I can’t believe it took Israel this long to find out about a Nazi themed bar in South Korea:
Israel’s envoy to South Korea expressed anger Monday over the reported existence of a Nazi-themed suburban Seoul bar.
“It’s really revolting,” Ambassador Yigal Caspi said of the drinking establishment reported Tuesday by the Korea Herald newspaper.
Along with its article about the bar, the English-language paper published a photo of a red Nazi swastika it said adorns the establishment’s entrance.
The paper, however, published neither the bar’s name nor the municipality where it is located, saying it did not want to “give them any publicity.”
It said only that the bar is in a “northern city of Seoul.” [AP]
I hope the Israeli embassy doesn’t think this is the only Nazi bar in Korea either. Their are Nazi bars across the country like this one in Pusan:
Even better take a look at the interior of this other Hitler Bar:
Heck the Hitler Bar in Shinchon was featured in TIME Magazine before:
A small photo of Adolf Hitler adorns the entrance to the Fifth Reich, an upscale watering hole in Seoul’s Shinchon university district. A larger picture of the Fuhrer hangs across from the bar, where waiters and waitresses with swastika arm badges mix drinks that have names like “Adolf Hitler”and “Dead.” Young people chat at booths surrounded by statues of golden eagles, romanesque columns and large glass display cases of SS insignia. Nazi pins and Iron Crosses are on sale beside the cash register. It almost looks like a quiet shrine to the man who sent 6 million Jews to their deaths in the Holocaust. But this isn’t a neo-Nazi hangout. Some of the patrons aren’t even quite sure who Adolf Hitler and the Nazis were. Others, like regular patron Chung Jae Kyung, 22, are aware of the evil the Nazis did but not especially moved by it. “I don’t hate them, I don’t like them,” says Chung, a neatly dressed English-lit student with an easy smile. “But at least they dressed well.”
You always hear about how great the Israeli intelligence agencies are, so how the heck does the Israeli embassy not know about Nazi bars in Korea especially when they are featured in TIME magazine? These bars are literally all over Korea.
While were on the topic of anti-semitism in South Korea, I wish the AP would have asked the Israeli envoy what he thought about this. I’m sure these pictures would raise some eyebrows at the Israeli embassy as well.
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8:47 am on October 11th, 2007 1
After thinking on this for a bit, could the Koreans be desensitized to Fascist thinking? Initially, the south Korean government, besides being a military dictatorship for about three decades, was full of former Japanese officers and collaborators. They know how to operate a police state. They lived in perpetual fear of North Korea for years, which was often used as an excuse by the government for political repression. There is also the cultural tendency to sacrifice the individual’s needs in favor of the larger group. (Not to mention the Nazi worshiping temples all over the country!?!J/K)
Perhaps I am over analyzing this a bit but I would also add that east Asians tend to be more sensitive to Japanese atrocities than they are to the Nazis and the Holocaust. Maybe it is just the fact that it is easier for them to relate to east Asia than central Europe. I don’t think it is unreasonable to say that the west is in general a little less sensitive to images representing imperial Japan than Nazi Germany as well.
10:33 am on October 11th, 2007 2
Perhaps the Israeli should open up a ‘comfort women’ bar then just then Koreans might get it.
12:48 pm on October 11th, 2007 3
Hmmm…
…not unlike… ah, I don’t know… a Palestinian opening a bar called Sharon’s Pub.
When Israeli cry “oppression”, Al Sharpton cries “racism” or Koreans cry “comfort women”, one could be inclined to turn a pretty deaf ear.
With all the genocide and oppression going on in the world, the name of a bar SHOULD rank pretty low on the Let’s Make A Big Deal Of It Scale.
J!
3:31 pm on October 11th, 2007 4
We have that sort of junk in Japan too, but not to that extent. And no bars as far as I know…
4:46 pm on October 11th, 2007 5
Am I the only one who looked at that last picture and first thought S&M Buddhist bar?
5:36 pm on October 11th, 2007 6
Mongdori, LOL
11:07 pm on October 11th, 2007 7
“Perhaps the Israeli should open up a ‘comfort women’ bar then just then Koreans might get it.”
True !!!!
2:25 am on October 12th, 2007 8
3:58 am on October 12th, 2007 9
How about a “Yodok Bar” in honor of the North Korean gulag?
The cuisine would be empty plates of food, diseased water, and regular beatings.
10:49 am on October 12th, 2007 10
We all ready have that KB it’s called an entry level hogwan. Late pay (empty plates) diseased water (water cooler filled from the bathroom tap) and regular beatings (you class not fun, want fun fun engrishee)
11:37 am on October 12th, 2007 11
If it doesn’t have to do with the Koreans, Japanese, or Americans, they don’t care. It doesn’t register.
