In this blog post, we’ll examine the historical background and sociocultural causes behind why manga and anime otaku, in particular, have come to be viewed so negatively.
The Meaning of “Otaku” in Korea
In South Korea, some people feel it takes considerable courage to say that their hobby is watching manga or anime. This is because such a self-introduction is often interpreted to mean that the person is an “otaku” who is excessively obsessed with Japanese manga or anime. Although “otaku” was originally a Japanese term referring to someone deeply immersed in a specific field or hobby, it has been used in a somewhat distorted sense in South Korea. In particular, otaku who enjoy manga and anime carry a far more negative image than otaku in other fields. I would like to examine how this image became entrenched in Korean society and why manga and anime otaku are perceived more negatively than otaku in other fields.
The Negative Connotation of “Otaku”
When people hear the term “otaku,” many conjure up a specific image. They often imagine someone who, despite being an adult, is excessively obsessed with fictional characters from manga or anime and appears socially awkward. However, the etymology and original meaning of “otaku” differ somewhat from this image. “Otaku” originally meant “house” in Japanese and was a polite term used to refer to another person’s home. Later, it began to be used as a term for people deeply immersed in a specific hobby.
Generally, while a “fan” refers to someone who is enthusiastic about a specific hobby or subject, a “mania” refers to someone who possesses their own standards and discernment regarding that field. “Otaku” went a step further, coming to be used to describe someone with expert-level knowledge and interest in a specific field. So, if “otaku” was originally a word that could apply to any field, why is it now primarily perceived as a term for people who love manga and anime?
To understand this prejudice held by the general public, we first need to examine its origins. Looking first at the case of Japan, when the concept of “otaku” first became known to the public, the media focused intensely on some of the more sensational and unconventional examples of otaku culture. In particular, the negative image of otaku spread rapidly after the media revealed the room of Tsutomu Miyazaki, the perpetrator of a serial murder case that shocked Japanese society in 1989. His room was filled with thousands of videotapes and various manga and video materials, and the media repeatedly reported on this scene. As a result, the term “otaku” began to be associated not merely with someone deeply immersed in a specific hobby, but with the image of a socially dangerous or deviant individual.
Of course, in Japanese society today, the meaning of the term “otaku” has become far more diverse than in the past, and its negative connotations have largely been mitigated. However, the media coverage at that time had a significant impact on shaping public perception of otaku.
Furthermore, following the collapse of the economic bubble in the 1990s, Japan saw a growing emphasis on efficiency and productivity across society. Fulfilling one’s role as a member of society and participating in economic activities were considered important, and people who were overly absorbed in specific hobbies were sometimes perceived as deviating from social norms. Amid this atmosphere, otaku culture was often portrayed as a culture lacking in social skills or detached from reality, which further reinforced negative perceptions of otaku.
South Korea also came to encounter otaku culture in a similar way. As the cable television market expanded in the late 2000s, broadcasters began actively seeking sensational content to attract viewers’ attention. Otaku culture, which was unfamiliar to the general public at the time, proved to be a highly appealing subject. Consequently, some television programs introduced otaku culture by focusing on extreme cases, highlighting people who were excessively obsessed with specific character merchandise or treated fictional characters as if they were real romantic partners.
These broadcasts sparked significant public interest and served as the first introduction to the term “otaku” for many people. However, the problem was that the broadcasts showcased only extreme cases rather than otaku culture as a whole. Instead of highlighting the enjoyment of hobbies, the programs focused on behavior that failed to distinguish between reality and fiction; as a result, the general public who encountered otaku culture through these broadcasts came to perceive all otaku as a homogeneous group.
Subsequently, manga and anime otaku began to be portrayed as social misfits or eccentric individuals. While extreme cases exist in any group, the public tends to generalize them as characteristics of the entire group. Ultimately, a few sensational incidents and TV programs came to define the image of otaku as a whole, and even today, many people still view otaku simply as fans of Japanese manga or anime—or perceive the term in a negative light.
Age-Appropriate Hobbies and the Obsessions of Korean Society
Of course, as time has passed, the meaning of the term “otaku” has gradually evolved. It is now used in a much wider range of fields than before and is sometimes employed in a friendly or positive context. In fact, expressions like “classical music otaku,” “car otaku,” and “baseball otaku” are used to praise deep passion and expertise in specific fields. However, in the manga and anime sectors, a negative connotation still persists. Why are otaku in other fields viewed positively, while manga and anime otaku are not?
Among the generations that grew up enjoying popular culture, it is very rare to find anyone who had no exposure to comics or animation during their childhood. Even today, many children enjoy watching animation, and webtoons have established themselves as a key pillar of the Korean content industry. If the negative perception of manga and anime otaku were simply due to wariness toward an unfamiliar culture, the generation that grew up consuming this content should have relatively fewer prejudices.
However, this is not necessarily the case. On the contrary, many people—from today’s teenagers to those in their 30s and even 40s—belong to the generation that has most actively used the term “otaku.” Therefore, the explanation that people view otaku negatively simply because comics and animation are unfamiliar is not sufficient.
The phenomenon of viewing otaku in the manga and anime fields—hobbies they themselves once enjoyed—more negatively than otaku in other fields with which they have no experience is difficult to understand intuitively. However, it can be explained to some extent by considering the strong expectations regarding “age-appropriate behavior” that exist in Korean society.
In Korean society, there is a sort of standard path that is considered necessary to follow at each age group in order to lead a successful life. A typical example is the process of attending a good school, securing a good job, getting married, and starting a family. Of course, these values have gradually become more diverse in recent years, but many people still feel pressure to live according to these predetermined stages.
In this climate, people who actively enjoy comics and animation—hobbies often considered appropriate for childhood—even as adults are often viewed as “people behaving inappropriately for their age.” In other words, the negative perception of manga and anime otaku is not simply a rejection of the hobby itself, but is linked to how society views those who deviate from the social roles and behavioral norms expected of a specific age group. In Korean society, prejudice against manga and anime otaku can ultimately be seen not as a matter of personal taste, but as a product of cultural perceptions shaped by societal expectations regarding age and social roles.
