While initial reactions to The Sims 4 Snowy Escape Expansion Pack seemed positive overall, many South Korean players have pointed out some problematic imagery featured in the pack that is insensitive towards the history between Japan and South Korea.
The frame from the reveal trailer that you can see down below shows a Sim interacting with a, what appears to be, a shrine. Although it hasn’t been fully clarified what you can actually do with this shrine, it does appear like the Sim is worshipping the shrine in some way.
TS4 EP10 REVEAL INGAME EN US 304TS4 EP10 REVEAL INGAME EN US 310
There’s one more frame in the trailer that could be showing the “Rising Sun” Flag:
These particular frames have caused the South Korean player community to share their thoughts and clarify why these additions to the pack are wrong.
As explained by them, the shrine worship and the rising sun flag are representations of Japanese colonialism and some of the terrible things that happened to people as a result of the Japanese during this time.
Here are some of the comments people left in the YouTube comments section:
Sims 4 Snowy Escape Reception
This is the result of Orientalism. I know that Ea likes Japanese culture. But this is too much. Korea had been forced by Japan. They forced Koreans to greet their religious buildings. Koreans had to be tortured or killed if they didn’t do what Japan wanted. Surprisingly, the religious building appears in the game.
Spread it out, please.Sims 4 snowy sports in Korea is now controversial. This is because it has a function called shrine worship.A shrine visit was when Korea was Japanese colonial era, when Japan set up shrines everywhere to inculcate the emperor’s ideology and forced Koreans to pay tribute.The Korean position, the most painful part of Korean history, and yet Japan is justifying visits to the shrine, which justifies war and colonial rule. Many Koreans are angry that EA added this to the game.I’m Korean and these sentences are translated, so please understand that the sentences can be awkward.Many Koreans are also disappointed with sims4 and EA and say they will not buy this pack again.I am very disappointed and angry as a Korean about EA, which contains shrine worship in the game.Buying this game is your choice, but buying a game pack that justifies one country’s colonial rule and justifies Korea’s painful history that is still unresolved is your freedom. But I hope you know what this pack means and buy it.Thank you for reading.
Real ea, foreign users, and other people don’t even think about others… I just want you guys to have fun while playing ㅠ Of course, I think Japanese culture should be respected as Japanese culture. Is there a reason to view the symbol with wounds on Koreans as a culture? Is there a reason to accept it as a culture and put it in a game that Koreans also enjoy? Also, there will certainly be Korean users who buy this pack, and if you keep watching and playing that interaction, it will become dull.
– Translated via Google Translate
I’m really disappointed that with all the work EA claimed to be doing to be culturally conscious of what they were doing with this pack they ignored so much of their Asian audience beyond Japan. I was so excited for this pack before that. For those who don’t know why it’s so upsetting (specifically for the Korean people in comments, I lived there and studied the history extensively) the shrine worship and the rising sun flag are representations of Japanese colonialism and some of the terrible things that happened to people as a result of the Japanese during this time. I could make several comparisons to some negative imagery that we westerners might make but I really don’t know if this is the place for that. If you are interested or want to understand I would suggest looking up Japanese colonialism in other countries (again I specifically know about Korea personally, and am speaking in support of the Korean people I know and love and the country that has become my second home).
If the shrine and the jacket that were shown in The Sims 4 Snowy Escape’s Reveal Trailer are exactly what the South Korean players described them to be then EA is in some hot waters.
Hopefully The Sims Team will make a statement soon regarding these features in the game.
Reticulating splines as a webmaster for Sims Community over the last 11 years. You can find me here writing articles and doing reports on your favorite life sim games, among other things!
Oh, boo hoo. I’m Polish, and Windenburg is a German inspired town, But I’m not complaining, and calling EA nazi sympathizer. You don’t like the pack, don’t buy it.
What is so insensitive that I wrote? I’m just pointing out the general fallacy of this stupid situation. You’re just being butthurt over such an idiotic non – issue, and I find it just hilarious. Just get over yourselves, because you’re acting like special, little, Overreacting, fragile snowflakes.
Just be quiet. If you lack the pride to reject colonialist propaganda that killed and tortured your ancestors, that’s your own business. Don’t tell Koreans how they should feel. And if you had any sense you would know that Germany apologized for their war crimes while Japan continues to deny and lie.
@Amy WTF are you even talking about? My ancestors fought in WWII, AND Warsaw Uprising, and I’m proud to be a Pole. I just don’t see why, in a JAPANESE themed EP, there can’t be JAPANESE culture and Religion. I would understand if it was a KOREAN themed world, and it had the Shinto Shrine. That would be wrong, and the outrage understandable. But the world is JAPANESE, and it makes sense to have a JAPANESE shrine in it. DEAL WITH IT.
Generally speaking, it’s best for EA to not introduce any element related to religion, as there are many different players from different cultures playing this game. Imagine seeing a Catholic church in the game? (I am Catholic, btw). It was just an unnecessary addition that actually could disrespect others, including the japanese. The game is customizable so if you want those elements in your gameplay you could add them via cc. Very unwise decision.
I totally agree with Eggy about the overreaction. It’s unnecessary. Maybe there are more little things in the game which are not so politically correct, we just didn’t notice them because those are not so highlighted. Nowadays, everyone on the internet needs something to whine about. I’m Hungarian and the Sims 1 had a gypsy caravan with the traditional Hungarian food, goulash. Hungarians are somehow always mentioned on the same page with gypsies (whom are quite infamous in my country of their criminal behavour) but I don’t get so sensitive about it, because game devs can slip over these little things. Are you getting this sensitive about war games or other historical games? Ugh…
Essentially the rising sun flag in the game is the equivalent to a swastica in Korea and many Asian countries. The shrine worshipping forced upon the victims of the Japanese colonialism resulted in many being tortured and Murdered for refusing. I’m sure you would not feel the same way about Windenberg if they had used those simples as part of the pack.
During Japanese rule in Korea, the Japanese forced Koreans to worship at (Japanese) shrines, and if they did not accept, they were killed. This is a very sensitive and painful subject in Korea today, just like the Holocaust.
Well the same case has been with Abrahamic religions like Islam and Christianity. It was forced upon people just like the Shinto shrines on Koreans. That‘s why i think they should keep real life stuff like religions and shrines out of the game.
Firstly, this is very rude. Jews, like many other minorities in history, have been tortured through history. In recent years, we have become more accepted in society. To say such a thing is horrible. Every religion and culture deserves to be respected. If you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all. And by the way, we shouldn’t be comparing events in history such as this, we should study them for what they are, and then make comparisons later on. Please, think before you write and really know what you are saying. Please, educate yourself. I know a lot of people say that but it is necessary with the increased rate of crimes against innocent people because of their race, religion or sexual orientation. BE KIND.
But it is also a regular practice in Japan that both predates and has continued since World War II. It’s a part of daily life for many people and annual life for many others. It’s too basic an element to simply be thrown out because said basic element was used in a negative context. I’m sure countless tyrants around the world have eaten chips but that doesn’t mean we can’t sell chips at the grocery store.
Well yes, I understand that. I know it must be a very painful subject in Korea, but isn’t it common in Japanese culture to worship shrines? It’s also a Japanese inspired pack. I don’t think the game is also forcing the sims to worship the shrines. I think it might be like the added features for simmers who celebrate Hanukkah. So wouldn’t that mean that the shrines are okay? I’m not trying to be rude or disrespectful. I just want to know if it’s okay or not.
Westerners need to stfu and stop invalidating Korean and other Asian people’s feelings about this. No one says Japanese culture shouldn’t be included in a Japanese themed pack, I promise you there are aspects of Japanese culture that aren’t inherently and outwardly linked to their imperialist war crimes (which they refuse to acknowledge to this day).
I know that The Sims is just a game. BUT unlike Germany, Japan has neither apologized nor reflected on its war crimes. They are distorting the past by doing secondary harm to the affected countries. There are many Sims users in South Korea, and I think we deserve this opinion.
Exactly what I consider to be the real issue here. Let’s be honest, the worship feature would most likely be opt in (not a form of oppression for sims) and the motif would also simply be a swatch option. But it’s a more serious thing because of the lack of accountability. The vast majority of players wouldn’t notice these details, even players who know the history might not take any sort of offence, but it’s shoving it into the face of Korean simmers and I honestly don’t know how to feel about it. If they removed these, Japanese simmers might be offended that symbols of their culture have been removed/the ability for the traditional style worship of their culture. If Japan had been able to extend an olive branch years ago, decades ago, this wouldn’t be an issue but an awkward moment.
No, I think you missed the point entirely. While Windenburg is “German-inspired”, there’s nothing inherently German about the world at all. There’s no statue of Hitler in the middle of the world’s metropolis. Snow Escape, however, literally depicts specific Japanese cultural pieces such as shinto shrines and the Rising Sun flag, basically equivalent to hanging the Swastika out in the forefront of the game. It’s a permeant symbol of Japanese colonialism and a painful reminder for Koreans and Chinese. Also, small difference here: the Japanese are notoriously unapologetic about their WWII war crimes while the German government has made several formal apologies and reconciliation efforts. Please check your history before telling my people to “boo hoo”. This isn’t a matter of political correctness or censorship but a matter of being a decent human being and understanding another country’s pain.
Yes, it does present Shinto Shrines. Why? BECAUSE THIS EP’S WORLD IS BASED ON JAPAN!!! Korea has NOTHING to do with it. You don’t like it, don’t buy the EP. Simple.
Hit the nail on the head there, kudos for trying to push some intelligence into the thick skulls of those people. This article is stating that at least one South Korean viewer is upset over the inclusion of something that is completely irrelevant to the reason they’re being triggered. I was confused to see you’re the only one speaking sense in these comments
Fun fact: the Christmas tree is pagan, not christian. It was adapted to catholicism by pagans who were forced to convert in an effort to keep some of their traditions alive (likewise with easter bunny and other stuff). Now it’s just part of the holidays and even non religious people use them
The Christmas tree is Pagan. (Yule tree) Nothing Christian about it. The bible doesn‘t mention christmas trees even once. It’s a European Pagan tradition
That’s irrelevant. A swastika wasn’t a Nazi symbol in its inception. It’s not how it originated. It is what it is. It seems a Japanese religion is being discriminated against. It’s racism.
Jane, I think the reason this mishap happened is that people are just uninformed about Asian history for the most part. They probably had no idea this would even be a problem they just saw oh here are some Japanese culture items we can throw in the game without making sure none of them are offensive because they don’t know Asian history. Everyone on the other hand knows about Germany and would never accidentally put a swastika in the game out of ignorance
Maybe because 90% of Poles are racist, sexist and homophobic, and don’t see a problem with that. And also have an obsession with Nazi Germany and WW2. It’s 2020, get over it!
Yes, I’m Polish too, and I’m ashamed of those people.
thats bc windenburg didn’t come with clothes that have knock-off swastikas on them, thats what the rising sun flag and shirt design are for us korean people
That’s a false equivalence friend. Windenburg doesn’t contain Nazi imagery, does it? No? So why does a Japanese inspired world get to contain Imperial Japan imagery?
I’m polish too, but as far as I know Windenburg is just inspired by a German town but has nothing to do with the German history or culture. They are complaining about the culture, not the inspiration of how it looks like.
German inspired architecture is different than putting Swatsticas and ither symbols of genocide in the game. Its not “japan as a whole” its the symbols of their imperialism.
The thing here is that in Windenburg there is no object that gives the skms the option to do the nazi salute.
If you read the Korean opinions, they are hurt because there is this object that makes their characters do something that is still a hurtful subject there. And sims have free will, so their characters can do that action whenever they want.
Now, imagine this shrines are just decorative. That would be better because they can choose to not interact with it or even delete that object asap.
They do not complain about the aesthetic. They complain about how something you could use it as decoration can be interacted and has a large and painful background.
Why????? Then people would think they would be representing communism! And yes they would!!! And it’s hurtful to say I wish they didn’t do a Japanese pack! I have so many Japanese friends and saying that you wouldn’t represent them is disgusting and horrible!
Please reread my comment. I said I wished they had done another Asian theme instead of Japanese. Like, I would love a Thai themed pack. Japanese has been done. Let’s do something else. Calm down.
why. there’s nothing japanese about sims 4. it hasnt been done as you say. also, there is a huge love for japan in western countries and others (here in latin america it very much is!): their music, the anime/manga, the food, the country itself!
thailand… well. you /know/ the reason most westerns and the rest of the world know about that place.
I mean, they also already did a German-inspired world for Windenburg. Should they remove Windenburg too then? And what about San Myshuno, which is inspired by China. The Chinese government has concentration camps for muslims.
If you draw a line here, you’d have to draw a line for almost all cultures.
We’re not talking about the buildings here.
All the Japanese townies? Japanese last names? Pouring “sakura tea” at romance festival?
Definitely Japanese, out of the east Asian countries anyways.
I don’t see too many zhangs and parks walking around lol
Aaaand that’s why we have to draw a line somewhere with all the unnecessarily sensitive people thrusting their own opinions and feelings on everyone else and trying to make it law. So if I don’t like the colour of packaging on a product, I should write a thesis on how it’s insensitive to my heritage, and the makers should apologise and change the packaging? I hate people that do that, it’s ridiculous. Anyway
This is why asking for specific cultures is hard cause not everyone will be happy. Latinos were not 100% happy about their representation in the previous update. Black individuals are still looking for compatible there exact hair and/or skin tone. And other cultures are asking for specific representations. Which is understandable. But if it isn’t exactly you you cannot be upset cause maybe it is someone else. As for this specific issue. Do we so often forget what the African turned Black people went through in the United States? I understand when asking for culture in games we can be upset about the representation and even the history of how culture came to be. But we were asking for it and when they give us an acceptable norm (albeit by the majority- I as a black American understand your distaste) we need to understand and critic not ” do anything else but” cause I am sure if some picked Korean, or Chinese or Vietnamese inspired someone, somewhere, would have found issue with it.
African turned Black people? Are you stupid or are you dumb? Stop speaking on things of which you have no knowledge. Stop comparing other cultures when you want to complain ESPECIALLY when you don’t know what you are talking about.
Skintones is another example that showcases how ignorant EA is about non-whites. The “yellow-undertoned” skins are hideous. Not all Asians look jaundiced-yellow, contrary to EA’s belief
You do realize that they may have taken our culture but they did not turn us into anything but African.
On an unrelated note: Telling Koreans to not become “butthurt” over this insensitivity would basically White people telling Black people to forget about slavery and forget about the fact that they whipped out Ancestors because they (our ancestors) refused to let them (white people) take away their mother-given name, and in turn forced a Western name (like Bill) on them.
The Sims team should have research about the shrine extensively before actually making it a reality. They should have gathered that it would be a sensitive topic to South Koreans.
The Sims team has let me down. I’m boycotting the Sims 4, and possibly Sims 5 if they do not get their act together.
There’s nothing wrong with a Japanese theme. Imperial Japan’s legacy doesn’t mean that everything Japanese is offensive or problematic. If that’s the case then what other Asian country would you want? China? With their history and PRESENT of cultural genocide and human rights abuses? Thailand? Myanmar? India?
I’m not trying to invalidate the historic trauma and present day pain of South Koreans but the way so much of the discourse has been presented doesn’t present conpletely fair grounds for criticism.
I agree. While we should acknowledge the past and learn from it, I don’t see an issue with these shrines. Every single country has had a problematic past, same goes for every religion (well except for Pagans and Sikhs I’ve never heard of anything wrong with them). While the trauma exists and it should be remembered; in the modern day these shrines are nothing but religious icons and tourist destinations, emphasis on the tourist destination aspect.
As for the “Rising Sun Flag” while to me it looked more like a pattern rather than an a celebration of the “Rising Sun” I can understand the desire for the removal of that. Confederate, Nazi, Rising Sun flags; those should be left in the past. They are also a completely different issue than with the shrine. The shrine is tied to religious aspects and has been long before any genocide occurred therefore relating them to such a matter which is why I believe they should remain. These flags on the other hand were more or less created to represent groups whom had wrongful intentions in mind (i.e slavery, genocide, and war respectively).
I actually dont, I think Japanese culture is absolutely great but just pay respect to the culture, you know, you can’t sell things from a culture without investigate about them.
Why didn’t they just pick a country with no controversial history? Yeah because China’s never been controversial. The issue isn’t Japan as a country, it’s the lack of understanding that is understandable from an American based company. These issues should be fixed, but it’s an understandable mistake.
Considering the things Chinese have done to many people, who cares? So the cultures of these places can’t exist or be enjoyed because something bad happened in the past? Stupid. Then no culture could be accepted or enjoyed.
