<2013.05.24>
🌏 Can One Person’s Passion and Effort Change Global Perception?
There was once a young person who proved that it’s possible.
South Korea has long been perceived by many around the world as a “shrimp caught between whales”—a nation oppressed or overshadowed by stronger powers.
This perception, based on a Korean proverb, has often been misinterpreted or taken out of context in global discourse.
But one passionate individual took a stand to stop the spread of this misunderstanding and plant the seeds of a new narrative.
On May 19, Kim Hye-won, a member of VANK, discovered a shocking historical and cultural error on Answers.com, a globally popular knowledge-sharing platform similar to Naver’s Knowledge iN.
With over 180 million users worldwide, Answers.com allows people from around the globe to ask and answer questions in a public forum.
While browsing the site, Kim came across the following question:
When Koreans call their land a shrimp among whales they are referring to?
To her surprise, the answer provided was:
They refer to what were more modern, and much larger, countries surrounding it: China, Russia, and Japan.
The response not only oversimplified the meaning of the proverb, but also incorrectly framed Korea’s position in modern history—implying inferiority and a lack of modernity, which is misleading and disrespectful.
Such misinterpretations, especially when published on influential platforms like Answers.com, can reinforce outdated or distorted views of Korean history and identity.
Thanks to Kim Hye-won’s report and VANK’s follow-up correction request, this error has since been addressed—reminding us that even one person’s voice can inspire global change.
In response, VANK member Kim Hye-won sent a letter requesting that the answer be revised, stating that no Korean actually uses the phrase in that way, and that the interpretation provided on the site was inaccurate.
Answers.com replied to her letter with the following message:
Hi Hyewon,
Thank you for contacting answers.com support.
We appreciate your sending us the correction. The answer has been updated.
Please feel free to contact us with any other questions or comments about Answers.com.
Sincerely yours,
Answers.com Customer Support
After receiving the email, the correction was confirmed, and the answer on the website was updated as follows:
Actually, Koreans do not refer to their land as “a shrimp among whales.”
Thanks to the effort of just one dedicated VANK youth, a meaningful correction was made on a global platform.
This success story proves that, like Kim Hye-won, the courageous efforts of young people can help set the record straight and promote the true history of Korea to the world.
Let us continue to support and carry on the challenge of these remarkable young Koreans who are changing perceptions one step at a time!