Allegations that South Korea is “stealing Chinese culture” have proliferated on the Chinese social media platform Rednote, formerly known as Xiaohongshu. (Photo: a screenshot from Prof. Seo Kyoung-Duk’s social account)
SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Korea Bizwire) — As U.S. users migrate en masse to the Chinese social media platform Rednote, formerly known as Xiaohongshu, allegations that South Korea is “stealing Chinese culture” have proliferated, raising concerns over misinformation and rising tensions between online communities.
Seo Kyoung-Duk, a professor at Sungshin Women’s University, revealed on February 19 that reports from internet users in both the U.S. and China prompted him to investigate Rednote, where he discovered a wave of posts making inflammatory claims against South Korea.
“Some posts go as far as to label Korea as a ‘nation of thieves,’” Seo said. “Misinformation is spreading, with content falsely asserting that ‘kimchi originates from China’ and urging users not to trust Koreans.”
The situation has become increasingly serious, he warned, as Rednote, once predominantly used within China, now sees a surge of American users seeking alternatives following regulatory scrutiny of TikTok in the U.S. This shift, he argued, raises the risk of foreign users being influenced by Chinese nationalist narratives.
Seo attributed this phenomenon to growing resentment among Chinese internet users over the rising global influence of Korean culture. “This distorted form of Sinocentrism only serves to isolate China further from the international community,” he said, urging awareness of the divisive impact such rhetoric could have.
The controversy underscores the broader geopolitical and cultural tensions playing out in the digital space, as social media platforms become new battlegrounds for nationalistic disputes and historical revisionism.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