Some koreans are lying and spreding fake information to feel their anti japan power. They are just jealous cuz shrine items arent out with korean traditional clothes.
How about what the Chinese is doing currently to many South East Asian countries?
I get that the game should be more culturally sensitive, and they could add features that do not offend, but saying a different Asian theme instead of Japanese as if another culture is better than others does not sit well.
S.
4 years ago
Everyone is so sensitive these days. It’s a game where you can kill people with fire, weather, bugs, … but are offended by a jacket? What happened is bad but I mean where do you draw the line if EVERYTHING does offend someone at this point.
Women sims are being forved into baby machines with 100 baby challenge, I am surprised femenists didn’t complain about this being possible lol.
Don’t buy it of you don’t like it and stop being offended for every detail. This hasn’t even been confirmed ro be a shrine nor the flag yet they are already at war with EA. Sigh.
Who are you to determine what we find offensive or don’t? Do you, for whatever reason, speak on behalf of all Koreans and Chinese? This is not your place. I’d also like you to say this exact same thing and undermine the power of political imagery in the way you just did to my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who have still not received any sort of formal apology or reconciliation effort from the Japanese government after decades of inter-generational trauma for being comfort women and being constantly raped by Japanese colonial soldiers.
Is there a mosque in the game? Are there churches or synagogues? As far as I know, there is only one God in The Sims, the player. They shouldn’t introduce religious elements unless they are willing to get some backlash about it. So they made Santa Claus into father winter, but they didn’t think this could create problems? Bad decision from the team.
You say they shouldn’t include religion when they already have. In seasons some of the holiday activities is LITERALLY to WORSHIP objects. If that’s not religion than idk what is. Not to mention the fact that oh, idk, Christmas Trees exist. Do you even know the origins of the how a Christmas Tree came into existence? They were European Christians way of mocking European Pagans.
The shrine was and still is a religious icon before any genocide ever occurred. And while we shouldn’t ignore that part of its history we shouldn’t act like that the only reason it exists and complain about it.
To be fair, one person agreed that this author can write an article about their tweets or whatever, and same author probably contacted EA for a response. The desired and achieved result of this article is the same as many others: an outburst of conflict because the subject is arguably stupid.
That’s such a horrible comparison and you completely missed the point. They were not offended by the jacket, they complained about the Rising Sun, you donkey. Even bringing up a Sims 4 challenge that has nothing to do with it, smh.
Eggy
4 years ago
This is just stupid. The New world is JAPANESE inspired, not Korean. It makes sense, that in a JAPANESE inspired world, there would be a JAPANESE shrine. There is nothing wrong with representing Shinto Religion and Japanese culture in general, in the Sims. You don’t like it, just don’t play the game. Deal with it, and quit whining you crybabies.
During Japanese rule in Korea, the Japanese forced Koreans to worship at (Japanese) shrines, and if they did not accept, they were killed. This is a very sensitive and painful subject in Korea today, just like the Holocaust.
But it’s a religion that existed before these crimes and it’s a religion that is still very close to Japanese people these days. You cannot just erase that. That’d be insensitive as well.
It’s not called Christmas in the game for a reason. It’s called Winterfest. And there is no Santa, there’s father winter. See? So no, us Christians are not getting our religious beliefs celebrated by the game. Also, where is Jesus? I bet if you had put Jesus in the game the entire community would flip. So why is it ok to put a religious shrine?
You do know Christianity is a religion and over 60% of the German population are Christian? …..you should Research on that a lil more .lol even if u look you the word Christmas it will tell you. But I guess your one of those ppl whole celebrate things and don’t even know what you’re celebrating.
Japan wasn’t the only country to force religion upon others and physically harm people for practicing religion different than theirs. It’s been done for centuries and while it doesn’t make the act okay by any means, we shouldn’t be removing the religious significance that these shrines have to those who practice the Shinto religion. I mean by this same logic we should be removing Christmas trees, menorah, kinaras, etc. from the game because I can assure there were more prominent countries who practiced Christianity and committed far greater acts if genocide and religious persecution than Japan, and to top it off Christian icons are represented in the sims without complaints.
Also don’t throw the Holocaust around like it was something small. Between 6 to 14 million people were murdered during the Holocaust. I’ve been during research relating to the issue with Japan and while their numbers are large; compared to the Holocaust it’s “small” in size. While the pain which occurs is similar, the scale is not.
Funny how Germany has no problem apologizing, educating, making amends and taking action so that the Holocaust is remembered, even though it was a massive f*ckup on their part, but Japan can’t bother to do half those things, for such a “small” wrongdoing as you say, right?
You and others comparing Germany and Japan and their impact need to realize this part as well.
June 22, 1965: Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiina Etsusaburo said to the people of South Korea: “In our two countries’ long history there have been unfortunate times, it is truly regrettable and we are deeply remorseful” (Signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and South Korea).
August 26, 1982: Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa said to the people of the Republic of Korea: “1. The Japanese Government and the Japanese people are deeply aware of the fact that acts by our country in the past caused tremendous suffering and damage to the peoples of Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China, and have followed the path of a pacifist state with remorse and determination that such acts must never be repeated. Japan has recognized, in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, of 1965, that the ‘past relations are regrettable, and Japan feels deep remorse,’ and in the Japan-China Joint Communique, that Japan is ‘keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war and deeply reproaches itself.’ These statements confirm Japan’s remorse and determination which I stated above and this recognition has not changed at all to this day. 2. This spirit in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, and the Japan-China Joint Communique, naturally should also be respected in Japan’s school education and textbook authorization.
1989: Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru, in a speech in the Japanese Diet, said: “As we have made clear previously at repeated opportunities, the Japanese government and the Japanese people are deeply conscious of the fact that the actions of our country in the past caused suffering and loss to many people in neighboring countries. Starting from our regret and resolve not to repeat such things a second time, we have followed a course as a “Peace Nation” since then. This awareness and regret should be emphasized especially in the relationship between our countries and the Korean Peninsula, our nearest neighbors both geographically and historically. At this opportunity as we face a new situation in the Korean Peninsula, again, to all peoples of the globe, concerning the relationship of the past, we want to express our deep regret and sorrow” (Speech in the Japanese Diet).
April 18, 1990: Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Nakayama said to the people of South Korea: “Japan is deeply sorry for the tragedy in which these (Korean) people were moved to Sakhalin not of their own free will but by the design of the Japanese government and had to remain there after the conclusion of the war” (188th National Diet Session Lower House Committee of Foreign Affairs).[12]
May 25, 1990: Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, in a meeting with President Roh Tae Woo, said: “I would like to take the opportunity here to humbly reflect upon how the people of the Korean Peninsula went through unbearable pain and sorrow as a result of our country’s actions during a certain period in the past and to express that we are sorry” (Summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo in Japan).[14]
January 17, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said:. “What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation’s act.” Recently the issue of the so-called ‘wartime comfort women’ is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry”.[16]
July 6, 1992. Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato said: “The Government again would like to express its sincere apology and remorse to all those who have suffered indescribable hardship as so-called ‘wartime comfort women,’ irrespective of their nationality or place of birth. With profound remorse and determination that such a mistake must never be repeated, Japan will maintain its stance as a pacifist nation and will endeavor to build up new future-oriented relations with the Republic of Korea and with other countries and regions in Asia. As I listen to many people, I feel truly grieved for this issue. By listening to the opinions of people from various directions, I would like to consider sincerely in what way we can express our feelings to those who suffered such hardship”
June 23, 1996: Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in a press conference: “Hashimoto mentioned the aspects of Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula such as the forced Japanization of Korean people’s name and commented “It is beyond imagination how this injured the hearts of Korean people”. Hashimoto also touched on the issue of Korean comfort women and said “Nothing injured the honor and dignity of women more than this and I would like to extend words of deep remorse and the heartfelt apology”
October 8, 1996: Emperor Akihito said in a speech at a dinner with the South Korean president, Kim Dae Jung: “There was a period when our nation brought to bear great sufferings upon the people of the Korean Peninsula.” “The deep sorrow that I feel over this will never be forgotten”.
October 8, 1998: Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi said in a declaration: “Looking back on the relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea during this century, Prime Minister Obuchi regarded in a spirit of humility the fact of history that Japan caused, during a certain period in the past, tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule, and expressed his deep remorse and heartfelt apology for this fact. President Kim accepted with sincerity this statement of Prime Minister Obuchi’s recognition of history and expressed his appreciation for it. He also expressed his view that the present calls upon both countries to overcome their unfortunate history and to build a future-oriented relationship based on reconciliation as well as good-neighborly and friendly cooperation” (Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration A New Japan-South Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-first Century).[31]
September 17, 2002: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said: “The Japanese side regards, in a spirit of humility, the facts of history that Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of Korea through its colonial rule in the past, and expressed deep remorse and heartfelt apology” (Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration).[39]
August 10, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed “deep regret over the suffering inflicted” during the Empire of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea. Japan’s Kyodo News also reported that Cabinet members endorsed the statement. In addition, Kan said that Japan will hand over precious cultural artifacts that South Korea has been demanding. Among them were records of an ancient Korean royal dynasty.[46]
December 7, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized for Korea’s suffering under colonization as part of a statement marking the 100th anniversary of the annexation in 1910. “I express a renewed feeling of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology for the tremendous damage and suffering caused by colonial rule,” Kan said. Kan said Japan colonized Korea “against the will of the Korean people” who suffered great damage to their national pride and loss of culture and sovereignty as a result and added that he wants to take an honest look at his country’s past with the courage and humility to address its history.[48]
December 28, 2015: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made an announcement at a joint press conference, which consisted of their respective statements on behalf of Japan and South Korea. Kishida stated, “The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women, and the Government of Japan is painfully aware of responsibilities from this perspective. As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.” The statement went on to explain that “the Government of Japan will now take measures to heal psychological wounds of all former comfort women through its budget” and that it had been decided that the South Korean government would “establish a foundation for the purpose of providing support for the former comfort women”. In return, Yun stated that his government “acknowledges the fact that the Government of Japan is concerned about the statue built in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul from the viewpoint of preventing any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity, and will strive to solve this issue in an appropriate manner”. Both stated that this agreement will “finally and irreversibly” resolve the contentious issue and that “on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures it announced”, both countries “will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding this issue in the international community, including at the United Nations”.[54]
If this was a Korean inspired world and included a Shinto shrine, then I would understand why this would be offensive. However, this is a Japanese inspired world and they do have Shinto shrines everywhere in Japan. Not including one would be leaving out a big part of Japanese culture. This wasn’t intended to offend Koreans, but to celebrate Japanese culture.
I understand that what Japan did to Koreans in the past was bad, but should modern day Japanese be blamed for what their ancestors did? (Any more than modern day Germans being blamed for what Hitler and his cronies did?).
Koreans are not angry at the average, modern day Japanese people.
They were not the ones who asked EA “Please, instead of including other parts of our culture that are awesome and don’t bring up horrible historical memories of our ancestor’s wrongdoings, include the parts that would be insensitive and hurtful to tens of thousands of our Korean neighbors”.
It was EA, an American company (like some people like to emphasize, thinking that somehow makes things better) that stupidly decided to include aspects that would stir these controversies.
And to counter the earlier part of your comment, about shrines being a big part of Japanese culture:
Christianity, for easy example, played a major role of shaping the cultures of many countries. But we do not see symbols like the cross and items like the bible in the game.
Why? Because Sims is supposed to be “inclusive” (however impossible it may be to include and accurately represent every single culture on earth) and including those items could be insensitive and controversial for many many players.
Just like how other potentially controversial parts of various cultures and religions were left out of this game, so should the Japanese ones.
SpaceT
4 years ago
Seeing people complain over other people complaining is always a fun thing (sarcasm). It’s not like they’re demanding you to not buy the pack. It’s literally only two things that are the issue, one of which is easily fixable (the lantern) and the other may just need an explanation, at the least, or a change in simulated interaction, at most.
And nobody’s forcing you to buy the pack, if you find the content not to your liking. You’re now complaining, that I am complaining that people are complaining. What is wrong with you? I’m just stating my opinion, and you’re acting like an entitled piece of crap, and whining, and thrashing around just because someone has a different opinion than you. And EA ain’t gonna change anything, just because you’re butthurt.
I see. Further discussion is pointless then. You are the worst kind of person. And I don’t have a rage fit. I’m just pointing out your illogical behaviour. Also, I’m 32, so PARDON me, if I’m a little rusty with the slang. Way to ridicule someones not up to date vernacular. Are you proud of yourself, you piece of shit? Fuck you.
@eggy You’re 32 arguing with people way younger than you about a topic your self-centered “prOuD tO bE pOle” ass knows nothing about… Please get your rinky dinky cheese smelling ass up off the couch and get yourself a job, darling heart. You know a lot of Koreans have flat out said they don’t care about this or they just won’t buy it, so why are you so worried about them?? Why don’t you educate yourself on Japanese Imperialism and Colonization in Korea (which dates back CENTURIES before the Holocaust you love to compare this issue to… maybe you’re the one who should get over it? 😉 ) before you come back here and start worrying about Koreans who don’t care about what YOU have to say about THEIR issues. You got your priorities mixed up, love. Stop worrying about Koreans and start worrying about not having a good job, a faithful husband, and kids who love you, you weird Neanderthal LMAO.
But that’s the sad and infuriating thing, that some companies DO lay over and do whatever some self-entitled sad act says because they don’t run a poll and find out that really, 98% of people dgaf. Then the 98% lose out on whatever because of that one overly sensitive moron who got special treatment.
I feel many of the comments left here are very troubling. Before judging the concerns of the simmers from South Korea, you should do some general research into their concerns. It’s easy to rush to a conclusion without having some knowledge to better understand where their concerns are coming from.
Since this pack has a specific emphasis on having an immersive cultural experience, the dev team selected actions inspired by Japanese culture with origins that can be considered as triggering for some players. If anything this shows they really need to employ more people within their dev team that represent more cultures. I do hope the interaction isn’t what it seems, but if it is, I hope it is addressed before the pack is released.
Well said. There are bigger issues here that need to be addressed and resolved.
Vec
4 years ago
as a korean I feel so embarrassed. I’ve already pre-ordered it but kinda worried if EA never releases this pack in korea because of this. please just ignore these whinings
lol then think as you want, I don’t really care. but in case I need to make it clear that my parents are 100% korean, not japanese 😉 and next time, please don’t serch information on Naver or Youtube.
This person’s Korean. I think I saw them bragging in a Korean forum about commenting here. I disagree with them but this showcases that even among Koreans there’s divide and disagreement regarding this issue
During Japanese rule in Korea, the Japanese forced Koreans to worship at (Japanese) shrines, and if they did not accept, they were killed. This is a very sensitive and painful subject in Korea today, just like the Holocaust.
Okay, but this world is heavily based on being a Japanese world, the name of the world is even Japanese. If it was a S. Korean world with shrines then you’d have a point, but… this just isn’t it lol.
Did we see churches in Selva Dorada? If they wanted to represent South American culture properly perhaps they should have included, but they didn’t. For a good reason. I’m a catholic Colombian and think it was the right call. There are so many other things about Japanese culture they could have done instead of this. I actually think it is pretty wrong to take complex things like that, including religion, and trivialize them like this is doing.
Kinda yeah, we do see colonizer religion in Selvadorada. There’s a catholic missonary style building (the bar), and you can pray at what is clearly meant to represent a statue of a local catholic saint in front of the building itself (Madre Cosecha). Either way, I just think it’s insanely disrespectful to dissalow religious elements from peoples cultures even if those religions did bad things. Judaic and islamic peoples have done bad things in the past too, does that mean we should remove their representation in the game?
조센징
4 years ago
I’m korean and i cant understand what the hell this is wrong…..
Yup.
PSA for people:
조센징 = Jo-sen-jing = “Joseon-person”
(Joseon = old name for the old Korea)
=> Derogatory, demeaning way (a racial slur) of calling Korean person in Japanese
(FYI: Correct, non-derogatory Japanese term for Koreans would be “kankoku-jin”)
(Therefore the person with username 조센징 and saying what they’re saying is trolling and is a shit-stirrer – Don’t give them attention)
I don’t blame people for not noticing because most of them can’t read Korean, which is understandable, but the fact that they DON’T know about this derogatory term shows exactly WHY they shouldn’t be “debating” about Asian culture and telling Koreans to shut up.
They don’t know all the hundreds of years of complicated history that has led up to today, so they have no right to tell Koreans to stop whining and to shut up.
aa
4 years ago
Koreans just hate everything of japan so deleting shrine content is just meaningless.
