Japanese Historical Dramas: Controversies and Cultural Implications

Japanese historical dramas often provoke controversy by neglecting historical accuracy, reflecting a cultural reluctance to confront uncomfortable truths.

### The Complex Relationship of Japanese Historical Dramas and Their Cultural Implications
* 🎭 Korean dramas, both modern and historical, are gaining global popularity, with some Chinese audiences **ignoring historical accuracy** to follow their narratives.
* 📺 The Japanese historical drama "Prince Shotoku," which aired on November 10, 2001, is notable for its **commitment to historical accuracy**, depicting the late 6th century when Japan was influenced by **Baekje**.
* 😟 Despite its high production quality and good ratings, many Japanese viewers felt **discomfort due to this adherence to history**, which sparked backlash.
* 👑 Emperor Akihito's statement in 2001 about his mother's lineage linking back to **King Muryeong of Baekje** shocked the Japanese public and broke a **cultural taboo** regarding ties to ancient Korea.
* 📰 While this revelation was widely covered in Korean media, it received minimal attention in Japan, indicating a tendency to **ignore uncomfortable historical truths**.
* 🎬 The 2012 drama "Taira no Kiyomori" faced criticism for its portrayal of historical figures, as it attempted to depict **aristocratic life** yet failed to accurately represent the era's **realities**.
* 🗣 Japan's reluctance to produce historical dramas covering modern history stems from a **fear of confronting its past** and the potential for **public dissent regarding the imperial narrative**.
* 📉 As a result, the Japanese public remains largely unaware of their historical complexities, often **dismissing negative portrayals** and **avoiding critical discussions** about their cultural heritage.

Hello, let's begin. Korean dramas are not only modern dramas but also historical dramas that are gaining worldwide popularity. In fact, in China, there are instances where they completely ignore historical accuracy and directly follow Korean historical dramas. However, Japanese historical dramas often stir up a lot of controversy. The reason Japanese historical dramas are always a topic of debate can be summed up in one point: the portrayal of the prince. Please respond in the Baekje language. From now on, you must also speak in the Baekje language in this context. The drama Prince Shotoku, which starred actor Seol Kyung-gu and became a hot topic, aired on NHK on November 10, 2001, and is a special drama consisting of two episodes. The drama depicts the late 6th century. At that time, Japan was heavily influenced by Baekje, and the drama showed a thorough commitment to historical accuracy, which surprised many people. To a Korean viewer, it seemed as if Baekje...

It is easy to mistake this drama for one set in the background, and it has been evaluated as quite well-made, achieving good ratings. However, many Japanese viewers found the content of the drama uncomfortable. The reason for this discomfort stems from the show's strict adherence to historical accuracy, which sparked backlash among the Japanese public. 

On December 12, 2001, Emperor Akihito, who turned 68, made a statement that deeply unsettled the Japanese people. He mentioned that his mother, Princess Nagako, was a descendant of King Muryeong of Baekje, which led him to feel a connection with Korea. The fact that the Japanese imperial family has ties to ancient Korea is considered a taboo in Japan. By breaking this taboo, he shocked the Japanese archipelago. 

While this news was widely reported in the Korean media, it only appeared in the Asahi Shimbun in Japan, with little coverage from other media outlets.

Everyone maintained silence. When historical facts are mentioned in Japan, they tend to be ignored. Let me give you another example from a Japanese historical drama. In 2012, LG Kale ambitiously produced and aired a large-scale historical drama set in the early 12th century during the Heian period, titled Taira no Kiyomori. First, let's take a look at a scene that you might commonly see. The eyebrows are raised significantly above the forehead. Women also follow the same makeup style without exception. They even went so far as to blacken their teeth. At that time, the drama production team required the female cast members to blacken their teeth as well, but due to strong opposition from the female cast, this was only implemented for the male cast members. Furthermore, as time passed during the filming, the black paint wore off, and later they performed with black mouthpieces. This makeup style, known as kogao, is quite remarkable.

It continued until the Meiji period. In short, it disappeared as Western culture was embraced. This is how the aristocrats are portrayed in the drama, not beggars. These are the images of ordinary farmers. They are not able to properly depict the situation. The appearance of the wealthy in the drama is very plain. The art of metalworking only appeared in the 16th century in Japan. This drama, which had a high production cost, recorded the lowest viewership ratings and ended early. In the end, viewers felt a sense of rejection towards this portrayal and expressed their displeasure. Ironically, it was criticized for being too thorough in its historical accuracy. Japan has not only neglected dramas dealing with ancient and medieval history but also those about modern history. Historical dramas set after the Meiji Restoration have rarely been aired on Japanese television. For example, after the Meiji Restoration, the clothing of figures like Saigo Takamori was...

