The Web of Hatred: An Analysis of Online Hatred in South Korea (2016)
Undergraduate: Jang Won Kim
Faculty Advisor: Michael Palm
Department: Communication Studies
Currently in South Korea, online hatred is prevailing throughout the society. From men to women, left wing to right wing, there is no single person that can avoid being the target of hatred. With extension of new groups loathed every year, it is necessary to find the factors and goals of the online hatred. To identify the core embedded in online hatred, this paper begins with analyzing one of the major online communities expressing hatred. Among a number of well known hate groups, "Ilbe" stands out from the rest with their extreme hate speech that even humiliates deceased figures. From the analysis of highly advocated Ilbe posts and news article comments on major portal sites, I managed to find keyword "nation" that connects Ilbe's hate targets. Moreover, I contend that it is Ilbe's authoritarian patriotic view that sees the out-groups as negative influences to the nation and eventually this view leads to hating the out-groups. In addition, this paper explains Ilbe's hate spreading process and their ultimate purpose of such acts by applying Whillock's hate stratagem. Using this analysis of Ilbe as a case study of online hatred, I further looked at the major online hate expressions in South Korea. Along with Ilbe's hatred towards the targeted groups, these expressions were divided into six categories based on the hate targets. From the analysis of each category, I identified three different types of hatred based on the causes of hatred: Ordinary hatred, Responsive hatred and In-group hatred. By identifying the causes of hatred, this research will assist those who attempt to reduce prevailing online hatred or prevent further evolution of online hatred in South Korea.