They ‘never’ be satisfied unless the game release is canceled. Maybe most of them never played SIMS.
you’re actually correct, half of them are not even simmers. they just hates everything if it’s about japan. not ALL koreans hates japanese. I’m really sad this is happening.
This things are not offensive at all. Why? Because so called colonial flag is actually just a fan and there are multiple ones in that swatch. And also shrines have other uses then just this specific one so
Finally an EP that i’m actually excited about and now y’all are gonna make EA delete everything you find “offensive” until there’s nothing left in the pack. Jeez everyone is so sensitive these days. Every religion has gone through the phase of forcing everyone to worship their god or whatever.. If this is the case then everything that represents Christianity and Islam are offensive too. I’m very much offended.
i was very triggered by the repo man today. first they cut of water then electricity or other way around.. and then the repo man stole something in the house. i would rather have the burglar back
I thought the woman in the picture was grieving btw.. and now this.. I don’t think EA team did this on purpose and maybe they should do more research.. have people in the team who are the origin culture of the subject they make a pack for. But I think they did this as a Japanese cultute thing and not for every sim to worship it.. I also don’t think they can do something with it in 3 weeks. But your sim don’t have to use it. Like it is still in japanese culture these days I guess and no one is forced to do something with it anymore.
“i was very triggered by the repo man today”
I hope your game breaks and you can’t play it ever again. it’s thanks to people like you sims 4 is so damn bare bones. triggered by a pixel man? seriously?
Jey
4 years ago
It’s a world HEAVILY inspired by Japan. Japan has shrines. The name of the world is even Japanese. I’m… having a hard time understanding this. To me it just seems more like nationalistic S. Koreans are upset that it’s Japanese-themed.
You know ..Koreans have their own shrine curture and motion is just 100% same as game. Lmao. They are just upset cuz it is not korean pack and japanese pack.
Okay, so here is a short history lesson for everyone who thinks that appearance of shrines in this expansion pack is racist:
Shrines are the biggest symbol of Shinto, a very, very old Japanese native religion. Shrines were used for kami (animistic spirits and deities) worship, way before clashes between Japan and Korea.
So, please, before jumping on the ‘let’s judge this expansion pack based on what we read online’ train, try to inform yourselves about histories of Japan and Korea.
I can’t speak of what is offensive or not for Asian people, but I don’t understand why they had to put a shrine in it. To me it raises many questions. There is no religions in the sims. There isn’t any churches, temples or mosques, sims don’t have sacred books or interactions. The only explanation I see to making this shine functional & part of the trailer is occidental EA being like “ok… what do we know about Asian people…. They have this ‘zen’ thing going on… they have pretty mountains… oh and they have a funny way of praying too”
I get why the shrine would be put in the game as a decor item, like there already is religious decor item in the game, as people who practice that religion should be able to represent their culture in their game. However, why making a big deal out of it by putting it in the trailer, I don’t get.
Also, as an African, I pray EA NEVER makes an African themed packs, we’re gonna end up with tribal tattoos, piercings, animal-skin clothes and pagan totems (but they seem to think Africa stops at the Sahara so fortunately it’ll never happen)…
sism 4 season: menorah-kinara candle, christmas tree, Father winter, flower Bunny, Attend Holiday Ceremony.. all of them are represent faith or culture one or more way… so what we are talking about?
In my eyes a japan shire not better or worse than a candle or a christmas tree to be honest ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Culture yes, not religion. There was never any worshipping involved. Christmas trees are not a religious symbol (if they ever were, they haven’t been for decades)
As I said my problem is not with the shrine itself, it’s that there is an interaction to pray to it, like that “religion” connotation that ea has been avoiding in TS4 until now (they called the christmas associated holyday “winterfest” for a reason).
I feel like yes, the shrine should be a decor item and non interactable. Especially if it is insensitive towards other nations. As for the flag (I personally didn’t see it in the trailer) but a simple image of a sun on a flag should’ve sufficed. I mean, it’s a japanese inspired world and the japanese flag in their country’s flag. I don’t think that it’s right to disrespect South Korean culture, and though I may not know a lot about it I have deep respect for everyone’s culture. I’m agnostic with no religious beliefs but I do find some religions interesting not enough to believe personally but still intriguing. I love South Korea, and I love Japan both for very different reason. I won’t show an entire nation disrespect because of what the leaders try to persuade their people into believing. Not everyone in Japan is at fault for what happened, but like not every Brit is at fault for the colonization in what came to be America. And not every Spaniard is at fault for the Spanish inquisition. And honestly, I would rather have a pack inspired by mostly a specific country or culture (not including religion) rather than squishing all eastern asian nations into one. If they release a Russian inspired world in a pack, I don’t want Scandinavian or Baltic related stuff involved. But that’s just an example. Personally, though, I think a Spanish or Austrian world would be fun to explore.
As I waited for this cottage. For me, Sims 2 was like that in my Japanese restaurant. And now I built the same restaurant. But there was no cottage.
Anita
4 years ago
But no one makes that Korean worship that house. Lay simply somewhere in the garden. Build a fence around it so that no one goes there. The Japanese will worship their house if they want to. This is how we can find a place in the history of any nation.
J
4 years ago
These things are not black and white. As a Korean myself, who lived in Korea for more than 10 years and went through my entirety of grade school days in Korean public school system, I learned a lot about Japanese occupation of Korea and the history behind it.
I am personally very interested in the history of the short lived Korean Empire, and the last end of Joseon Dynasty, and also the Japanese occupied Korea as I heard many stories from both my grandmas about that time. Forceful Shinto Shrine Worship was indeed used by the Japanese Government to make Koreans “황국민화” which basically means assimilating them to Japanese culture esp towards the end of the ’30s. Usually these forceful worships were required by big schools, gov departments, universities, christian organizations and buddhist organization. When the organization deny to worship, the organizations were then lowered in grade ( ex- from university to just vocation school) or forcefully dissolved. I see some people claim people were tortured and killed, and although that did happen a few times, especially for more well known activists from religious organization, the more common punishment for the general public was the forceful disassembly of their organization or the blockage of religious freedom.
Yes, it is a painful history for Koreans and even my Grandma said so as she was going to a prestigious woman’s high school during the ’30s and were forced to do shinto worship- However it is not the entire religion to be blamed for being problematic, it is more so the Japanese government’s audacity to use their religion as a tool to create more pain and discrimination is to be blamed for.
The biggest controversy with Koreans and Japanese shinto worship is not actually the entire shinto religion also, it is more so specifically the Yasukuni Shinto shrine in Tokyo where they have pretty barbaric WW2 war criminals there as deities to be worshipped for. All modern Japanese prime ministers pay specific tribute to these war criminals and mass murderers as gods, despite high criticism from Koreans and Chinese who were tortured and assimilated to a certain level culturally by those specific war criminals.
The truth is, Japan continued the same line of emperors that committed all the tragedies and massacres during that time until now- albeit they are ceremonial after the WW2 and quite detached from what they used to mean, but the history is still fresh enough to Koreans that it could be sensitive- Like how my grandma grew up under that regime, and to this day she still speaks complete fluent Japanese and uses Japanese words here and there.
These are all layered and complicated history in East Asian countries not just specific to Koreans, but mostly had a bigger impact for Koreans, Chinese, and Taiwanese people. I don’t think including a shinto shrine was the best move as you can see many people can be triggered from it- the reason behind it is partially rooted in true historical facts, but also behind it’s complicated relationship between the Japanese Government never owning up to their war crimes and Korean people projecting the anger towards the entirety of Japanese culture over specifically their government.
I personally do not like seeing the rising sun motif more as it has a more direct connection to the actual imperial government who is to be blamed for all the atrocity and tragedy that occurred in history of East Asia. So that kimono with a slight similarity to the rising sun motif is definitely tacky and shows lack of research in East Asian relations and history which is very complicated. I do think including a religious element like shinto shrine was risky as you can clearly see by the outrage, but to me it is more about people having awareness of which part of their history is to be blamed for.
I do not believe in condemning any entire religion or culture; condemning the entire shinto religion is not really what we should be focusing on to better the relationship and create clear factual history between the Korean people and Japanese people. So it is not black and white like that to my point of view- Although I understand the outrage because of the actions of the imperial Japanese government which still lingers culturally in the Korean peninsula.
I hope EA decides to drop the Kimono jacket with the motif of the rising sun on it- However the Shinto shrine issue would be a harder one to address- as to many regular Japanese people, it has been their culture for a very long time of worshipping. (I do strongly oppose the worship of Yasukuni Shinto shrine or any shrine that has a war criminal as a deity thought.) Maybe if they can tweak it so it could be more generally Asian, more Asian players would enjoy it. I believe if it was generally Buddhist themed which is somewhat of a universal culture which expands all over Asia, it would’ve been taken way better.
After all, it is a sim world not the actual Japan, so why not make it more of an universal Asian experience? Just my thoughts here. If anyone found my comment offensive, I sincerely apologize.
Thank you for this eloquent comment.
As a fellow Korean (with a very similar background as yours!), I couldn’t have explained /summarized the issues more clearly, and I really wish the Sims team could see this exact comment somehow.
I myself have a great grandfather who was tortured weekly by Japanese police (pulling out nails, beatings, etc.) to write pro-Japanese propaganda, not to mention countless other Koreans (and other Asians) who were victims of horrendous acts of colonial Japan.
But I wish people would understand that
1) Koreans are not against the ancient religion itself or the people who practice it peacefully today. It’s not really about the religion itself at all
2) One cannot draw direct parallels between the impact of Japan on east Asian history and current sentiments and Germany on European (and world) history, because of how differently Germany and Japan have been dealing with their own past. (e.g. Lack of proper education in schools about Japan’s war crimes, injustices against Korean victims of sexual slavery, political figures continuously worshipping war criminals at Yasukuni, etc.)
Anyways, I think your suggestion to change to buddhist theme makes a lot of sense, and is helpful feedback that the sims team could use (and could have used so that this controversy didn’t have to happen to begin with)
This is the sentiment I follow as a fellow Korean. And it concerns me that this is overlooked while aggressive, ignorant, propagandist and possibly racist responses aren’t.
It’s not about the religion itself but about the complicated implications of it.
Why include a specific religion in the first place if even a relatively universal cultural events like Christmas is going to be renamed as Winterfest? With a little research on the shinto shrine, the Sims team ought to have known that it would be problematic.
I also agree that a generally Buddhist theme would have been less controversial, if the Sims really wanted to insist the inclusion of this stereotypical ‘Asian’ image.
Perhaps to non Asian players the negative reaction from Korean simmers might seem like a sudden burst of anger, but really this isn’t the first time EA has been culturally insensitive about representing Asians. Rising sun motif has been used almost consistently throughout the Sims series.
It is not OK just because you see that it is commonly used elsewhere. Rather, that itself shows the extent of unawareness and ignorance in understanding the significance of a symbol that is so closely associated with war. Yes, there are arguments about whether or not that association is valid, but how can you say otherwise when that flag was hung up literally next to Hakenkreuz? (https://img.theqoo.net/qGHsG) That it was a sign of oppression and violence less than a hundred years ago?
Don’t call out offended people butt-hurt just because you are too ignorant and lazy to do a proper research to understand the complex Asian history and relationships. If your claim is that it’s just a game, why are you so butt-hurt about removing a possibly insensitive feature? It’s just a game as you say, easily replaceable by any other orientalist contents many so desire. I’m sure there are many other beautiful Japanese prints and activities other than the rising sun and paying tribute to the shrines.
I am not going to speak for any other cultures because it is not my place to do so, likewise how as a person with no relevant cultural or historic understanding cannot tell others how to feel.
May Warren
4 years ago
I am not familiar with the history between Korea and Japan and after seeing the trailer I try to find youtube reaction by either Koren or Japanese with no luck 🙁 … I will like to been educated on this important history matter, now this new pack seems inspired by Japanese culture( or Orientalisation let’s say) but if is Japanese I just looked on Wikipedia:
A Shinto shrine (神社, jinja, archaic: shinsha, meaning: “place of the god(s)”[1]) is a structure whose main purpose is to house (“enshrine”) one or more kami.[2] Its most important building is used for the safekeeping of sacred objects, and NOT for WORSHIP .[3] Although only one word (“shrine”) is used in English, in Japanese, Shinto shrines may carry any one of many different, non-equivalent names like gongen, -gū, jinja, jingū, mori, myōjin, -sha, taisha, ubusuna, or yashiro. (For details, see the section Interpreting shrine names.)
if this is the case again a poor and ignorant approach of EA on culture :-/ not happy!
From my understanding, Shinto shrine housed different kamis (divines) over the history. In modern Japan, it is more like a cultural activity with folklore than a religious practice, but during Japanese imperialism, shrines were installed and used to worship the Japanese emperor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Shinto). This is the image of Shinto that is most recalled by Koreans who were forced to worship, thus the reason for the negative feedback.
Honestly, yes I agree this was a poor approach on EA’s part
Suzan
4 years ago
Ok, so I see from this that there is symbolism in this pack that is offensive to South Koreans and I empathize with how this can be hurtful. I also think in this current environment, EA could be more proactive to make sure their content would not be offensive. That said, I’m deeply disappointed with comments that express that if you are not South Korean, you have no right to an opinion on this subject. Everyone has a right to an opinion on any subject and we should have the right to express our opinions showing respect to others. I’m bothered with the denial of these rights by some.
I don’t think it’s about the nationality but more about understanding the culture. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but making offensive or generalizing comments without actually knowing the context defies the purpose of the argument… Like I see some people sayinh krns are being over-sensitive but they don’t even care to know why…?
Rene
4 years ago
How many of the SK simmers that are offended were actually going to buy the pack to begin with if one of the main complaints is that this is Japanese inspired? It’s not like this isn’t the first time the sims has leaned towards Japan for inspiration in the franchise. I came across a japanese shrine before in the sims but I’m not sure if it’s from a previous game or custom content. I often see people who aren’t from the Shinto religion visit temples and shrines as a tourist attraction and this is sort of like that as the appeal for the game. Since the resources have already been used EA may very well take that feature out which will be a bit disappointing for certain gameplay styles/stories.
Besty
4 years ago
Maybe the sims shouldn’t do any cultural inspired themes . It just cause so much confusion and backlash every time .they should really focus on the gameplay , cars , farms , better babies ect. Culture is such a touchy subject . Also they can’t possibly represent every culture anyways . Or they can just stick to the small free updates with a new shirt and hat .
culture is a huge part of life. i personally want more of it. i love diversity and i love the styles and clothes and food from all around the world.
Christopher
4 years ago
Please, Koreans have proven to be too selfish, they say we should know about their history, but they did BLACKFACE and they skipped the accusations saying: Why are we supposed to know about black history? They’re not as educated as we thought, this is like the third korean tantrum of this kind of the year, such a shame for such an “advanced society”.
Koreans loooove their anti-black racism (just check most of the gaffes of their beloved K-Pop groups they love to export abroad) but also love to act all offended at the slight mention of Japan.
Chill
4 years ago
not ALL Korean simmers are angry, only some of them are complaining. they do not represent the entire SK sims community, I would be really angry if we get zero content because of this, and I am definitely not the only one. The shrines themselves are not a problem at all, and there is no reason to connect this to the controversial shrines that are actually causing political problems. but I can also see some comments here expressing general hatred towards Koreans and I’m deeply frustrated by those too.
Just let EA do their thing and if you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
you see the multiple far-right japanese on this comment section spreading propaganda and fake news. This is the perfect example why this pack is a problematic.
조센징 says “Joseon (old name for old Korea) person” in Japanese, used in a demeaning, derogatory way.
Like how the word n**ro merely describes the color “black” in some languages but is offensive within context.
The correct, non-derogatory way of calling Koreans in Japanese is “kankoku-jin” (Korean person)
polish girl
4 years ago
actually, why would it be wrong in a LIFE SIMULATION game to have what is there in the real world? we can have shrines and swastikas and polish racism and everything good and bad in the game – you decide if your sims love it or hate it, join it or destroy it. isn’t it the game’s signature to play with life? and all of it’s aspects? just my opinion
oh my gosh, i just realised i wrote ‘polish racism’. didn’t mean it! it was in my head because of a comment above. polish people are not all racist, im not. i just meant in general racism and bad stuff. just wanted to put that out there. my bad.
omfg
4 years ago
To people saying Windenburg isn’t problematic for Jewish people, etc.:
Germany and Japan differ COMPLETELY in how they dealt with the atrocities they committed in the past. Japan doesn’t teach the history properly and their leader Abe is known for going to the problematic Yasukuni shrine that commemorates war criminals, and Japan tried to make their Korean sexual slavery victims shut up with a few dollars (and the list goes on and on). THAT is why the general sentiment about the history in Korea is very negative and why it’s so freaking insensitive for EA to include imagery that brings up nightmares of Japanese colonialism for Koreans.
you just offended me with your title because i am a big worshipper of God and you offending Him in your title really offended me. you see how that works?
