#Aph north korea

[peonycats]

east asia pfps WTF!!!

left to right, top to bottom (minnan belongs to @luyous and north korea belongs to @itstokkii)

China

Japan

South Korea

North Korea

Hong Kong

Taiwan

Macau

Ryukyu/Okinawa

Ainu

Minnan/Quanzhou

[ask-north-korea]

안녕히 계세요.

Once more, for nostalgia's sake.

[circlique]

korea and north korea for requests if theyre still open??

I've had this brainworm of them playing DND as a rogue and a ranger for a while, so thanks for giving me a chance to draw it! Also, cardverse.

[ID in alt text.]

[itstokkii]

issues with calling or headcanoning sk as america’s child

 or, a deep dive and evaluation of sk-us relations over the years as a south korean

Recently, I saw a post where someone gave their hcs of america pursuing a relationship with nk, which resulted in sk’s “birth.” then nk was afraid this new child would usurp their title and basically cause them to die, and so wanted to kill this new child before that happened. then america intervenes and “saves” sk. I believe this is the quick version of that headcanon. 

I’m not trying to make this a callout post, I’m just giving my own thoughts based on experience living around US bases(Yongsan specifically)

As many have pointed out, this reeks of stereotypical “evil asian mom and chill/cooler white dad,” as well as us imperialism apologia. It also reminds me a lot of madame butterfly in a way? Additionally, it basically ignores the fact that South Korea has its own culture and existence long before US imperialism. 

If the US is like sk’s “dad” in a sense, then wouldn’t that ring true for other cold war states, like south vietnam, or west germany? 

I’ll leave my thoughts under the cut. This is the longest thing I’ve ever written.

CW, TW: war, colonialism, imperialism, SA, rape, murder

Primary issues with the headcanon

Throughout Korea’s history, there were times where Korea was unified, and times where Korea was not. There have also been splits of different states, north and south. I point to the Kingdoms of Goguryeo and Silla during the Three Kingdoms Period, and even before then with Gojoseon and Jin. So this split is not exactly new, and this is why I personally disagree with the headcanon that North and South Korea were babies around the time of the split, and rather that they represented Goguryeo and Silla. 

The Korean War had stemmed from a desire to reunite the two states. Kim Il-Sung had pursued this and that started the war, and even Syngman Rhee pursued this ideal as well after the UN forces recaptured Seoul, resulting in that further push to invade North Korea. But this desire would have never existed if they weren’t split to begin with and remained whole as they did since 700 years ago with the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty. The Korean War was not willingly fought by both South and North Koreans. 

It was a result of imperialist states splitting us up and then pitting us against each other(even the split was quite hasty, with families being split across the border), so it’s also wrong to draw parallels of SK fighting for its existence in the Korean War and the US during the Revolutionary War. One was fought to stay alive as a nation, and of which can be traced to outside forces laying their influence on the Peninsula, and one was fought willingly and of their own accord. 

So it’s important to remember that the War was not because of an attempt to kill a “child” made by North Korea and America, it was the result of a nation that has been unified as one for 700 years being split suddenly, and the desire on both sides to reunify, albeit under their own management. Additionally, the idea of South Korea being “a child” of the US ignores the centuries-worth culture and history that was not influenced by the US and propagates the idea that we belong in the US’s shadow, and that without them, we have no identity. 

South Koreans affectionately refer to the US as our “brother state,” but never think of the relationship as a parent and child. Remember that.

Next, we’ll talk about the role of the US in this. 

While doing some research into the split, I found that after Korea was liberated in 1945, a socialist government(People’s Republic of Korea) was organized and supported by the majority of the population. This made the most sense. There was a vast gap of inequality between the Korean peasants, and the Korean nobles(who were given/maintained that power by betraying their Korean identity and working with the Japanese), so they advocated for social reform, such as land reform. However, the US wanted to set up their own military government(which for some time had actually supported the Japanese colonial government). So the US censored and then outlawed the popular government, putting themselves in charge and keeping advisors such as former Japanese colonial officers, wealthy landowners, and businesspeople. You know, the exact people the popular government was against?

This government then set up elections. The majority of Koreans didn’t want that, because they knew that these elections would divide the country and leave no hope of unifying. So they protested, but they were put down by police and the US military. It might also be worth it to read about the Jeju Massacre, in which Jeju people protesting the UN-backed elections were brutally suppressed by Syngman Rhee and the US Military. This killed about 10% of Jeju’s population. Though the South Korean government has issued an apology, we have yet to hear from the US. 