12:22 pm on October 13th, 2007 12
The only thing that registers to koreans is food. That’s all they care about, talk about and live for. It really is a sad nation, not one thinker in the entire race. Only followers.
2:09 pm on October 24th, 2007 13
This is ridiculous how many people are coming to the aid of this phoney israeli envoy, and jumping on the bandwagon to bash Korea. Yes, Korea has its problem with foreigners and how they view foreigners. But let me explain my point of view since I’m an Asian-American living in the US.
Does this israeli envoy know about jew racism himself? Does he know how Arabs are treated like shyte when it comes to the palestine conflict? How about the way jews tend to form their own “cliques” in the US and how they ostracize non-jews from mingling with them.
To me, jews like to pretend to be white people, yet when they are picked on, or when things don’t go their way, they like to play the holocaust card and cry anti-semitism. you see Israel bombing the sh*t out of Syria and Lebanon, yet when Israel is attacked, they like to play victim.
To shorten what I have to say, I also find a trail of evidence that jews seem to have some kind of racism towards us East Asian people.
Remember how that israeli envoy to Australia talked about the “evil yellow people” with “slant eyes.” No? Then read this article.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/774471.html
Hmmm…I guess a lot of you guys here who are shitting all over Korea, her government and the Korean citizens can’t even write an explanation for what that israeli envoy to Australia said about “yellow people” ey?
I also read an article on how Chinese men living in Israel are forbidden to marry and isreali female, or even have sex with an isreali prostitute. Wow, I think that ultra racist! no? Sheesh. I don’t see laws in Korea or Japan or other Asian countries forbidding males or other races from having sex with Asian prostitutes!
How about the jews in hollywood and their blatant racism towards Asians? Just look at all the movies depicting Asian people. The Asian is either depicted as a martial arts/kung-fu karate guy (i.e. Jackie Chan) who can’t speak English. or, the Asian male is like a william hung who is small, dorky and an asexual person. Did you guys watch teh movie “The Departed”? See the scene where the jew named mark wahlberg makes fun of Asian penises? he even stabbed a Vietnamese guy in the eye long time ago. Shit.
And then for other movies in hollywood, the jews like to leave out the Asian guys, and mainly make movies with Asian girls whoring out to white or jew guys.
it’s just a way for the jews to “secretly” wipe out the Asian race. It’s to make more “hapas” so that they lose their Asian heritage, and the hapa kids know jack sh*t about their mother’s background. jews see East Asians as a “threat” to their global dominance because us Asians are hardworking and stand in the way of jew domination.
So my two-cents on this broo-hah-hah? Tell that israeli envoy to chill out. Because in many cases when jews are racist against us Asians, we are told to chill out because making ching-chong jokes “is simply a joke that should be taken lightly.”
2:15 pm on October 24th, 2007 14
10:11 pm on October 24th, 2007 15
The bar is a disgrace. So far, the only argument I’ve heard here is: “Other people are racist, so why not Koreans too? We would like the opportunity to be just as hateful as the rest of the world.”
This is the argument of an idiot.
Why not aspire to be better than racists and bigots in other parts of the world?
Here’s a thought: You should want the best for your country and not seek to emulate other country’s problems.
12:14 pm on October 25th, 2007 16
Why not tell that to the jews who are racist to other ey? Plus look at yourself dude. You said why don’t the Koreans make a “yodok” bar with diseased water. Think before you criticize me and other people.
1:07 pm on October 25th, 2007 17
O.K.
So… someone please kindly explain to me how a Nazi-decorated bar in Korea is exactly racist?
Perhaps, in the same way a cowboy bar might be considered racist to American indians?
I’m going to have a rather hard time supporting the idea that a Korean bar owner is a true believer in the supremacy of the great Aryan master-race.
J!
1:58 pm on October 25th, 2007 18
AngryAsianGuy:
There you go with the “let’s be racist too” argument.
I do not condone racism by anyone. Period.
My suggestion of a Yodok Bar was meant to make a point about how ridiculous this “theme” is for a bar. Since you’re obviously not too swift, I’ll be more explicit: Nazis are offensive just like Yodok is offensive. Neither is a good idea for a bar’s theme. Both should be reviled.
12:56 pm on October 26th, 2007 19
Amen chickenhead!!! Woot!
4:12 pm on October 26th, 2007 20
Chickenhead:
The bar owner is so ignorant that he doesn’t know what the symbols mean.
There’s a reason these kinds of displays are actually illegal throughout most of Europe: They’re deeply offensive to decent people.