@polish girl Please get a life LOL! Would you truly like to see swastikas and hateful things in your sims game? The Sims is a life SIMULATION game, it is ALTERED REALITY where you can get away from hateful things like this in real life. As a Polish-German person, I find you completely ignorant and holding hatred to your own Polish culture, you’re disgracing the Polish name. Would you like to see your Polish sim family get taken to a nazi concentration camp too? Would you like to see that family broken up and tortured? Please get a brain and educate yourself on your own culture, dummy.
you have no idea about me. all i mean is that it’s life simulation and if you search the gallery there are hitlers and other dictators and worse and people play with that stuff. i don’t but it’s not like the game has nothing bad in it. if you look at the game as a perfect paradise then yes, swastikas would be a bad idea in the game. but if you saw swastikas in any other war game you wouldn’t have a problem with it cos it’s just history.
Devils advocate, but escapism is what it is to YOU. Yes others as well, but definitely not everyone. It is a SIM which by it’s nature can be a completely different thing to whoever is playing it… Maybe someone wants to RP a gritty dystopia, that’s up to them. So neither of you are suggesting incorrect ways of playing it because there isn’t one, however it is incorrect to try to sensor the way others choose to play. The idea of Swastikas all over the place is offensive to me personally, but then so is the idea of telling other people how to live so and most importantly I recognise that my opinion doesn’t count for shit in someone else’s game anyway, and it is perfectly possible to just not do the things that you don’t want to do.
jovi
4 years ago
I actually though that sim is bent over a grave since they mentioned a graveyard you can visit.
Lele
4 years ago
They should just take that out. ALL religious symbols should be removed period. For the people in South Korea that say westerners don’t care, that’s not true. We aren’t taught much about anyone else. Our history is very eurocentric. Anything other than that has to be sought after in university or on our own. I only recently learned about South Korean history and my own history as a person of color. I think the shrines should be removed along with any other religious symbols. I’m Judea Christian and I don’t need Christian or Jewish things in this game. EA should delay release and remove it.
But the hijab and moslem clothing is okay? so in the end everything is removed besides moslemic stuff? great!!!
I don’t mind of any religious things as long as EA releases it as optional download or pack but NEVER should it be a forced download by base game patch like the did it with the moslem stuff…
People really out there finding any little thing to find offence over. They’re literally creating a culture where victimising themselves is the norm. A person can no longer have creative thought without worrying about a mob of people bashing their idea. Pathetic
I literally can’t even with the Sims community anymore. I’m out.
A.
4 years ago
The fact that people are glossing over this as if it is not serious is disgusting, especially the Imperial JPN flag on the CAS item.
That flag was flown by Nazi-allied Japan in WW2, and Japan still refuses to acknowledge, much less make amends, for it’s genocidal war-crimes in Korea and other East Asian nations.
It is that serious and we all need to be pressuring the Sims team to remove the imagery before release.
Idgaf if your weeb fantasies get ruined by victims of genocide speaking out against hate symbols, cope.
Yeah. Seems like almost no one cares. That’s precisely the problem.
As long as you non-Asian people get to play with some cOoL, eXoTiC, aSiAn content, who cares about colonialism and genocide and erasing history.
Do you care about moslemic stuff and the feeling Christians get because of that? We are still attacked and murdered by them and that is not 100 years ago…
So where was the ‘Asian’ protest when EA implemented the moslem clothing including the hijab that also is a symbol for discrimination of females AND discrimination of Christian/Western culture?
That’s my point, in case you can’t read sarcasm.
So many clueless people going “omg super cool-looking Asian content uwu!!”
But then again, people who don’t know / don’t care to know / don’t care at all are the main audience of this game so in the end all of this bickering most likely won’t matter
Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if EA scrapped the entire project, and gave us all a stuff pack instead
Sarah
4 years ago
They’ve ripped Christianity from the game to the point where we’re calling Christmas “Winterfest” and Valentine’s Day “Love Day”, but now we’re possibly getting shrine worship? No thanks.
Exactly.
If EA’s going to leave out religion out of the game (which they should, to avoid all this shit), they should leave out ALL of it.
They only brought in Shinto because it’s eXoTiC and we love good ol’ orientalism.
Brandon Thomas
4 years ago
Stop being so over-sensitive! It’s Japanese THEMED do you know what that means? It’s not a true Historical Analogy. Look hard enough and some of you will FIND something to be offended about. Just play and shut up.
Amber
4 years ago
Shrines in Japan are used for protection of places than a place of worship and the pattern on the clothing looks like Surihaku pattern which is usually made with gold foil (yellow colour) and is a ‘spiny ray ’ looking flower. It is used for theatrical costumes and formal ceremonies on their kimonos. Not trying to excuse anything and I truly respect and love the korean culture. But just sharing information
Leigh
4 years ago
Srsly just dont buy it if you dont like it.. Not everyone can be happy or satisfied especially when it is about something cultural
MyssBehaven
4 years ago
Not to mention this is Simtopia so its a made up world “inspired” by different cultures so youre complaining about a made up religion in a game…grow up.
oppa
4 years ago
Shrine visit?? what the heck???? EA are you crazy?
Do you even know what that means to most of Asians except Japanese?
Visiting shrine and bowing to the ancestors are the Japanese culture that is very controversial in East Asian countries that have been suffered by Japan in World War 2.
Because Japanese makes the Shrine for commemorating war criminals and thank them for being their ancestors. Therefore, it is such a big political issue when Japanese political figures visit the shrine and bow them.
Including that kind of Japanese religious act in the game pack is humiliating war victims
We still have grandparents who were born and raised under Japanese rule. There’s remnants of Japanese colonialism that’s still causing conflict and divide in Korean political scene and other areas. There’s still victims of Japanese sex slavery alive today that still haven’t even been properly apologized to. And the younger generation cares because history shouldn’t be forgotten.
Maybe don’t be so outspoken about a topic you don’t have knowledge of
well i’m of jewish ancestry. thanks to the germans, my whole family is strewn out around the world and displaced from our original place.
now i’ll say im offended by the get together world that is obviously german.
be a good person and uninstall the ep NOW. no waits. i’ll campaign for ea to remove the world from the ep in future sold copies, and add a patch that deletes the world forever.
bye, have a nice day, hope you make a difference today! don’t be an evil disgusting soul and keep the get together ep installed~! i’ll be watching you~!!
Where did they ask you or try to force you to not buy this pack as you seem to be implying with this comment?
So out of left field lol
Simmer
4 years ago
Everybody, every country did some bad things in the past.. the question is, what do these countries now? Is a Chinese theme pack really better when they have prisons for minorities who are moslems? Would South Korea be better that has no respect towards women and propaganda of plastic surgery as ‘normal’ behaviour, even for non celebs? Would India be better which is one country with the highest rape rate although it is a so-called democracy?
Why is the Christmas tree an optional download while we are FORCED to have moslem clothing in out game that even stick to our seems as outfits while aging up without even wanting that – and while Christian, Europan countries are still attacked all the time by moslems – even today?
So who cares about Christians? Who cares about Europeans?
If the Korean feel offended by that they might understand how it feels for Christians, Europeans to get the moslemic stuff as forced basic game assets, without the chance to NOT have it in the game while this pack is easy to avoid – just don’t buy it….
Oh and that’s the reason why a game like the Sims should stay away from such cultural and religious things unless it is an optional download how it was with The Sims 3 and theire cultural store bundles that included optional cultural stuff from all over the world…
This. Every country has a disgraceful history. Even Korean forces did lots of war crimes in Vietnam during the Vietnam War and I’ve never seen a single Korean who feels sorry for them.
I agree that staying away from cultural and religious things is the best way, but the pack is going to be released soon anyway
Just don’t buy the pack if you don’t like it period.
Additionally, I think the reason why Christianity has ripped away from the game is that it is the so-called dominant culture..
Spence
4 years ago
This is straight up Korean people being racist and prejudiced towards Japanese people. Koreans always fight with and hate the Japanese, I had a foreign exchange student teaching American students how to say slurs and how to say they hated Japanese people in Korean. This is ridiculous and to be honest it’s insensitive and rude to look at Japanese culture this way. We could say American culture is offensive because of the nuclear bomb sent to Japan in WWII. We could say the German culture in one of the early TS4 eps is offensive because of WWII. Come on ppl knock it off this article is straight up racism.
Ellen
4 years ago
A lot of people are missing that Koreans are focusing on their history, not the Japanese culture itself.
EA, you HAVE TO delete the content that would hurt your players, not because the culture is wrong, but because there ARE some heartbreaking histories.
heartbreaking histories? lady, this is not an historical soap opera.
why don’t we delete windenburg too, since it is heavily inspired by germany and well… we all know what they’ve done.
hmm?
Some koreans are wrong and lying about their logics of “shrine blah blah”. That shrine thing in game is just like wishing well not even religious one. They are 24/7 under anti japan mood and speaks out boycotting everything about japan but sneakly enjoy japan cluture. Lol.
A Bewildered Chinese
4 years ago
Rising sun flag? Really? All of my Chinese Simmer friends thought that was a chrysanthemum or firework pattern and still fail to see any connection at all. As for the shrines, they’re quite popular attractions for Chinese tourists and none of us see any problem with the game including it. Sure, there’re a small number of Chinese simmers I know who were appalled at the overall Japanese theme but even them didn’t find the shrines and that specific pattern particularly disturbing. I’m still befuddled why Korean simmers feel the need to speak for us.
Min
4 years ago
I imagine there’s plenty of things in Japanese culture that isn’t highly offensive and hurtful to other Asian countries?
I don’t really understand some of these “Defend EA at all cost” type comments.
EA should have done their research, simple as.
Sure, keep it as a Japanese pack but simply change the offending things to something without such a dark history? That simple.
i’m not an ea stan. i have bashed them plenty for their many various sins. to be truly honest and having played all four sims games [and their many spinoffs], i think sims 4 is crap. nonetheless, the reaching in this thread -that many have pointed out correctly- needs to be addressed – we can’t add burglars because it triggers those that have been robbed. we can’t add a shrine because it triggers the koreans. at this point, why have a game at all if everyone is going to act so offended about everything? maybe we should make the sims 4 into a chair simulation game, maybe that won’t offend anyone. well, it may offend some tables i guess.
none did lmao, i remember it. and none does now either. sims 2 has an active player base, with piles of defualts/overrides of anything you could think about, and yet none has default replaced or made a hider for the oh-so-insulting shrine.
Was trying to reply to you, accidentally thanked person below twice lol stupid phone
Thanks Min for talking sense.
krishna
4 years ago
@So mature you’re not very mature if you’re typing “amirite”, lady. Or maybe it’s because you’re degree-less? Learn proper spelling and get back to me; oh, and shave that beard, it doesn’t suits you.
dorm
4 years ago
There is just exactly same shrine motion in koreas culture.
Some koreans are lying and spreding fake information to feel their anti japan power. They are just jealous cuz shrine items arent out with korean traditional clothes.
If you dont like the pack, dont buy it. Pls dont spoil the pack for others. Not all carry hatred in our hearts. Past is history. I just enjoy all packs. and Im Asian
Boohoo
4 years ago
Oh my god come on it’s a Japanese culture based game pack.. why are the korean getting offended over Shintoism temple worshiping which is all over Japan and the sun rays which is not even the same rising sun imperialist one which is red. They wanna say they feel offended by Japanese imperialism, other countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore had it too but we got over it and moved on. Again, all these are japanese culture. Get your offended asses checked. Sheesh
‘got it and moved on’ lol you speak of war as if it’s a common cold. So tell me, how many years was Singapore colonized? How was it colonized? How many torture camps were set up? How many people were forced to become sex slaves? A black and white photo of you will still be a photo of you. Get your history book checked.
Come on… you know nothing about their history too. You can’t talk like that when you are not Singaporean. Stop being rude if you want the history of your home country respected. Why you guys are so selfish and disrespectful to other cultures?
Exactly. I can’t talk like that when I don’t understand Singaporean history. Because I know that no matter then extent, a painful history is still painful.
So why are you telling Koreans to get their offended asses check? Why are you offended by my comment?
I don’t know why my opinion be accepted differently depending on my nationality but if I must validate, no I am a Korean. And please don’t misunderstand my response as a hatred towards Japanese culture. I have no problems (and I assume a lot of other Koreans too) with the theme itself. Cool. Japanese theme.
The only concerns I do share with many are on the shrine and the rising sun pattern. The sims have been sensitive about including religious features, and filtered them out to be universally acceptable cultural activities instead (i.e. winterfest). Shrine seems a tad too religious + the motion, like we don’t pray to the Christmas tree do we?
But at the same time, I understand that it is a common cultural, not necessarily religious, practice in Japan and removing it could offend Japanese simmers. That’s why I think the sims team was insensitive and shouldn’t have included it in the first place.
What’s so contradicting? It’s a culture with a political root enforced during a recent war. To Koreans, shinto shrine is a symbol of oppression and aggression. To those unaware like you, it’s a culture. A little research would tell that it could be problematic to include it and yet the sims do so, to the extend of making the sims ‘bow’ to it. Hell, if they really wanted to include shrines for the sake of aesthetics in a fictional game world, why not just let the sims throw a coin into it instead? To me it just seems like a poor attempt on the sims part to create this orientalist image using the most streotypical motion as possible.
And I really don’t understand why you would call out others for being selfish and disrespectful because they feel disrespected by insensitive portrayals?? You tried to disapprove my argument because I was seemingly not Korean and yet you speak for what is acceptable for Koreans to be offended about and what is not???
Are you really concerned about Koreans discriminating Japanese when that is entirely not the case, or are you just conviniently picking on it because you are worried that you will not be able to play a game? Come on, you said it yourself. How can you be judgemental when you don’t understand the history and the culture. That’s a selfish behavior isn’t it?
@Whut your arguments failed so much you had to use “whut” as your name. bad.
Julia
4 years ago
If you really look at the swatch screenshot it’s not a rising sun but a stylized fan. Maybe that’s still considered too similar but we should stick to reality here.
ImmortalAbsol
4 years ago
Context context context.
This is a Sims Japan analogue.
Meaning this is either a Japanese person or someone who chose to vacation to Japan paying respect to a Japanese shrine.
Not a S.Korean being forced to greet a Japanese shrine.
It’s like saying that we can’t have the Galar region in Pokémon because of the historical British empire having happened.
So why don’t we just add Nazi salute in Sims 4 so neo nazi person or someone who chose to vacation to austria paying repsect to hitler can enjoy this game.
Let’s not forget what they did to the Chinese too. I really wish they had picked a different Asian theme instead of Japanese.
Oh, boo hoo. I’m Polish, and Windenburg is a German inspired town, But I’m not complaining, and calling EA nazi sympathizer. You don’t like the pack, don’t buy it.
You’re complaining about other people complaining. Take your own advice and be quiet
This is really insensitive, I hope you’re aware of that
What is so insensitive that I wrote? I’m just pointing out the general fallacy of this stupid situation. You’re just being butthurt over such an idiotic non – issue, and I find it just hilarious. Just get over yourselves, because you’re acting like special, little, Overreacting, fragile snowflakes.
Calm down, edgelord. You’re getting worked up there.
@ Trace Who do you call Edgelord? I’m just pointing some things, and trying to be logical. And you’re just being childish.
Just be quiet. If you lack the pride to reject colonialist propaganda that killed and tortured your ancestors, that’s your own business. Don’t tell Koreans how they should feel. And if you had any sense you would know that Germany apologized for their war crimes while Japan continues to deny and lie.
Amy<- lies
Koreans are not victims of ww2
You completely missed the point. Imagine Swastikas all around Windenburg or purple triangles on homosexual Sims clothing.
@Amy WTF are you even talking about? My ancestors fought in WWII, AND Warsaw Uprising, and I’m proud to be a Pole. I just don’t see why, in a JAPANESE themed EP, there can’t be JAPANESE culture and Religion. I would understand if it was a KOREAN themed world, and it had the Shinto Shrine. That would be wrong, and the outrage understandable. But the world is JAPANESE, and it makes sense to have a JAPANESE shrine in it. DEAL WITH IT.