So the US set up a government that supported a military dictator(it started with Syngman Rhee) and continued to support a long chain of these military dictators(who sent pro-democratic people to concentration camps) even during the Gwangju Massacre, when many pro-democratic students protested against the dictatorship and the then-president Chun Doo Hwan responded by commanding the military and police to fire on citizens. Though official government figures place the deaths at 200 people, citizens of Gwangju say it’s closer to 2000 people. 

I only found out about the concentration camps this year, and it’s because the South Korean Government, who wants to stay on the US’s good side, actively represses the role of the US in the military dictatorship. I’m pretty sure the US’s role is also barely taught in Korean history textbooks, since the government has tried to rewrite and issue textbooks themselves. 

Recently, the grandson of Chun Doo Hwan(the president that ordered the military to shoot on the protesters, and also was supported by US Presidents Carter and Reagan), apologized on behalf of his grandfather and family, who had constantly told him it was just a riot when he was a kid. He also took the time to expose his family, friends, and even his own money laundering crimes. He personally visited Gwangju and gave a full floor-level bow in apology. This was a first step in the correct direction. However, the government, especially with Yoon Seok Yeol’s pro-US and anti-NK sentiment, is trying not to shed light on these issues, and it’s why I believe a lot of people tend to continue to favor the US, because they don’t really know or are aware of the US’s full part in our military dictatorship. 

Another interesting read would be the Namyeong-Dong Anti Communist Investigation Office, a former prison facility and torture room for pro-democracy protestors.

Now for the existing US impact on South Korea: The USFK

The USFK(short for United States Forces Korea) is the Korean branch of the US Military. They have an active presence in South Korea since 1957, which is about 65 years ago. 

Not many Koreans have an Anti-American sentiment, but the USFK has consistently caused it to resurge throughout the nation. 

In 2000, it was found out that the US military had dumped about 20 gallons(75L) of formaldehyde into the Han River, which at the time was a main drinking source for about 12 million people in Seoul. 

They carelessly ran over two 14-year old girls(Shin Hyosun and Shim Miseon) with one of the US military’s armored vehicles in 2002. What made things worse was that the US Military Court found them not guilty. In response to the incident and other grievances with the US military, PSY actually rapped a song called “Dear American” written by a South Korean band criticizing them, mostly regarding the US military and their involvement in the Iraqi War, which he later had to apologize to the US military for rapping after he got famous singing Gangnam Style.

The US military was also involved in forced prostitution and human trafficking. In 1992, Yoon Geum-i, a military sex worker, was raped and killed brutally by Private Kenneth Markle. He was tried and initially received life in prison, but then later his sentence was reduced to 15 years in prison after Yoon Geum-i’s family received $72,000 as compensation from the US government. In 2006, he was released on parole and then deported to the US. @tianshiisdead further goes into detail on this on her post about these headcanons.

In 2020, it was found that the major camp of the USFK, Camp Humphreys, was hosting a no mask COVID party while the Korean government was urging locals to limit in person gatherings as the cases were surging. The party was on a Friday, and on Monday it was found that 408 USFK-affiliated individuals tested positive for COVID.

The South Korean government pays them to stay here... and do what? Cause trouble? 

The USFK and US funding the ROK military has led to the ROK military being one of the strongest. However, we are not allowed our own weapons, and the US constantly attempts to provoke North Korea through any presidential remarks, or actions. This keeps South Korea reliant on the US, and allows for a continued presence in South Korea.

Conclusion

All of this is why it’s so important to keep checking back on how you see Korea and America’s relationship in Hetalia. As positive as current relations may be, it’s important to remember the many failures on the US’s part to keep their military acting like decent human beings at times, and that they literally caused the split along with the USSR, and made it permanent through the suggestion and implementation of elections, which Koreans on both sides largely did not support. 

South Korea has one of the highest positive perception rates towards the US. This may be due to their hand in helping us develop as a nation and also providing aid during the Korean War, but it may also be due to the suppression of the full extent of activities the US has partook in South Korea, and due to the Anti-North Korea sentiment that was also propagated by the US. 

Also, the fact that Americans also call the Korean War “The Forgotten War” is so frustrating to me. Did we just... not matter in the long run? We’re just a pawn, or a strategic location, right? The separated families, the civilian casualties(which was a higher rate than WW2′s and the Vietnam War), the devastation of so many cities... just didn’t matter? Maybe you forgot, but it’s impacted us and our decisions for years. Just goes to show how selfish the US can be...

As much as I do wish one of my favorite ships were one of complete happiness where nothing is wrong, this is not the case, and I am trying my best to express that in art or headcanons. It is important to acknowledge that the 70-year long relationship, though sharing some positive, unproblematic moments through cultural exchange and joint collaboration in the modern era, is characterized by a lack of trust on South Korea’s end, largely due to how the US has wronged us over the years. 