Okubo Toshi could have been featured at least to some extent, but these two have never appeared together in any other program. In Japan, the theme of historical dramas is primarily focused on the 19th century. When Japanese people see figures like Ito Hirobumi or Fukuzawa Yukichi in Korean dramas, they are often surprised. The reason for this phenomenon in Japan is, of course, due to historical issues. The notion that Japan is the center of three nations, while countries like Korea and China are merely barbaric, is not a modern development. This worldview began to form around the 17th century and, as modernity progressed, evolved into the claim that Japan is the most superior and the best in the world, following Fukuzawa Yukichi's ideas. Looking back through history, Japan imported all its culture from Korea and China. In other words, the roots of Japanese culture lie in Korea and China. Therefore, Japanese people have a considerable amount of admiration for Korea.

Cultural inferiority complex is something that Japan possesses, and it arose as a reaction to Korea at 10 o'clock. The core of Japanese idealism is not cultural theory but political theory. In other words, in Korea or China, the king is not seen as the biological parent of the people, so revolutions can overthrow dynasties at any time. However, in Japan, the people are seen as having the same bloodline as the emperor, which means that revolutions do not occur, and historically, there has never been a change in the imperial bloodline or a disruption of the center. This claim constitutes a key part of the argument that places Japan at the center of the world. Here, we can find the basis for Japan's attempt to reposition Asia through military force. Japan put this worldview into practice with the beginning of the Meiji era. Although Japan's logic for Asian invasion was rooted in Korean nationalism, it has been used to rationalize its invasions.

The logic that was once presented has never been subjected to deep and serious criticism. Rather, Japan claims to be the victim and has turned Korea into the perpetrator. After the defeat, the Emperor's declaration of humanity was something that ordinary people remembered hearing, but they rarely had the chance to see the original text of that announcement. As a result, the Japanese people do not understand the core issues of the past at all. If Japan were to produce a proper historical drama, the public would objectively review history, leading to questions about the foundation of the emperor's establishment. There are concerns that when national consensus divides, the country will fall into crisis. In particular, if the history of Japan from the first year of the Meiji era in 1868 to the promulgation of the Meiji Constitution in 1889 is covered in a TV drama, many Japanese people would become aware of the arbitrary processes involved in its creation.

The Japanese elite fears this the most. For this reason, Japan is particularly reluctant to produce historical dramas, especially those dealing with modern history. The lack of dramas addressing Japan's modern history is discussed in part of Kosaka Ugi's Japan Turned Upside Down. However, if you think about it, the current Japanese public has been so thoroughly brainwashed that even when faced with historical facts, they tend to ignore the truth if it presents negative aspects about themselves. Even if a drama were to be made that covers the Meiji period in detail, the Japanese public would not awaken to history; instead, they would likely criticize the broadcasting station that aired the drama and the actors who participated in it. Broadcasting companies are probably aware of this, which is why they no longer produce dramas that are meticulous in their historical accuracy, just as Japan has done until now.

They will continue to deny and hate their shameful past.

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The Impact of Korean and Japanese Historical Dramas

Korean historical dramas are gaining global popularity, with some Chinese productions ignoring historical accuracy to follow their lead.

Japanese historical dramas, particularly Prince Shotoku, have stirred controversy due to their strict adherence to historical accuracy, leading to discomfort among viewers.

Emperor Akihito's statement about his connection to Korea's King Muryeong further shocked the Japanese public, highlighting the taboo of the imperial family's ties to ancient Korea.

The Portrayal of History in Japanese Dramas

Japanese historical dramas have struggled to accurately depict the past, with a focus on the 19th century and a neglect of ancient and modern history.

The recent high-budget drama faced criticism for its thorough historical accuracy and low viewership, reflecting viewers' rejection of its portrayal.

Japan's historical worldview, viewing itself as superior to neighboring countries, has its roots in the 17th century, despite the country's cultural origins being influenced by Korea and China.

Japan's Cultural Inferiority Complex and Historical Perspective

Japan's cultural inferiority complex emerged in response to Korea, with its political theory shaping the idealism of the nation.

The unique bloodline connection between the emperor and the people in Japan has historically prevented revolutions and dynastic changes.

Japan's military-driven attempt to reposition Asia, rooted in Korean nationalism, has been used to rationalize its invasions, while the country's narrative of victimhood has obscured its historical actions.

Japan's Reluctance to Produce Historical Dramas

Japan's elite fears addressing modern history in dramas, leading to a lack of such productions.

The Japanese public tends to ignore negative historical facts about themselves, making it unlikely for a drama to spark awareness.

Broadcasting companies have stopped producing historically accurate dramas, perpetuating the denial of Japan's shameful past.