Generally speaking, it’s best for EA to not introduce any element related to religion, as there are many different players from different cultures playing this game. Imagine seeing a Catholic church in the game? (I am Catholic, btw). It was just an unnecessary addition that actually could disrespect others, including the japanese. The game is customizable so if you want those elements in your gameplay you could add them via cc. Very unwise decision.
I totally agree with Eggy about the overreaction. It’s unnecessary. Maybe there are more little things in the game which are not so politically correct, we just didn’t notice them because those are not so highlighted. Nowadays, everyone on the internet needs something to whine about. I’m Hungarian and the Sims 1 had a gypsy caravan with the traditional Hungarian food, goulash. Hungarians are somehow always mentioned on the same page with gypsies (whom are quite infamous in my country of their criminal behavour) but I don’t get so sensitive about it, because game devs can slip over these little things. Are you getting this sensitive about war games or other historical games? Ugh…
Essentially the rising sun flag in the game is the equivalent to a swastica in Korea and many Asian countries. The shrine worshipping forced upon the victims of the Japanese colonialism resulted in many being tortured and Murdered for refusing. I’m sure you would not feel the same way about Windenberg if they had used those simples as part of the pack.
Probs because there arent Hakenkreuz inside the game
During Japanese rule in Korea, the Japanese forced Koreans to worship at (Japanese) shrines, and if they did not accept, they were killed. This is a very sensitive and painful subject in Korea today, just like the Holocaust.
Well the same case has been with Abrahamic religions like Islam and Christianity. It was forced upon people just like the Shinto shrines on Koreans. That‘s why i think they should keep real life stuff like religions and shrines out of the game.
Uh oh don’t bring up the holocaust now you’re gonna get the Jews in the discussion who always feel the need to be the number 1 victim in human history
Firstly, this is very rude. Jews, like many other minorities in history, have been tortured through history. In recent years, we have become more accepted in society. To say such a thing is horrible. Every religion and culture deserves to be respected. If you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything at all. And by the way, we shouldn’t be comparing events in history such as this, we should study them for what they are, and then make comparisons later on. Please, think before you write and really know what you are saying. Please, educate yourself. I know a lot of people say that but it is necessary with the increased rate of crimes against innocent people because of their race, religion or sexual orientation. BE KIND.
But it is also a regular practice in Japan that both predates and has continued since World War II. It’s a part of daily life for many people and annual life for many others. It’s too basic an element to simply be thrown out because said basic element was used in a negative context. I’m sure countless tyrants around the world have eaten chips but that doesn’t mean we can’t sell chips at the grocery store.
Well yes, I understand that. I know it must be a very painful subject in Korea, but isn’t it common in Japanese culture to worship shrines? It’s also a Japanese inspired pack. I don’t think the game is also forcing the sims to worship the shrines. I think it might be like the added features for simmers who celebrate Hanukkah. So wouldn’t that mean that the shrines are okay? I’m not trying to be rude or disrespectful. I just want to know if it’s okay or not.
*like for simmers who celebrate Hanukkah
Westerners need to stfu and stop invalidating Korean and other Asian people’s feelings about this. No one says Japanese culture shouldn’t be included in a Japanese themed pack, I promise you there are aspects of Japanese culture that aren’t inherently and outwardly linked to their imperialist war crimes (which they refuse to acknowledge to this day).
I know that The Sims is just a game. BUT unlike Germany, Japan has neither apologized nor reflected on its war crimes. They are distorting the past by doing secondary harm to the affected countries. There are many Sims users in South Korea, and I think we deserve this opinion.
Korean education
Exactly what I consider to be the real issue here. Let’s be honest, the worship feature would most likely be opt in (not a form of oppression for sims) and the motif would also simply be a swatch option. But it’s a more serious thing because of the lack of accountability. The vast majority of players wouldn’t notice these details, even players who know the history might not take any sort of offence, but it’s shoving it into the face of Korean simmers and I honestly don’t know how to feel about it. If they removed these, Japanese simmers might be offended that symbols of their culture have been removed/the ability for the traditional style worship of their culture. If Japan had been able to extend an olive branch years ago, decades ago, this wouldn’t be an issue but an awkward moment.
Thank you Eggy, you’re spot on. It seems SK players are just jealous that a Japan was chosen as the theme instead of them.
No, I think you missed the point entirely. While Windenburg is “German-inspired”, there’s nothing inherently German about the world at all. There’s no statue of Hitler in the middle of the world’s metropolis. Snow Escape, however, literally depicts specific Japanese cultural pieces such as shinto shrines and the Rising Sun flag, basically equivalent to hanging the Swastika out in the forefront of the game. It’s a permeant symbol of Japanese colonialism and a painful reminder for Koreans and Chinese. Also, small difference here: the Japanese are notoriously unapologetic about their WWII war crimes while the German government has made several formal apologies and reconciliation efforts. Please check your history before telling my people to “boo hoo”. This isn’t a matter of political correctness or censorship but a matter of being a decent human being and understanding another country’s pain.
Yes, it does present Shinto Shrines. Why? BECAUSE THIS EP’S WORLD IS BASED ON JAPAN!!! Korea has NOTHING to do with it. You don’t like it, don’t buy the EP. Simple.
Hit the nail on the head there, kudos for trying to push some intelligence into the thick skulls of those people. This article is stating that at least one South Korean viewer is upset over the inclusion of something that is completely irrelevant to the reason they’re being triggered. I was confused to see you’re the only one speaking sense in these comments
That’s like saying having a Christmas tree is insensitive because of all the evils Christianity committed in the dark ages. Utterly ridiculous.
Fun fact: the Christmas tree is pagan, not christian. It was adapted to catholicism by pagans who were forced to convert in an effort to keep some of their traditions alive (likewise with easter bunny and other stuff). Now it’s just part of the holidays and even non religious people use them
The Christmas tree is Pagan. (Yule tree) Nothing Christian about it. The bible doesn‘t mention christmas trees even once. It’s a European Pagan tradition
That’s irrelevant. A swastika wasn’t a Nazi symbol in its inception. It’s not how it originated. It is what it is. It seems a Japanese religion is being discriminated against. It’s racism.
Actually the christmas tree is Germany. Its took keep evil unrested souls away.
Jane, I think the reason this mishap happened is that people are just uninformed about Asian history for the most part. They probably had no idea this would even be a problem they just saw oh here are some Japanese culture items we can throw in the game without making sure none of them are offensive because they don’t know Asian history. Everyone on the other hand knows about Germany and would never accidentally put a swastika in the game out of ignorance
THIS. So much this. Thank you.
It’s ignorance, and “Don’t know, doesn’t apply to me, don’t care. I just want cool stuff to play with lolz”
Thank you!
but windenburg doesn’t have swastikas plastered all over the place – which is what the rising sun symbol was equivalent to in korea
To be fair windenburg doesn’t have have an icon showing how they tortured Jewish people.
Maybe because 90% of Poles are racist, sexist and homophobic, and don’t see a problem with that. And also have an obsession with Nazi Germany and WW2. It’s 2020, get over it!
Yes, I’m Polish too, and I’m ashamed of those people.
big claims with no source or proof. and you’re polish… self-hate is so sad.
Naaah, maybe not 90%. Don’t forget almost half Poles voted against Pees… oops Pis. ^^
thats bc windenburg didn’t come with clothes that have knock-off swastikas on them, thats what the rising sun flag and shirt design are for us korean people
That’s a false equivalence friend. Windenburg doesn’t contain Nazi imagery, does it? No? So why does a Japanese inspired world get to contain Imperial Japan imagery?
no you’re not getting it, the rising sun is like the nazi symbol to koreans
I’m polish too, but as far as I know Windenburg is just inspired by a German town but has nothing to do with the German history or culture. They are complaining about the culture, not the inspiration of how it looks like.
Except Windenburg was only architecturally inspired by some regions in Germany. Be quiet.
German inspired architecture is different than putting Swatsticas and ither symbols of genocide in the game. Its not “japan as a whole” its the symbols of their imperialism.
agreed
Dear Eggy,
The thing here is that in Windenburg there is no object that gives the skms the option to do the nazi salute.
If you read the Korean opinions, they are hurt because there is this object that makes their characters do something that is still a hurtful subject there. And sims have free will, so their characters can do that action whenever they want.
Now, imagine this shrines are just decorative. That would be better because they can choose to not interact with it or even delete that object asap.
They do not complain about the aesthetic. They complain about how something you could use it as decoration can be interacted and has a large and painful background.
> korea china education
>chongchong education
Why????? Then people would think they would be representing communism! And yes they would!!! And it’s hurtful to say I wish they didn’t do a Japanese pack! I have so many Japanese friends and saying that you wouldn’t represent them is disgusting and horrible!
Please reread my comment. I said I wished they had done another Asian theme instead of Japanese. Like, I would love a Thai themed pack. Japanese has been done. Let’s do something else. Calm down.
why. there’s nothing japanese about sims 4. it hasnt been done as you say. also, there is a huge love for japan in western countries and others (here in latin america it very much is!): their music, the anime/manga, the food, the country itself!
thailand… well. you /know/ the reason most westerns and the rest of the world know about that place.
You obviously haven’t bought San Myshuno yet. They have Sakura tea in it amongst other Japanese-themed items.
I mean, they also already did a German-inspired world for Windenburg. Should they remove Windenburg too then? And what about San Myshuno, which is inspired by China. The Chinese government has concentration camps for muslims.
If you draw a line here, you’d have to draw a line for almost all cultures.
Read Jane’s comment beforehand
San Myshuno is NOT a Chinese based pack. That is also Japanese. Please do research next time.
mmh, no. it’s vaguely asian, not specifically japanese. do you even play the game?
San Myshuno is based on Hong Kong. I lived there for 2 years, it’s totally accurate.
We’re not talking about the buildings here.
All the Japanese townies? Japanese last names? Pouring “sakura tea” at romance festival?
Definitely Japanese, out of the east Asian countries anyways.
I don’t see too many zhangs and parks walking around lol
You don’t know about China, so shut your fuxking mouth up
I do, and even the outfits that came with it are kimono based.
One, that’s incredibly rude. And two I do know about China. You need to calm down.
Jelmer, you’re right we wouldn’t be able to have any game at all you can find something for every culture.
Aaaand that’s why we have to draw a line somewhere with all the unnecessarily sensitive people thrusting their own opinions and feelings on everyone else and trying to make it law. So if I don’t like the colour of packaging on a product, I should write a thesis on how it’s insensitive to my heritage, and the makers should apologise and change the packaging? I hate people that do that, it’s ridiculous. Anyway
This is why asking for specific cultures is hard cause not everyone will be happy. Latinos were not 100% happy about their representation in the previous update. Black individuals are still looking for compatible there exact hair and/or skin tone. And other cultures are asking for specific representations. Which is understandable. But if it isn’t exactly you you cannot be upset cause maybe it is someone else. As for this specific issue. Do we so often forget what the African turned Black people went through in the United States? I understand when asking for culture in games we can be upset about the representation and even the history of how culture came to be. But we were asking for it and when they give us an acceptable norm (albeit by the majority- I as a black American understand your distaste) we need to understand and critic not ” do anything else but” cause I am sure if some picked Korean, or Chinese or Vietnamese inspired someone, somewhere, would have found issue with it.
African turned Black people? Are you stupid or are you dumb? Stop speaking on things of which you have no knowledge. Stop comparing other cultures when you want to complain ESPECIALLY when you don’t know what you are talking about.
Jfc someone can be uneducated, yet have some level of compassion and understanding of the world, get off their back
Skintones is another example that showcases how ignorant EA is about non-whites. The “yellow-undertoned” skins are hideous. Not all Asians look jaundiced-yellow, contrary to EA’s belief
You do realize that they may have taken our culture but they did not turn us into anything but African.
On an unrelated note: Telling Koreans to not become “butthurt” over this insensitivity would basically White people telling Black people to forget about slavery and forget about the fact that they whipped out Ancestors because they (our ancestors) refused to let them (white people) take away their mother-given name, and in turn forced a Western name (like Bill) on them.
The Sims team should have research about the shrine extensively before actually making it a reality. They should have gathered that it would be a sensitive topic to South Koreans.
The Sims team has let me down. I’m boycotting the Sims 4, and possibly Sims 5 if they do not get their act together.
There’s nothing wrong with a Japanese theme. Imperial Japan’s legacy doesn’t mean that everything Japanese is offensive or problematic. If that’s the case then what other Asian country would you want? China? With their history and PRESENT of cultural genocide and human rights abuses? Thailand? Myanmar? India?
I’m not trying to invalidate the historic trauma and present day pain of South Koreans but the way so much of the discourse has been presented doesn’t present conpletely fair grounds for criticism.
I agree. While we should acknowledge the past and learn from it, I don’t see an issue with these shrines. Every single country has had a problematic past, same goes for every religion (well except for Pagans and Sikhs I’ve never heard of anything wrong with them). While the trauma exists and it should be remembered; in the modern day these shrines are nothing but religious icons and tourist destinations, emphasis on the tourist destination aspect.
As for the “Rising Sun Flag” while to me it looked more like a pattern rather than an a celebration of the “Rising Sun” I can understand the desire for the removal of that. Confederate, Nazi, Rising Sun flags; those should be left in the past. They are also a completely different issue than with the shrine. The shrine is tied to religious aspects and has been long before any genocide occurred therefore relating them to such a matter which is why I believe they should remain. These flags on the other hand were more or less created to represent groups whom had wrongful intentions in mind (i.e slavery, genocide, and war respectively).
China raped and killed many japanese women and children. So
I actually dont, I think Japanese culture is absolutely great but just pay respect to the culture, you know, you can’t sell things from a culture without investigate about them.
Why didn’t they just pick a country with no controversial history? Yeah because China’s never been controversial. The issue isn’t Japan as a country, it’s the lack of understanding that is understandable from an American based company. These issues should be fixed, but it’s an understandable mistake.
Considering the things Chinese have done to many people, who cares? So the cultures of these places can’t exist or be enjoyed because something bad happened in the past? Stupid. Then no culture could be accepted or enjoyed.
There is just exactly same shrine motion in koreas culture.
http://life.g-enews.com/view.php?ud=2018060516252618e8b8a793f7_3
Some koreans are lying and spreding fake information to feel their anti japan power. They are just jealous cuz shrine items arent out with korean traditional clothes.
How about what the Chinese is doing currently to many South East Asian countries?
I get that the game should be more culturally sensitive, and they could add features that do not offend, but saying a different Asian theme instead of Japanese as if another culture is better than others does not sit well.
Everyone is so sensitive these days. It’s a game where you can kill people with fire, weather, bugs, … but are offended by a jacket? What happened is bad but I mean where do you draw the line if EVERYTHING does offend someone at this point.
Women sims are being forved into baby machines with 100 baby challenge, I am surprised femenists didn’t complain about this being possible lol.
Don’t buy it of you don’t like it and stop being offended for every detail. This hasn’t even been confirmed ro be a shrine nor the flag yet they are already at war with EA. Sigh.
Who are you to determine what we find offensive or don’t? Do you, for whatever reason, speak on behalf of all Koreans and Chinese? This is not your place. I’d also like you to say this exact same thing and undermine the power of political imagery in the way you just did to my mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who have still not received any sort of formal apology or reconciliation effort from the Japanese government after decades of inter-generational trauma for being comfort women and being constantly raped by Japanese colonial soldiers.
Calling people’s religion “political imagery” is like saying having muslim content in the game is insensitive to 9/11 families.
Is there a mosque in the game? Are there churches or synagogues? As far as I know, there is only one God in The Sims, the player. They shouldn’t introduce religious elements unless they are willing to get some backlash about it. So they made Santa Claus into father winter, but they didn’t think this could create problems? Bad decision from the team.
You say they shouldn’t include religion when they already have. In seasons some of the holiday activities is LITERALLY to WORSHIP objects. If that’s not religion than idk what is. Not to mention the fact that oh, idk, Christmas Trees exist. Do you even know the origins of the how a Christmas Tree came into existence? They were European Christians way of mocking European Pagans.
The shrine was and still is a religious icon before any genocide ever occurred. And while we shouldn’t ignore that part of its history we shouldn’t act like that the only reason it exists and complain about it.
I think your real name is not jane
isnt that racist
Agree 100%!!!!
To be fair, one person agreed that this author can write an article about their tweets or whatever, and same author probably contacted EA for a response. The desired and achieved result of this article is the same as many others: an outburst of conflict because the subject is arguably stupid.
That’s such a horrible comparison and you completely missed the point. They were not offended by the jacket, they complained about the Rising Sun, you donkey. Even bringing up a Sims 4 challenge that has nothing to do with it, smh.
