Korean Wave is causing trouble in Japanese homes as housewives who are ardent fans of Korean stars neglect their families to set out to meet their idols, Japanese daily Gendai said April 13.
It seems nothing can be done really to stem the new Korean Wave, with high-profile fans in Japan including current first lady Miyuki Hatoyama and previous first lady Akie Abe。
"I've been a fan of Shin Sung-woo since 2005, and I want to see him perform," said Masako Arakawa, a 39-year-old Japanese woman, referring to the famous Korean singer-actor. "Though it is entirely in Korean and I don’t understand Korean, it doesn't matter, as long as I can see him and his performance."
Japanese husbands whose wives are fans of Korean stars get into trouble; a government staff became a part-time housewife to take care of his children while his wife was watching DBSK' live concert in Korea。
Why are Japanese housewives so captivated by Korean stars? "Unlike Japanese celebrities, Korean stars do not look down on middle-aged women," a Korean media expert told the paper. "Due to the influence of Confucianism, they respect their elders, and this is very flattering for housewife fans."