Jjangkkae and Bballgengi are words that bombarded the slang language of Korean millennials throughout their childhood. Both being derogatory terms referring to the Chinese, these words ultimately indicate the deep-rooted Sinophobia embedded in Korean society. Furthermore, they show how this anti-Chinese sentiment has gone on to influence the rhetoric of a younger population of media consumers in Korea.

Sinophobia is not simply a demonstration of misinformed use of language, but – unfortunately – a depiction of the actual public sentiment towards the Chinese. In a survey conducted by Joongang Ilbo, 90.8 percent of participants expressed how they do not trust China at all. In another survey conducted by Chosun Ilbo, the highest proportion of participants stated the grounds for their antipathy toward China as being “uncultured Chinese people.” Like so, these offensive expressions seem to be rooted in a deep-seated prejudice in Korean society.

At what point does criticism cross the line and come off as outright racist? Of course, it is wrong to downplay the human rights abuses the Chinese government has perpetrated. It is also difficult to exclude the questionable values its government stands for, considering their oppression of minority groups and wrongful distortion of history. However, this does not go to say that criticisms regarding the government should legitimize hate speech targeting a generalized Chinese community. The line between justified criticism and baseless Sinophobia in the status quo needs definition and clarification within Korean society, especially for a younger demographic.

Interesting rhetoric exists amongst people who utilize these racist terms. Some claim that their form of speech is legitimized by the pain China has caused them and the rest of humanity through their politics and the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic known to have begun in China. Yet this popular logic is quite ironic considering that these terms do nothing to stimulate a movement for transparency within the Chinese government. In actuality, these terms are mostly used against Chinese people who are closest to Korea – Chinese immigrants –and do not target China.

Thus, it is highly doubtful that such Sinophobic vernacular is utilized with good intentions, considering how detached they are from China itself. They have evolved into degrading synonyms in many online communities. When it becomes an offensive attack for someone to refer to you as a Chinese person, fully knowing you are of another ethnicity, the problem does not simply lie within the term itself but the longstanding racism behind it.

This unfounded Sinophobia is aggravated amongst millennials due to the echo chambers present in online communities promoting anonymity. The internet creates a dichotomy of extremes where radical opinions tend to encourage each other, attacking any opposition they face. Even though these extremist views may not accurately represent public sentiment, it is equally harmful when it dominates online rhetoric. People unfamiliar with this issue become numb to such insensitive hate speech and begin to underestimate the dubious and hurtful nature of such slurs.

In this sense, distancing yourself from the problem simply because you have not employed such racism yourself is not enough for you to be essentially against it. The predominance of this hate speech online highlights the role of bystanders letting such racism slide under their radar. Though they are not perpetrators themselves, it would be inaccurate to say that they have done nothing to worsen the issue. So next time, instead of drowning in the overwhelming noise of the internet, try to put an end to it by at least reporting a suspicious comment or two.