This is just stupid. The New world is JAPANESE inspired, not Korean. It makes sense, that in a JAPANESE inspired world, there would be a JAPANESE shrine. There is nothing wrong with representing Shinto Religion and Japanese culture in general, in the Sims. You don’t like it, just don’t play the game. Deal with it, and quit whining you crybabies.
During Japanese rule in Korea, the Japanese forced Koreans to worship at (Japanese) shrines, and if they did not accept, they were killed. This is a very sensitive and painful subject in Korea today, just like the Holocaust.
Korean propaganda education
it’s a videogame bro.
there was a similar shrine that came with the asian world in sims 2 bon voyage.
none complained back then….
That is because social media was not worldwide.
But it’s a religion that existed before these crimes and it’s a religion that is still very close to Japanese people these days. You cannot just erase that. That’d be insensitive as well.
So did Christians to POC folk. Yet, we have Christmas-themed content.
It’s not called Christmas in the game for a reason. It’s called Winterfest. And there is no Santa, there’s father winter. See? So no, us Christians are not getting our religious beliefs celebrated by the game. Also, where is Jesus? I bet if you had put Jesus in the game the entire community would flip. So why is it ok to put a religious shrine?
Christmas is not Christian. It is germany who first started christmas.
You do know Christianity is a religion and over 60% of the German population are Christian? …..you should Research on that a lil more .lol even if u look you the word Christmas it will tell you. But I guess your one of those ppl whole celebrate things and don’t even know what you’re celebrating.
Betsy we were roman catholic till the British royals invaded in the 16 century and we were force to change religions.
Japan wasn’t the only country to force religion upon others and physically harm people for practicing religion different than theirs. It’s been done for centuries and while it doesn’t make the act okay by any means, we shouldn’t be removing the religious significance that these shrines have to those who practice the Shinto religion. I mean by this same logic we should be removing Christmas trees, menorah, kinaras, etc. from the game because I can assure there were more prominent countries who practiced Christianity and committed far greater acts if genocide and religious persecution than Japan, and to top it off Christian icons are represented in the sims without complaints.
Also don’t throw the Holocaust around like it was something small. Between 6 to 14 million people were murdered during the Holocaust. I’ve been during research relating to the issue with Japan and while their numbers are large; compared to the Holocaust it’s “small” in size. While the pain which occurs is similar, the scale is not.
Funny how Germany has no problem apologizing, educating, making amends and taking action so that the Holocaust is remembered, even though it was a massive f*ckup on their part, but Japan can’t bother to do half those things, for such a “small” wrongdoing as you say, right?
You and others comparing Germany and Japan and their impact need to realize this part as well.
June 22, 1965: Minister of Foreign Affairs Shiina Etsusaburo said to the people of South Korea: “In our two countries’ long history there have been unfortunate times, it is truly regrettable and we are deeply remorseful” (Signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and South Korea).
August 26, 1982: Chief Cabinet Secretary Kiichi Miyazawa said to the people of the Republic of Korea: “1. The Japanese Government and the Japanese people are deeply aware of the fact that acts by our country in the past caused tremendous suffering and damage to the peoples of Asian countries, including the Republic of Korea (ROK) and China, and have followed the path of a pacifist state with remorse and determination that such acts must never be repeated. Japan has recognized, in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, of 1965, that the ‘past relations are regrettable, and Japan feels deep remorse,’ and in the Japan-China Joint Communique, that Japan is ‘keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious damage that Japan caused in the past to the Chinese people through war and deeply reproaches itself.’ These statements confirm Japan’s remorse and determination which I stated above and this recognition has not changed at all to this day. 2. This spirit in the Japan-ROK Joint Communique, and the Japan-China Joint Communique, naturally should also be respected in Japan’s school education and textbook authorization.
1989: Prime Minister Takeshita Noboru, in a speech in the Japanese Diet, said: “As we have made clear previously at repeated opportunities, the Japanese government and the Japanese people are deeply conscious of the fact that the actions of our country in the past caused suffering and loss to many people in neighboring countries. Starting from our regret and resolve not to repeat such things a second time, we have followed a course as a “Peace Nation” since then. This awareness and regret should be emphasized especially in the relationship between our countries and the Korean Peninsula, our nearest neighbors both geographically and historically. At this opportunity as we face a new situation in the Korean Peninsula, again, to all peoples of the globe, concerning the relationship of the past, we want to express our deep regret and sorrow” (Speech in the Japanese Diet).
April 18, 1990: Minister of Foreign Affairs Taro Nakayama said to the people of South Korea: “Japan is deeply sorry for the tragedy in which these (Korean) people were moved to Sakhalin not of their own free will but by the design of the Japanese government and had to remain there after the conclusion of the war” (188th National Diet Session Lower House Committee of Foreign Affairs).[12]
May 25, 1990: Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu, in a meeting with President Roh Tae Woo, said: “I would like to take the opportunity here to humbly reflect upon how the people of the Korean Peninsula went through unbearable pain and sorrow as a result of our country’s actions during a certain period in the past and to express that we are sorry” (Summit meeting with President Roh Tae Woo in Japan).[14]
January 17, 1992: Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa, at a policy speech on a visit to South Korea, said:. “What we should not forget about relationship between our nation and your nation is a fact that there was a certain period in the thousands of years of our company when we were the victimizer and you were the victim. I would like to once again express a heartfelt remorse and apology for the unbearable suffering and sorrow that you experienced during this period because of our nation’s act.” Recently the issue of the so-called ‘wartime comfort women’ is being brought up. I think that incidents like this are seriously heartbreaking, and I am truly sorry”.[16]
July 6, 1992. Chief Cabinet Secretary Koichi Kato said: “The Government again would like to express its sincere apology and remorse to all those who have suffered indescribable hardship as so-called ‘wartime comfort women,’ irrespective of their nationality or place of birth. With profound remorse and determination that such a mistake must never be repeated, Japan will maintain its stance as a pacifist nation and will endeavor to build up new future-oriented relations with the Republic of Korea and with other countries and regions in Asia. As I listen to many people, I feel truly grieved for this issue. By listening to the opinions of people from various directions, I would like to consider sincerely in what way we can express our feelings to those who suffered such hardship”
June 23, 1996: Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto said in a press conference: “Hashimoto mentioned the aspects of Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula such as the forced Japanization of Korean people’s name and commented “It is beyond imagination how this injured the hearts of Korean people”. Hashimoto also touched on the issue of Korean comfort women and said “Nothing injured the honor and dignity of women more than this and I would like to extend words of deep remorse and the heartfelt apology”
October 8, 1996: Emperor Akihito said in a speech at a dinner with the South Korean president, Kim Dae Jung: “There was a period when our nation brought to bear great sufferings upon the people of the Korean Peninsula.” “The deep sorrow that I feel over this will never be forgotten”.
October 8, 1998: Prime Minister Keizō Obuchi said in a declaration: “Looking back on the relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea during this century, Prime Minister Obuchi regarded in a spirit of humility the fact of history that Japan caused, during a certain period in the past, tremendous damage and suffering to the people of the Republic of Korea through its colonial rule, and expressed his deep remorse and heartfelt apology for this fact. President Kim accepted with sincerity this statement of Prime Minister Obuchi’s recognition of history and expressed his appreciation for it. He also expressed his view that the present calls upon both countries to overcome their unfortunate history and to build a future-oriented relationship based on reconciliation as well as good-neighborly and friendly cooperation” (Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration A New Japan-South Korea Partnership towards the Twenty-first Century).[31]
September 17, 2002: Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said: “The Japanese side regards, in a spirit of humility, the facts of history that Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of Korea through its colonial rule in the past, and expressed deep remorse and heartfelt apology” (Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration).[39]
August 10, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan expressed “deep regret over the suffering inflicted” during the Empire of Japan’s colonial rule over Korea. Japan’s Kyodo News also reported that Cabinet members endorsed the statement. In addition, Kan said that Japan will hand over precious cultural artifacts that South Korea has been demanding. Among them were records of an ancient Korean royal dynasty.[46]
December 7, 2010: Prime Minister Naoto Kan apologized for Korea’s suffering under colonization as part of a statement marking the 100th anniversary of the annexation in 1910. “I express a renewed feeling of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology for the tremendous damage and suffering caused by colonial rule,” Kan said. Kan said Japan colonized Korea “against the will of the Korean people” who suffered great damage to their national pride and loss of culture and sovereignty as a result and added that he wants to take an honest look at his country’s past with the courage and humility to address its history.[48]
December 28, 2015: Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se made an announcement at a joint press conference, which consisted of their respective statements on behalf of Japan and South Korea. Kishida stated, “The issue of comfort women, with an involvement of the Japanese military authorities at that time, was a grave affront to the honor and dignity of large numbers of women, and the Government of Japan is painfully aware of responsibilities from this perspective. As Prime Minister of Japan, Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.” The statement went on to explain that “the Government of Japan will now take measures to heal psychological wounds of all former comfort women through its budget” and that it had been decided that the South Korean government would “establish a foundation for the purpose of providing support for the former comfort women”. In return, Yun stated that his government “acknowledges the fact that the Government of Japan is concerned about the statue built in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul from the viewpoint of preventing any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity, and will strive to solve this issue in an appropriate manner”. Both stated that this agreement will “finally and irreversibly” resolve the contentious issue and that “on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures it announced”, both countries “will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding this issue in the international community, including at the United Nations”.[54]
If this was a Korean inspired world and included a Shinto shrine, then I would understand why this would be offensive. However, this is a Japanese inspired world and they do have Shinto shrines everywhere in Japan. Not including one would be leaving out a big part of Japanese culture. This wasn’t intended to offend Koreans, but to celebrate Japanese culture.
I understand that what Japan did to Koreans in the past was bad, but should modern day Japanese be blamed for what their ancestors did? (Any more than modern day Germans being blamed for what Hitler and his cronies did?).
Koreans are not angry at the average, modern day Japanese people.
They were not the ones who asked EA “Please, instead of including other parts of our culture that are awesome and don’t bring up horrible historical memories of our ancestor’s wrongdoings, include the parts that would be insensitive and hurtful to tens of thousands of our Korean neighbors”.
It was EA, an American company (like some people like to emphasize, thinking that somehow makes things better) that stupidly decided to include aspects that would stir these controversies.
And to counter the earlier part of your comment, about shrines being a big part of Japanese culture:
Christianity, for easy example, played a major role of shaping the cultures of many countries. But we do not see symbols like the cross and items like the bible in the game.
Why? Because Sims is supposed to be “inclusive” (however impossible it may be to include and accurately represent every single culture on earth) and including those items could be insensitive and controversial for many many players.
Just like how other potentially controversial parts of various cultures and religions were left out of this game, so should the Japanese ones.
Seeing people complain over other people complaining is always a fun thing (sarcasm). It’s not like they’re demanding you to not buy the pack. It’s literally only two things that are the issue, one of which is easily fixable (the lantern) and the other may just need an explanation, at the least, or a change in simulated interaction, at most.
And nobody’s forcing you to buy the pack, if you find the content not to your liking. You’re now complaining, that I am complaining that people are complaining. What is wrong with you? I’m just stating my opinion, and you’re acting like an entitled piece of crap, and whining, and thrashing around just because someone has a different opinion than you. And EA ain’t gonna change anything, just because you’re butthurt.
Someone needs a nap lol You’re the only one here that’s having a rage fit. Also, butthurt? It’s not 2009 anymore, buddy.
I see. Further discussion is pointless then. You are the worst kind of person. And I don’t have a rage fit. I’m just pointing out your illogical behaviour. Also, I’m 32, so PARDON me, if I’m a little rusty with the slang. Way to ridicule someones not up to date vernacular. Are you proud of yourself, you piece of shit? Fuck you.
@eggy You’re 32 arguing with people way younger than you about a topic your self-centered “prOuD tO bE pOle” ass knows nothing about… Please get your rinky dinky cheese smelling ass up off the couch and get yourself a job, darling heart. You know a lot of Koreans have flat out said they don’t care about this or they just won’t buy it, so why are you so worried about them?? Why don’t you educate yourself on Japanese Imperialism and Colonization in Korea (which dates back CENTURIES before the Holocaust you love to compare this issue to… maybe you’re the one who should get over it? 😉 ) before you come back here and start worrying about Koreans who don’t care about what YOU have to say about THEIR issues. You got your priorities mixed up, love. Stop worrying about Koreans and start worrying about not having a good job, a faithful husband, and kids who love you, you weird Neanderthal LMAO.
But that’s the sad and infuriating thing, that some companies DO lay over and do whatever some self-entitled sad act says because they don’t run a poll and find out that really, 98% of people dgaf. Then the 98% lose out on whatever because of that one overly sensitive moron who got special treatment.
Seeing people complain about people complaining about people complaining is even more fun.
says the person complaining about me complaining lol jk
Agreed. As for the flag:
http://murawaki.org/misc/flag.html
I feel many of the comments left here are very troubling. Before judging the concerns of the simmers from South Korea, you should do some general research into their concerns. It’s easy to rush to a conclusion without having some knowledge to better understand where their concerns are coming from.
Since this pack has a specific emphasis on having an immersive cultural experience, the dev team selected actions inspired by Japanese culture with origins that can be considered as triggering for some players. If anything this shows they really need to employ more people within their dev team that represent more cultures. I do hope the interaction isn’t what it seems, but if it is, I hope it is addressed before the pack is released.
welp, there are Koreans who are speaking out against the ridiculousness of the issues that are being raised too.
It’s very racist saying Japanese religion is triggering. What if you said the same about Muslims?
Unfortunately to a lot of people and culture, muslims and their religion do trigger them.
We call those people racists.
like that guy Samuel from France, eh?
Trying to conflate extremist terrorism with an entire religion and it’s practioners is bigotry in its own right.
@Metacircumstance pfft
Well said. There are bigger issues here that need to be addressed and resolved.
as a korean I feel so embarrassed. I’ve already pre-ordered it but kinda worried if EA never releases this pack in korea because of this. please just ignore these whinings
don’t pretend to be korean. you’re clearly NOT korean if you weren’t offended by the shrine worship interaction.
lol then think as you want, I don’t really care. but in case I need to make it clear that my parents are 100% korean, not japanese 😉 and next time, please don’t serch information on Naver or Youtube.
everyone i disagree with is just pretending to be korean
You forgot the /s
This person’s Korean. I think I saw them bragging in a Korean forum about commenting here. I disagree with them but this showcases that even among Koreans there’s divide and disagreement regarding this issue
I am glad you are able to voice your opinion. Ignore what mean people are saying.
Thankyou.gif
During Japanese rule in Korea, the Japanese forced Koreans to worship at (Japanese) shrines, and if they did not accept, they were killed. This is a very sensitive and painful subject in Korea today, just like the Holocaust.
Okay, but this world is heavily based on being a Japanese world, the name of the world is even Japanese. If it was a S. Korean world with shrines then you’d have a point, but… this just isn’t it lol.
Did we see churches in Selva Dorada? If they wanted to represent South American culture properly perhaps they should have included, but they didn’t. For a good reason. I’m a catholic Colombian and think it was the right call. There are so many other things about Japanese culture they could have done instead of this. I actually think it is pretty wrong to take complex things like that, including religion, and trivialize them like this is doing.
Kinda yeah, we do see colonizer religion in Selvadorada. There’s a catholic missonary style building (the bar), and you can pray at what is clearly meant to represent a statue of a local catholic saint in front of the building itself (Madre Cosecha). Either way, I just think it’s insanely disrespectful to dissalow religious elements from peoples cultures even if those religions did bad things. Judaic and islamic peoples have done bad things in the past too, does that mean we should remove their representation in the game?
I’m korean and i cant understand what the hell this is wrong…..
the fact that this username is a racial slur and almost no one realizes it while debating about Asian culture is
Yup.
PSA for people:
조센징 = Jo-sen-jing = “Joseon-person”
(Joseon = old name for the old Korea)
=> Derogatory, demeaning way (a racial slur) of calling Korean person in Japanese
(FYI: Correct, non-derogatory Japanese term for Koreans would be “kankoku-jin”)
(Therefore the person with username 조센징 and saying what they’re saying is trolling and is a shit-stirrer – Don’t give them attention)
I don’t blame people for not noticing because most of them can’t read Korean, which is understandable, but the fact that they DON’T know about this derogatory term shows exactly WHY they shouldn’t be “debating” about Asian culture and telling Koreans to shut up.
They don’t know all the hundreds of years of complicated history that has led up to today, so they have no right to tell Koreans to stop whining and to shut up.
