While the world has gone 'gaga' over Gangnam style I remain disconnected with this fad realizing that I have never viewed its video on YouTube and I don't even have it uploaded on my iPod. I have never watched the Korean version of 'Boys over Flowers' and I could never finish a Korean drama. I have no love for Korean gadgets and I still believe that Sony and Sharp makes the best TV and mobile phones. And although the Japanese invaded the Philippines and do us more harm during the WW2 I must have had a long overdue case of Stockholm syndrome because I am so fascinated with their country and culture the way I love France or the way my love-hate relationship with my country goes. So I'll let today's world and its youth fest up with its Korean bug because I know, forevermore, that as a kid born in the 80s raised in the 90s I would always have my Japanophilia and nobody can't take that away from me (not even time, change and society).
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