1:09 pm on October 27th, 2007 21
To knicker:
Who cares? It’s not like the bar owner is trying to promote nazi-ism in Korea. Koreans in general don’t even know much about the damn nazis. So why make a big stink about this bar. Jews always seem to make big deals out of everything. Whenever people disagree with a jew, it’s called anti-semitism. But vice-versa is okay for jews. I just don’t understand that logic, and won’t accept it too!
8:26 pm on October 27th, 2007 22
AngryAsianGuy:
To me, this is not about Jews being upset. I’m not Jewish.
It’s wrong to trivialize Nazism to a theme for a bar. It’s an embarassment not just to the bar owner but to South Korea.
If the bar owner doesn’t understand that, that’s called ignorance. Ditto for the people reading this.
It would be like a Yodok Bar in the US. Again, that would be a bad idea that celebrates bad people. The bar owner’s intentions do not matter.
But go ahead and be ignorant if you want. That’s your right. And while you’re at it, go ahead and justify being racist because there’s scum on the planet already like that. If that’s how high you want to set the bar, knock yourself out. See how far that gets you in life.
10:21 pm on October 27th, 2007 23
Knickerbocker,
“The bar owner is so ignorant that he doesn’t know what the symbols mean.”
I’m sure he has an idea what they mean: A unique way to get attention to what would normally be Just Another Bar in Korea. Featured in Time Magazine… you just can’t buy advertising like that.
He might also have some vague idea that Nazis killed a lot of people a long time ago somewhere far away for reasons that have nothing to do with Korea…
…much in the way a Westerner might have a vague notion, when eating in a Chinese restaurant with a picture of Mao, that his Chinese communists put Hitler in a shamefully-distant 3rd place in the ranks of state-sponsored murder.
Sport a Che Guevara shirt? Drink a KGB Vodka with Lemon? Have some Christian cross jewelry? The list is endless… all symbols of terrible atrocities to the right group. Yep, all sorts of ways for someone to get offended out there if they go looking for it.
Your outrage is rather Judeo-centric.
Jews, like any religious, ethnic or national group, have their good and bad points. One of their bad points is that they are some of the biggest whiners… when they really don’t need to be. Worse, they generally don’t use it to achieve simple equality… but to gain an advantage or profit… with a fallback to vocal claims of antisemitism when things don’t go their way.
“There’s a reason these kinds of displays are actually illegal throughout most of Europe: They’re deeply offensive to decent people.”
That’s exactly why I appear to be supporting this.
I am not a Nazi. I do not respect or approve of what the Nazis did. I hope Nazism and what it stands for does not make any kind of comeback.
HOWEVER…
I believe in freedom of expression, freedom of enterprise and freedom of action which does not overly affect others.
“Decent people” being offended at what someone does in a private place with willing participants is not reason enough to place controls on their actions. The easy solution is to NOT GO THERE. Offense at simply knowing it exists is not reason enough for restriction.
As the bar owner is not gassing Jews, it is pretty much nobody’s business what the theme of his bar is. If society disapproves, he will go out of business. If he does well, than maybe his detractors don’t represent the views of the People as much as they claim.
Any American who would advocate restricting freedom of expression is seemingly unfamiliar with the First Amendment and why it exists. Non-Americans are forgiven… as they must bare the burden of knowing that the First Amendment is one of the reasons America can stomp their nuts at any time.
Many would be greatly offended that someone would attempt to place restrictions on freedom of expression… and, arguably, this attitude toward restriction can have a much worse effect on current society than a Korean bar’s interior…
…after all, restrictions on freedom of expression was one of the tools which the Nazis used to take power.
J!
2:00 am on October 28th, 2007 24
Chickenhead,
I said the bar was a disgrace, not that it should be outlawed.
I also said it’s your right to do as you wish. (Although it’s not viewed as a right in many European countries where they’ve outlawed Neo-Nazism.)
This is not a “Judeo-centric” attitude. Most Christian Germans today will express regret over the Holocaust. And most Americans will express outrage over Ahmadinejad’s Holocaust denials.
And again, I’m not even remotely Jewish.
Let’s not slip into the “other people are racist/genocidal/bigoted, so it should be okay” argument. I don’t approve of Pol Pot, Stalin or Saddam either.
5:16 am on December 2nd, 2007 25
[...] The modern day Japanese have been equated to Nazis. Here I was thinking the Nazis were in South Korea.- Well now we know what happened to the USS Hello Kittyhawk.- Just more evidence Greenpeace are [...]
8:50 am on December 5th, 2007 26
[...] flag. Such complaints is quite ironic considering South Korea’s is home to nation wide Hitler Bars & anti-Semitic comic [...]