Koreans just hate everything of japan so deleting shrine content is just meaningless.
They ‘never’ be satisfied unless the game release is canceled. Maybe most of them never played SIMS.
you’re actually correct, half of them are not even simmers. they just hates everything if it’s about japan. not ALL koreans hates japanese. I’m really sad this is happening.
This things are not offensive at all. Why? Because so called colonial flag is actually just a fan and there are multiple ones in that swatch. And also shrines have other uses then just this specific one so
This is kinda generalizing…
we’re gonna end up with an EP with zero content because EA had to delete it to appease the south koreans. jesus helps us.
lol I needed that laugh after reading these comments
We are going to get zero contents cuz of koreans .
DEY TERK ER DER ERL CERS! xD
Finally an EP that i’m actually excited about and now y’all are gonna make EA delete everything you find “offensive” until there’s nothing left in the pack. Jeez everyone is so sensitive these days. Every religion has gone through the phase of forcing everyone to worship their god or whatever.. If this is the case then everything that represents Christianity and Islam are offensive too. I’m very much offended.
Yo for real. The reason we don’t have burglars in Sims 4 is because people get triggered by them. It’s lessen the gameplay.
i was very triggered by the repo man today. first they cut of water then electricity or other way around.. and then the repo man stole something in the house. i would rather have the burglar back
I thought the woman in the picture was grieving btw.. and now this.. I don’t think EA team did this on purpose and maybe they should do more research.. have people in the team who are the origin culture of the subject they make a pack for. But I think they did this as a Japanese cultute thing and not for every sim to worship it.. I also don’t think they can do something with it in 3 weeks. But your sim don’t have to use it. Like it is still in japanese culture these days I guess and no one is forced to do something with it anymore.
“i was very triggered by the repo man today”
I hope your game breaks and you can’t play it ever again. it’s thanks to people like you sims 4 is so damn bare bones. triggered by a pixel man? seriously?
It’s a world HEAVILY inspired by Japan. Japan has shrines. The name of the world is even Japanese. I’m… having a hard time understanding this. To me it just seems more like nationalistic S. Koreans are upset that it’s Japanese-themed.
You know ..Koreans have their own shrine curture and motion is just 100% same as game. Lmao. They are just upset cuz it is not korean pack and japanese pack.
correct.
Okay, so here is a short history lesson for everyone who thinks that appearance of shrines in this expansion pack is racist:
Shrines are the biggest symbol of Shinto, a very, very old Japanese native religion. Shrines were used for kami (animistic spirits and deities) worship, way before clashes between Japan and Korea.
So, please, before jumping on the ‘let’s judge this expansion pack based on what we read online’ train, try to inform yourselves about histories of Japan and Korea.
#CancelSouthKorea
I can’t speak of what is offensive or not for Asian people, but I don’t understand why they had to put a shrine in it. To me it raises many questions. There is no religions in the sims. There isn’t any churches, temples or mosques, sims don’t have sacred books or interactions. The only explanation I see to making this shine functional & part of the trailer is occidental EA being like “ok… what do we know about Asian people…. They have this ‘zen’ thing going on… they have pretty mountains… oh and they have a funny way of praying too”
I get why the shrine would be put in the game as a decor item, like there already is religious decor item in the game, as people who practice that religion should be able to represent their culture in their game. However, why making a big deal out of it by putting it in the trailer, I don’t get.
Also, as an African, I pray EA NEVER makes an African themed packs, we’re gonna end up with tribal tattoos, piercings, animal-skin clothes and pagan totems (but they seem to think Africa stops at the Sahara so fortunately it’ll never happen)…
sism 4 season: menorah-kinara candle, christmas tree, Father winter, flower Bunny, Attend Holiday Ceremony.. all of them are represent faith or culture one or more way… so what we are talking about?
In my eyes a japan shire not better or worse than a candle or a christmas tree to be honest ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Culture yes, not religion. There was never any worshipping involved. Christmas trees are not a religious symbol (if they ever were, they haven’t been for decades)
As I said my problem is not with the shrine itself, it’s that there is an interaction to pray to it, like that “religion” connotation that ea has been avoiding in TS4 until now (they called the christmas associated holyday “winterfest” for a reason).
I feel like yes, the shrine should be a decor item and non interactable. Especially if it is insensitive towards other nations. As for the flag (I personally didn’t see it in the trailer) but a simple image of a sun on a flag should’ve sufficed. I mean, it’s a japanese inspired world and the japanese flag in their country’s flag. I don’t think that it’s right to disrespect South Korean culture, and though I may not know a lot about it I have deep respect for everyone’s culture. I’m agnostic with no religious beliefs but I do find some religions interesting not enough to believe personally but still intriguing. I love South Korea, and I love Japan both for very different reason. I won’t show an entire nation disrespect because of what the leaders try to persuade their people into believing. Not everyone in Japan is at fault for what happened, but like not every Brit is at fault for the colonization in what came to be America. And not every Spaniard is at fault for the Spanish inquisition. And honestly, I would rather have a pack inspired by mostly a specific country or culture (not including religion) rather than squishing all eastern asian nations into one. If they release a Russian inspired world in a pack, I don’t want Scandinavian or Baltic related stuff involved. But that’s just an example. Personally, though, I think a Spanish or Austrian world would be fun to explore.
As I waited for this cottage. For me, Sims 2 was like that in my Japanese restaurant. And now I built the same restaurant. But there was no cottage.
But no one makes that Korean worship that house. Lay simply somewhere in the garden. Build a fence around it so that no one goes there. The Japanese will worship their house if they want to. This is how we can find a place in the history of any nation.
These things are not black and white. As a Korean myself, who lived in Korea for more than 10 years and went through my entirety of grade school days in Korean public school system, I learned a lot about Japanese occupation of Korea and the history behind it.
I am personally very interested in the history of the short lived Korean Empire, and the last end of Joseon Dynasty, and also the Japanese occupied Korea as I heard many stories from both my grandmas about that time. Forceful Shinto Shrine Worship was indeed used by the Japanese Government to make Koreans “황국민화” which basically means assimilating them to Japanese culture esp towards the end of the ’30s. Usually these forceful worships were required by big schools, gov departments, universities, christian organizations and buddhist organization. When the organization deny to worship, the organizations were then lowered in grade ( ex- from university to just vocation school) or forcefully dissolved. I see some people claim people were tortured and killed, and although that did happen a few times, especially for more well known activists from religious organization, the more common punishment for the general public was the forceful disassembly of their organization or the blockage of religious freedom.
Yes, it is a painful history for Koreans and even my Grandma said so as she was going to a prestigious woman’s high school during the ’30s and were forced to do shinto worship- However it is not the entire religion to be blamed for being problematic, it is more so the Japanese government’s audacity to use their religion as a tool to create more pain and discrimination is to be blamed for.
The biggest controversy with Koreans and Japanese shinto worship is not actually the entire shinto religion also, it is more so specifically the Yasukuni Shinto shrine in Tokyo where they have pretty barbaric WW2 war criminals there as deities to be worshipped for. All modern Japanese prime ministers pay specific tribute to these war criminals and mass murderers as gods, despite high criticism from Koreans and Chinese who were tortured and assimilated to a certain level culturally by those specific war criminals.
The truth is, Japan continued the same line of emperors that committed all the tragedies and massacres during that time until now- albeit they are ceremonial after the WW2 and quite detached from what they used to mean, but the history is still fresh enough to Koreans that it could be sensitive- Like how my grandma grew up under that regime, and to this day she still speaks complete fluent Japanese and uses Japanese words here and there.
These are all layered and complicated history in East Asian countries not just specific to Koreans, but mostly had a bigger impact for Koreans, Chinese, and Taiwanese people. I don’t think including a shinto shrine was the best move as you can see many people can be triggered from it- the reason behind it is partially rooted in true historical facts, but also behind it’s complicated relationship between the Japanese Government never owning up to their war crimes and Korean people projecting the anger towards the entirety of Japanese culture over specifically their government.
I personally do not like seeing the rising sun motif more as it has a more direct connection to the actual imperial government who is to be blamed for all the atrocity and tragedy that occurred in history of East Asia. So that kimono with a slight similarity to the rising sun motif is definitely tacky and shows lack of research in East Asian relations and history which is very complicated. I do think including a religious element like shinto shrine was risky as you can clearly see by the outrage, but to me it is more about people having awareness of which part of their history is to be blamed for.
I do not believe in condemning any entire religion or culture; condemning the entire shinto religion is not really what we should be focusing on to better the relationship and create clear factual history between the Korean people and Japanese people. So it is not black and white like that to my point of view- Although I understand the outrage because of the actions of the imperial Japanese government which still lingers culturally in the Korean peninsula.
I hope EA decides to drop the Kimono jacket with the motif of the rising sun on it- However the Shinto shrine issue would be a harder one to address- as to many regular Japanese people, it has been their culture for a very long time of worshipping. (I do strongly oppose the worship of Yasukuni Shinto shrine or any shrine that has a war criminal as a deity thought.) Maybe if they can tweak it so it could be more generally Asian, more Asian players would enjoy it. I believe if it was generally Buddhist themed which is somewhat of a universal culture which expands all over Asia, it would’ve been taken way better.
After all, it is a sim world not the actual Japan, so why not make it more of an universal Asian experience? Just my thoughts here. If anyone found my comment offensive, I sincerely apologize.
Thank you for this eloquent comment.
As a fellow Korean (with a very similar background as yours!), I couldn’t have explained /summarized the issues more clearly, and I really wish the Sims team could see this exact comment somehow.
I myself have a great grandfather who was tortured weekly by Japanese police (pulling out nails, beatings, etc.) to write pro-Japanese propaganda, not to mention countless other Koreans (and other Asians) who were victims of horrendous acts of colonial Japan.
But I wish people would understand that
1) Koreans are not against the ancient religion itself or the people who practice it peacefully today. It’s not really about the religion itself at all
2) One cannot draw direct parallels between the impact of Japan on east Asian history and current sentiments and Germany on European (and world) history, because of how differently Germany and Japan have been dealing with their own past. (e.g. Lack of proper education in schools about Japan’s war crimes, injustices against Korean victims of sexual slavery, political figures continuously worshipping war criminals at Yasukuni, etc.)
Anyways, I think your suggestion to change to buddhist theme makes a lot of sense, and is helpful feedback that the sims team could use (and could have used so that this controversy didn’t have to happen to begin with)
This is the sentiment I follow as a fellow Korean. And it concerns me that this is overlooked while aggressive, ignorant, propagandist and possibly racist responses aren’t.
It’s not about the religion itself but about the complicated implications of it.
Why include a specific religion in the first place if even a relatively universal cultural events like Christmas is going to be renamed as Winterfest? With a little research on the shinto shrine, the Sims team ought to have known that it would be problematic.
I also agree that a generally Buddhist theme would have been less controversial, if the Sims really wanted to insist the inclusion of this stereotypical ‘Asian’ image.
Perhaps to non Asian players the negative reaction from Korean simmers might seem like a sudden burst of anger, but really this isn’t the first time EA has been culturally insensitive about representing Asians. Rising sun motif has been used almost consistently throughout the Sims series.
It is not OK just because you see that it is commonly used elsewhere. Rather, that itself shows the extent of unawareness and ignorance in understanding the significance of a symbol that is so closely associated with war. Yes, there are arguments about whether or not that association is valid, but how can you say otherwise when that flag was hung up literally next to Hakenkreuz? (https://img.theqoo.net/qGHsG) That it was a sign of oppression and violence less than a hundred years ago?
Don’t call out offended people butt-hurt just because you are too ignorant and lazy to do a proper research to understand the complex Asian history and relationships. If your claim is that it’s just a game, why are you so butt-hurt about removing a possibly insensitive feature? It’s just a game as you say, easily replaceable by any other orientalist contents many so desire. I’m sure there are many other beautiful Japanese prints and activities other than the rising sun and paying tribute to the shrines.
I am not going to speak for any other cultures because it is not my place to do so, likewise how as a person with no relevant cultural or historic understanding cannot tell others how to feel.
I am not familiar with the history between Korea and Japan and after seeing the trailer I try to find youtube reaction by either Koren or Japanese with no luck 🙁 … I will like to been educated on this important history matter, now this new pack seems inspired by Japanese culture( or Orientalisation let’s say) but if is Japanese I just looked on Wikipedia:
A Shinto shrine (神社, jinja, archaic: shinsha, meaning: “place of the god(s)”[1]) is a structure whose main purpose is to house (“enshrine”) one or more kami.[2] Its most important building is used for the safekeeping of sacred objects, and NOT for WORSHIP .[3] Although only one word (“shrine”) is used in English, in Japanese, Shinto shrines may carry any one of many different, non-equivalent names like gongen, -gū, jinja, jingū, mori, myōjin, -sha, taisha, ubusuna, or yashiro. (For details, see the section Interpreting shrine names.)
if this is the case again a poor and ignorant approach of EA on culture :-/ not happy!
From my understanding, Shinto shrine housed different kamis (divines) over the history. In modern Japan, it is more like a cultural activity with folklore than a religious practice, but during Japanese imperialism, shrines were installed and used to worship the Japanese emperor (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Shinto). This is the image of Shinto that is most recalled by Koreans who were forced to worship, thus the reason for the negative feedback.
Honestly, yes I agree this was a poor approach on EA’s part
Ok, so I see from this that there is symbolism in this pack that is offensive to South Koreans and I empathize with how this can be hurtful. I also think in this current environment, EA could be more proactive to make sure their content would not be offensive. That said, I’m deeply disappointed with comments that express that if you are not South Korean, you have no right to an opinion on this subject. Everyone has a right to an opinion on any subject and we should have the right to express our opinions showing respect to others. I’m bothered with the denial of these rights by some.
I don’t think it’s about the nationality but more about understanding the culture. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but making offensive or generalizing comments without actually knowing the context defies the purpose of the argument… Like I see some people sayinh krns are being over-sensitive but they don’t even care to know why…?
How many of the SK simmers that are offended were actually going to buy the pack to begin with if one of the main complaints is that this is Japanese inspired? It’s not like this isn’t the first time the sims has leaned towards Japan for inspiration in the franchise. I came across a japanese shrine before in the sims but I’m not sure if it’s from a previous game or custom content. I often see people who aren’t from the Shinto religion visit temples and shrines as a tourist attraction and this is sort of like that as the appeal for the game. Since the resources have already been used EA may very well take that feature out which will be a bit disappointing for certain gameplay styles/stories.
Maybe the sims shouldn’t do any cultural inspired themes . It just cause so much confusion and backlash every time .they should really focus on the gameplay , cars , farms , better babies ect. Culture is such a touchy subject . Also they can’t possibly represent every culture anyways . Or they can just stick to the small free updates with a new shirt and hat .
People push so hard for ea to include culture . But it always get some kind of backlash
culture is a huge part of life. i personally want more of it. i love diversity and i love the styles and clothes and food from all around the world.
Please, Koreans have proven to be too selfish, they say we should know about their history, but they did BLACKFACE and they skipped the accusations saying: Why are we supposed to know about black history? They’re not as educated as we thought, this is like the third korean tantrum of this kind of the year, such a shame for such an “advanced society”.
Koreans loooove their anti-black racism (just check most of the gaffes of their beloved K-Pop groups they love to export abroad) but also love to act all offended at the slight mention of Japan.
not ALL Korean simmers are angry, only some of them are complaining. they do not represent the entire SK sims community, I would be really angry if we get zero content because of this, and I am definitely not the only one. The shrines themselves are not a problem at all, and there is no reason to connect this to the controversial shrines that are actually causing political problems. but I can also see some comments here expressing general hatred towards Koreans and I’m deeply frustrated by those too.
Just let EA do their thing and if you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
thank you! someone with a brain.
There is a user who is using a racist slur ‘조센징’ against korean as a Name in this comment section and the modder is doing nothing?!
you see the multiple far-right japanese on this comment section spreading propaganda and fake news. This is the perfect example why this pack is a problematic.
where lol
all this reaching is out of control
It says south korean person. So it not a racist slur.
조센징 says “Joseon (old name for old Korea) person” in Japanese, used in a demeaning, derogatory way.
Like how the word n**ro merely describes the color “black” in some languages but is offensive within context.
The correct, non-derogatory way of calling Koreans in Japanese is “kankoku-jin” (Korean person)
actually, why would it be wrong in a LIFE SIMULATION game to have what is there in the real world? we can have shrines and swastikas and polish racism and everything good and bad in the game – you decide if your sims love it or hate it, join it or destroy it. isn’t it the game’s signature to play with life? and all of it’s aspects? just my opinion
oh my gosh, i just realised i wrote ‘polish racism’. didn’t mean it! it was in my head because of a comment above. polish people are not all racist, im not. i just meant in general racism and bad stuff. just wanted to put that out there. my bad.
