As the Japanese animated film Demon Slayer: Mugen Castle Arc draws strong audiences in Korea, a major domestic online shopping mall is under fire for selling products featuring the Rising Sun Flag pattern that appears in the animation.
On the 16th, Seogyeong-deok, a professor at Sungshin Women's University, wrote on his social media, "Back during the 'Mugen Train Arc,' the protagonist appeared wearing earrings with a Rising Sun Flag pattern, which sparked major controversy, yet various products such as keyrings and earrings are still being openly sold." He also said, "No matter that an online shopping mall provides a platform for 'overseas direct purchases,' selling items with the Rising Sun Flag pattern without proper vetting is clearly wrong."
He continued, "Since this situation only gives Japan a pretext for using the Rising Sun Flag, we ourselves must be the first to be cautious," noting that while it is natural for corporations to strive to earn significant money, understanding basic history and public sentiment is extremely important. He added, "We urge swift corrective action by the major domestic online shopping mall."
After controversy arose that the earrings worn by Demon Slayer protagonist Kamado Tanjiro resemble the Rising Sun Flag, the design was changed to a different pattern in Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.