10:00 pm on December 6th, 2007 27
“He might also have some vague idea that Nazis killed a lot of people a long time ago somewhere far away for reasons that have nothing to do with Korea…
…much in the way a Westerner might have a vague notion, when eating in a Chinese restaurant with a picture of Mao, that his Chinese communists put Hitler in a shamefully-distant 3rd place in the ranks of state-sponsored murder.
Sport a Che Guevara shirt? Drink a KGB Vodka with Lemon? Have some Christian cross jewelry? The list is endless… all symbols of terrible atrocities to the right group. Yep, all sorts of ways for someone to get offended out there if they go looking for it.”
-Right on Chickenhead!
Sanctimonious deadshit lefties like Knickerbocker really would annoy me if I hadn’t learned how to just ignore their plaintive cries for ‘politically correct decency’ a long long time ago!
Obviously knickerbocker hasn’t heard of a little biological concept called inate primate aggression either…
As long as I’m on the winning side I don’t really care what people are doing.Human primates are going to butcher each other and then celebrate it in various forms for a long time after we’re all in the grave.Keep your outraged head down and get on with your life Knickerbocker! Rofl….
Respect to Angry Asian Guy too.
12:59 am on December 7th, 2007 28
“Obviously knickerbocker hasn’t heard of a little biological concept called inate primate aggression either…”
I guess that’s the Nazi perspective. Here in America, we celebrate the fact that we crushed the Nazis and everything they stood for.
1:21 pm on December 7th, 2007 29
“I guess that’s the Nazi perspective. Here in America, we celebrate the fact that we crushed the Nazis and everything they stood for.”
Ah… you must be referring to America’s stand against fascism, refusal to engage in foreign wars of aggression, denouncement of torture and indefinite confinement, avoidance of a militarized police force, unreliance on propaganda and manipulation of the media, aggressive separation of corporate and government interests, condemnation of using fear of terrorism as a tool to consolidate government power and increase controls on the population, etc.
Or, maybe, you just meant it is generally considered bad taste to display a swastika.
Not a lot of crushing going on here, Knickerbocker.
3:19 pm on December 28th, 2007 30
2:10 am on January 1st, 2008 31
[...] - October - The Jewish white bastards of Yong Yu Island. Israel didn’ appreciate the Hitler Bars [...]
8:05 am on January 1st, 2008 32
My favorite bar in Sinchon back in the 80’s was called “The Gestapo”. I wonder if this is the same place.
10:07 am on February 9th, 2008 33
4:50 pm on February 10th, 2008 34
10:14 pm on February 20th, 2008 35
This is a well funny site. Top marks Jews for making me laugh so much. Bloody Israelis treat their neighbours with utter disregard, like dogs, and cannot take a bit of criticism, always moaning about the holocaust at slightest provocation - what about the poor Gypsies, disabled, retarded etc that were also butchered. Its all me, me, me with them folks.
I live in Sichon, and I cant wait to check it out - God bless freedom of Speech..
6:59 am on March 12th, 2008 36
CAN they be a 4th reich? can they be another holocaust?
7:01 am on March 12th, 2008 37
YOU gonna laugh they I said neo nazis in USA might seize power?
11:03 pm on March 26th, 2008 38
~
I have a hard time believing that any place with ‘little knowledge of the nazis’ would be sporting such an informed decor, with (this is speculation) blue contacts and gold eagles near the tables.
That is pretty low. I do not believe that an era of such blatant hate, which laid low so many millions of people and attempted to subjugate the world, should ever be used for commercial purposes.
Then again, it may be that the Koreans have no real understanding of how hated and reviled the Nazis are around Europe and North America.
All things considered though, you don’t generally see Buddha bars, or Ghandi bars. MLK junior bars either, for that matter. Perhaps the future could be in the bar that promotes prominent peace figures of the world.
Right.
Anyhow, having been up and down all over Korea, loved it, and I’m glad I’ve never stumbled onto this before now. Koreans have their faults, but I’d rather this wasn’t one of them.
~
9:53 am on March 27th, 2008 39
I wonder if anyone will be offended at my recently-opened gentlemens’ club…
The Buddha and Ghandi World Peace Snatch Factory.
Table dances half-off on lesbian night.
1:58 pm on April 5th, 2008 40
[...] wonder if Park Jin-hee, who looks hot in her Nazi SS uniform, is also a fan of Korea’s Hitler Bars? Check out Brian’s posting which has YouTube video as well as OFK who has a response from [...]
5:21 pm on April 6th, 2008 41
7:52 pm on April 6th, 2008 42
4:27 am on June 30th, 2008 43