To people saying Windenburg isn’t problematic for Jewish people, etc.:
Germany and Japan differ COMPLETELY in how they dealt with the atrocities they committed in the past. Japan doesn’t teach the history properly and their leader Abe is known for going to the problematic Yasukuni shrine that commemorates war criminals, and Japan tried to make their Korean sexual slavery victims shut up with a few dollars (and the list goes on and on). THAT is why the general sentiment about the history in Korea is very negative and why it’s so freaking insensitive for EA to include imagery that brings up nightmares of Japanese colonialism for Koreans.
you just offended me with your title because i am a big worshipper of God and you offending Him in your title really offended me. you see how that works?
@polish girl Please get a life LOL! Would you truly like to see swastikas and hateful things in your sims game? The Sims is a life SIMULATION game, it is ALTERED REALITY where you can get away from hateful things like this in real life. As a Polish-German person, I find you completely ignorant and holding hatred to your own Polish culture, you’re disgracing the Polish name. Would you like to see your Polish sim family get taken to a nazi concentration camp too? Would you like to see that family broken up and tortured? Please get a brain and educate yourself on your own culture, dummy.
you have no idea about me. all i mean is that it’s life simulation and if you search the gallery there are hitlers and other dictators and worse and people play with that stuff. i don’t but it’s not like the game has nothing bad in it. if you look at the game as a perfect paradise then yes, swastikas would be a bad idea in the game. but if you saw swastikas in any other war game you wouldn’t have a problem with it cos it’s just history.
Devils advocate, but escapism is what it is to YOU. Yes others as well, but definitely not everyone. It is a SIM which by it’s nature can be a completely different thing to whoever is playing it… Maybe someone wants to RP a gritty dystopia, that’s up to them. So neither of you are suggesting incorrect ways of playing it because there isn’t one, however it is incorrect to try to sensor the way others choose to play. The idea of Swastikas all over the place is offensive to me personally, but then so is the idea of telling other people how to live so and most importantly I recognise that my opinion doesn’t count for shit in someone else’s game anyway, and it is perfectly possible to just not do the things that you don’t want to do.
I actually though that sim is bent over a grave since they mentioned a graveyard you can visit.
They should just take that out. ALL religious symbols should be removed period. For the people in South Korea that say westerners don’t care, that’s not true. We aren’t taught much about anyone else. Our history is very eurocentric. Anything other than that has to be sought after in university or on our own. I only recently learned about South Korean history and my own history as a person of color. I think the shrines should be removed along with any other religious symbols. I’m Judea Christian and I don’t need Christian or Jewish things in this game. EA should delay release and remove it.
Do you have problems with the Wellness pack that includes meditation and other spiritual practices?
But the hijab and moslem clothing is okay? so in the end everything is removed besides moslemic stuff? great!!!
I don’t mind of any religious things as long as EA releases it as optional download or pack but NEVER should it be a forced download by base game patch like the did it with the moslem stuff…
Sounds like someone is Islamophobic.
People really out there finding any little thing to find offence over. They’re literally creating a culture where victimising themselves is the norm. A person can no longer have creative thought without worrying about a mob of people bashing their idea. Pathetic
thank you for this comment!
I literally can’t even with the Sims community anymore. I’m out.
The fact that people are glossing over this as if it is not serious is disgusting, especially the Imperial JPN flag on the CAS item.
That flag was flown by Nazi-allied Japan in WW2, and Japan still refuses to acknowledge, much less make amends, for it’s genocidal war-crimes in Korea and other East Asian nations.
It is that serious and we all need to be pressuring the Sims team to remove the imagery before release.
Idgaf if your weeb fantasies get ruined by victims of genocide speaking out against hate symbols, cope.
no one cares mate. Koreans are mad they didnt get a pack based on their country. too bad, maybe next time.
Yeah. Seems like almost no one cares. That’s precisely the problem.
As long as you non-Asian people get to play with some cOoL, eXoTiC, aSiAn content, who cares about colonialism and genocide and erasing history.
Do you care about moslemic stuff and the feeling Christians get because of that? We are still attacked and murdered by them and that is not 100 years ago…
So where was the ‘Asian’ protest when EA implemented the moslem clothing including the hijab that also is a symbol for discrimination of females AND discrimination of Christian/Western culture?
pixels and a videogame equals genocide. ok baby. lol!!
and it’s not “asian” content. IT’S J-A-P-A-N-E-S-E.
That’s my point, in case you can’t read sarcasm.
So many clueless people going “omg super cool-looking Asian content uwu!!”
But then again, people who don’t know / don’t care to know / don’t care at all are the main audience of this game so in the end all of this bickering most likely won’t matter
Thank you
Honestly wouldn’t be surprised if EA scrapped the entire project, and gave us all a stuff pack instead
They’ve ripped Christianity from the game to the point where we’re calling Christmas “Winterfest” and Valentine’s Day “Love Day”, but now we’re possibly getting shrine worship? No thanks.
Exactly.
If EA’s going to leave out religion out of the game (which they should, to avoid all this shit), they should leave out ALL of it.
They only brought in Shinto because it’s eXoTiC and we love good ol’ orientalism.
Stop being so over-sensitive! It’s Japanese THEMED do you know what that means? It’s not a true Historical Analogy. Look hard enough and some of you will FIND something to be offended about. Just play and shut up.
Shrines in Japan are used for protection of places than a place of worship and the pattern on the clothing looks like Surihaku pattern which is usually made with gold foil (yellow colour) and is a ‘spiny ray ’ looking flower. It is used for theatrical costumes and formal ceremonies on their kimonos. Not trying to excuse anything and I truly respect and love the korean culture. But just sharing information
Srsly just dont buy it if you dont like it.. Not everyone can be happy or satisfied especially when it is about something cultural
Not to mention this is Simtopia so its a made up world “inspired” by different cultures so youre complaining about a made up religion in a game…grow up.
Shrine visit?? what the heck???? EA are you crazy?
Do you even know what that means to most of Asians except Japanese?
Visiting shrine and bowing to the ancestors are the Japanese culture that is very controversial in East Asian countries that have been suffered by Japan in World War 2.
Because Japanese makes the Shrine for commemorating war criminals and thank them for being their ancestors. Therefore, it is such a big political issue when Japanese political figures visit the shrine and bow them.
Including that kind of Japanese religious act in the game pack is humiliating war victims
Korea was under Japan until 1945. Do you think 75 years old old care about a Sims game? Oh my god, the delusion is real bro.
We still have grandparents who were born and raised under Japanese rule. There’s remnants of Japanese colonialism that’s still causing conflict and divide in Korean political scene and other areas. There’s still victims of Japanese sex slavery alive today that still haven’t even been properly apologized to. And the younger generation cares because history shouldn’t be forgotten.
Maybe don’t be so outspoken about a topic you don’t have knowledge of
it’s a videogame. V-I-D-E-O-G-A-M-E.
if you’re so tired, ask your mum to tuck you into bed and say goodnight to you!
well i’m of jewish ancestry. thanks to the germans, my whole family is strewn out around the world and displaced from our original place.
now i’ll say im offended by the get together world that is obviously german.
be a good person and uninstall the ep NOW. no waits. i’ll campaign for ea to remove the world from the ep in future sold copies, and add a patch that deletes the world forever.
bye, have a nice day, hope you make a difference today! don’t be an evil disgusting soul and keep the get together ep installed~! i’ll be watching you~!!
Where did they ask you or try to force you to not buy this pack as you seem to be implying with this comment?
So out of left field lol
Everybody, every country did some bad things in the past.. the question is, what do these countries now? Is a Chinese theme pack really better when they have prisons for minorities who are moslems? Would South Korea be better that has no respect towards women and propaganda of plastic surgery as ‘normal’ behaviour, even for non celebs? Would India be better which is one country with the highest rape rate although it is a so-called democracy?
Why is the Christmas tree an optional download while we are FORCED to have moslem clothing in out game that even stick to our seems as outfits while aging up without even wanting that – and while Christian, Europan countries are still attacked all the time by moslems – even today?
So who cares about Christians? Who cares about Europeans?
If the Korean feel offended by that they might understand how it feels for Christians, Europeans to get the moslemic stuff as forced basic game assets, without the chance to NOT have it in the game while this pack is easy to avoid – just don’t buy it….
Oh and that’s the reason why a game like the Sims should stay away from such cultural and religious things unless it is an optional download how it was with The Sims 3 and theire cultural store bundles that included optional cultural stuff from all over the world…
Thank you for speaking out!
This. Every country has a disgraceful history. Even Korean forces did lots of war crimes in Vietnam during the Vietnam War and I’ve never seen a single Korean who feels sorry for them.
I agree that staying away from cultural and religious things is the best way, but the pack is going to be released soon anyway
Just don’t buy the pack if you don’t like it period.
Additionally, I think the reason why Christianity has ripped away from the game is that it is the so-called dominant culture..
This is straight up Korean people being racist and prejudiced towards Japanese people. Koreans always fight with and hate the Japanese, I had a foreign exchange student teaching American students how to say slurs and how to say they hated Japanese people in Korean. This is ridiculous and to be honest it’s insensitive and rude to look at Japanese culture this way. We could say American culture is offensive because of the nuclear bomb sent to Japan in WWII. We could say the German culture in one of the early TS4 eps is offensive because of WWII. Come on ppl knock it off this article is straight up racism.
A lot of people are missing that Koreans are focusing on their history, not the Japanese culture itself.
EA, you HAVE TO delete the content that would hurt your players, not because the culture is wrong, but because there ARE some heartbreaking histories.
heartbreaking histories? lady, this is not an historical soap opera.
why don’t we delete windenburg too, since it is heavily inspired by germany and well… we all know what they’ve done.
hmm?
Like I said, not about the culture itself. It will be helpful to understand their position if you know history 🙂
I’m a history graduate Ellen, and let me tell, if that’s your photo, you’re one ugly girl. Yes, you can act offended about that one.
Euro-centric history degree amirite
Some koreans are wrong and lying about their logics of “shrine blah blah”. That shrine thing in game is just like wishing well not even religious one. They are 24/7 under anti japan mood and speaks out boycotting everything about japan but sneakly enjoy japan cluture. Lol.
Rising sun flag? Really? All of my Chinese Simmer friends thought that was a chrysanthemum or firework pattern and still fail to see any connection at all. As for the shrines, they’re quite popular attractions for Chinese tourists and none of us see any problem with the game including it. Sure, there’re a small number of Chinese simmers I know who were appalled at the overall Japanese theme but even them didn’t find the shrines and that specific pattern particularly disturbing. I’m still befuddled why Korean simmers feel the need to speak for us.
I imagine there’s plenty of things in Japanese culture that isn’t highly offensive and hurtful to other Asian countries?
I don’t really understand some of these “Defend EA at all cost” type comments.
EA should have done their research, simple as.
Sure, keep it as a Japanese pack but simply change the offending things to something without such a dark history? That simple.
i’m not an ea stan. i have bashed them plenty for their many various sins. to be truly honest and having played all four sims games [and their many spinoffs], i think sims 4 is crap. nonetheless, the reaching in this thread -that many have pointed out correctly- needs to be addressed – we can’t add burglars because it triggers those that have been robbed. we can’t add a shrine because it triggers the koreans. at this point, why have a game at all if everyone is going to act so offended about everything? maybe we should make the sims 4 into a chair simulation game, maybe that won’t offend anyone. well, it may offend some tables i guess.
Yes, thank you for speaking sense.
Yes, exactly
who are you talking to? you already posted twice….
There was a shinto shrine in The Sims 2. Did you complained back then, Min?
Don’t assume everyone was quiet back then. People always spoke out. It’s only that now, you hear them better
none did lmao, i remember it. and none does now either. sims 2 has an active player base, with piles of defualts/overrides of anything you could think about, and yet none has default replaced or made a hider for the oh-so-insulting shrine.
Was trying to reply to you, accidentally thanked person below twice lol stupid phone
Thanks Min for talking sense.
@So mature you’re not very mature if you’re typing “amirite”, lady. Or maybe it’s because you’re degree-less? Learn proper spelling and get back to me; oh, and shave that beard, it doesn’t suits you.
There is just exactly same shrine motion in koreas culture.
http://life.g-enews.com/view.php?ud=2018060516252618e8b8a793f7_3
Some koreans are lying and spreding fake information to feel their anti japan power. They are just jealous cuz shrine items arent out with korean traditional clothes.
Thank you for this comment!
If you dont like the pack, dont buy it. Pls dont spoil the pack for others. Not all carry hatred in our hearts. Past is history. I just enjoy all packs. and Im Asian
Oh my god come on it’s a Japanese culture based game pack.. why are the korean getting offended over Shintoism temple worshiping which is all over Japan and the sun rays which is not even the same rising sun imperialist one which is red. They wanna say they feel offended by Japanese imperialism, other countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore had it too but we got over it and moved on. Again, all these are japanese culture. Get your offended asses checked. Sheesh
‘got it and moved on’ lol you speak of war as if it’s a common cold. So tell me, how many years was Singapore colonized? How was it colonized? How many torture camps were set up? How many people were forced to become sex slaves? A black and white photo of you will still be a photo of you. Get your history book checked.
Come on… you know nothing about their history too. You can’t talk like that when you are not Singaporean. Stop being rude if you want the history of your home country respected. Why you guys are so selfish and disrespectful to other cultures?
Exactly. I can’t talk like that when I don’t understand Singaporean history. Because I know that no matter then extent, a painful history is still painful.
So why are you telling Koreans to get their offended asses check? Why are you offended by my comment?
you’re not even Korean, we all already realised that, you know.
I don’t know why my opinion be accepted differently depending on my nationality but if I must validate, no I am a Korean. And please don’t misunderstand my response as a hatred towards Japanese culture. I have no problems (and I assume a lot of other Koreans too) with the theme itself. Cool. Japanese theme.
The only concerns I do share with many are on the shrine and the rising sun pattern. The sims have been sensitive about including religious features, and filtered them out to be universally acceptable cultural activities instead (i.e. winterfest). Shrine seems a tad too religious + the motion, like we don’t pray to the Christmas tree do we?
But at the same time, I understand that it is a common cultural, not necessarily religious, practice in Japan and removing it could offend Japanese simmers. That’s why I think the sims team was insensitive and shouldn’t have included it in the first place.
“it is a common cultural practice in Japan”
“not necessarily religious”
“shouldn’t have included it”
do you understand that you’re literally admitting it yourself that you are in the wrong about this, right? talk about a storm in a teacup.
What’s so contradicting? It’s a culture with a political root enforced during a recent war. To Koreans, shinto shrine is a symbol of oppression and aggression. To those unaware like you, it’s a culture. A little research would tell that it could be problematic to include it and yet the sims do so, to the extend of making the sims ‘bow’ to it. Hell, if they really wanted to include shrines for the sake of aesthetics in a fictional game world, why not just let the sims throw a coin into it instead? To me it just seems like a poor attempt on the sims part to create this orientalist image using the most streotypical motion as possible.
And I really don’t understand why you would call out others for being selfish and disrespectful because they feel disrespected by insensitive portrayals?? You tried to disapprove my argument because I was seemingly not Korean and yet you speak for what is acceptable for Koreans to be offended about and what is not???
Are you really concerned about Koreans discriminating Japanese when that is entirely not the case, or are you just conviniently picking on it because you are worried that you will not be able to play a game? Come on, you said it yourself. How can you be judgemental when you don’t understand the history and the culture. That’s a selfish behavior isn’t it?
And just in case you bring up “it’s all in the past” bs, look up Yasukuni shrine fyi
Please, Koreans: Don’t speak for other Asian countries.
Please, non-Koreans: Don’t speak for Koreans.
Apologies if I offended you or anyone else
@Whut your arguments failed so much you had to use “whut” as your name. bad.
If you really look at the swatch screenshot it’s not a rising sun but a stylized fan. Maybe that’s still considered too similar but we should stick to reality here.
Context context context.
This is a Sims Japan analogue.
Meaning this is either a Japanese person or someone who chose to vacation to Japan paying respect to a Japanese shrine.
Not a S.Korean being forced to greet a Japanese shrine.
It’s like saying that we can’t have the Galar region in Pokémon because of the historical British empire having happened.
So why don’t we just add Nazi salute in Sims 4 so neo nazi person or someone who chose to vacation to austria paying repsect to hitler can enjoy this game.