[qiumenglin]

Some EAsian Headcanons (because I don’t know what to post)

China be complaining about air pollution and be carrying a box of cigars everywhere.

Korea gets the most girls amongst all the EAsians. Macau comes close.

Japan has a pond with koi fish in his garden.

Japan is very very competitive. Would fight tooth and nail to be better than his opponents.

Hong Kong has insomnia because of all the lights. Other EAsians have a really lively night life, but they’ve gotten over it.

Korea, on the other hand, stays up late because he can, and can wake up early too.

Hong Kong is a germaphobe and carries sanitizer and wet tissue packets everywhere. Has trust issues when it comes to sanitation. Never uses his finger to press the lift button.

China once snuck into the British museum and took back a painting he made about 500 years ago, which he spent a week on. Caused international disputes as he sips on his tea with no milk and never planning on giving it up. (Inspired India to do the same)

Mongolia is part of almost every Asian Region group chat(after a ton of persuasion, bargaining, and begging. He just wants to leak the gossip and drama).

China, South Korea, Japan, and Mongolia(mainly with China) get into arguments 24/7. They’re internet fights are crazy, and they’re accounts have been suspended and banned multiple times.

China spoils the heck out of North Korea. He would be (maybe illegally) sending him all kinds of fancy stuff, which is currently piling up in N.K’s storage room.

[mayhellsky]

I present to you a new character - North Korea!

I think many people may not like what I did bc it's damn north korea, but I like the concept of the idea that they kind of go on an emotional swing, and in the end, Byong-ho actually secretly yearns for the times when he was together with his brother. Maybe next time I'll draw more interaction with the two of them.

+ bonus sketch: After the Korean War.

"I don't want anything to do with him..."

The description of Byong-ho on the 1st 2 drawings was taken from the SK page, where it was written that Hima has a concept of the DPRK, but for some reason will not be able to make it a reality in the near future. The first and last name are taken from public sources, I found their writing in hieroglyphs from 2 pages of 2 Koreans with the last name Kim and the first name Byung-ho. I already forgot what all this means, but it seems that Kim means gold, and Byong-ho means bright..So it turns out he's bright gold lol.

[cypressayez]

APH East Asians

[starmirai]

North Korea/Malaysia → Tragic Love Story😔💔

[yuzutatsu]

ref for future drawings of Korea :3

[cl0cker]

тварь я дрожащая или просто тварь???

[amechucorner]

Little art dump!!!! Sorry i forget to post here!!!!!!

Going to do amechuweek btw!!! Will post more about it in june when I finish my college work

Mostly amechu but always yao... im sorry my art is so incosistent djfjdjdjd also im sorry iggychu and chunk haters i am a multishipper (amechu is always my endgame tho no matter what)

[ask-north-korea]

Farewell

OOC;;

I mean this should have been obvious for a while, but let's make it official:

This blog is closed.

I had a great run in the hetalia fandom: over 10 years, give or take. Not all at once, but more or less consistently, until recent years. Running this blog and RPing Sang Kyu (across multiple platforms) has been a big part of that. He's one of my longest running OCs and is still really important to me, but...

Over time, various things have driven me away from this fandom. Maybe it's just growing up--I'm approaching 30 at this point. I also lived in Korea--one of my life goals--got to experience that for two years. Since returning to the US, my interests and goals have turned to other things. I got married, bought a house, got a new job...and over time I found this fandom sucking up energy I didn't have. I don't keep up with current events as I once did; I simply don't have it in me to continue updating this blog anymore.

I am not Korean, if that wasn't clear, so this blog was always run from the experience of a Westerner, doing their best to do the research and portray things in a respectful (although admittedly not always 100% accurate) manner while keeping in the relatively lighthearted spirit of the source material. I hope some Korean fans will pick up the reins and fill in the gaps where I couldn't. Even having lived in Korea for a time, I can't pretend I know everything or have the experiences of people who grew up in the culture.

That being said, please DO feel free to use Sang Kyu for fanfics, fanart! Whatever! (But please don't RP him or claim him as yours...) All I ask is that you credit him to me, @circlique (or @ask-north-korea), and use him in respectful, non-hateful ways. I would love to see any fanart or fanfic that you tag me in. If you have questions about him, I would ask that you direct them to @circlique, since I plan on completely turning off the ask box to this blog after this post.

For the people who supported me over the years, or participated in my refugee fundraisers, thank you. I will always remember my time playing Sang Kyu fondly, and I hope he can continue to be an ambassador and educate even as I am not actively taking that role anymore.

[circlique]

Late night random NK headcanon: he has a void kitty. 🐈‍⬛

[itstokkii]

i'm gonna smoke you up

[mayhellsky]

i don't have time to draw my fav characters ahhh >x<

College is killing me (w love)