For being a supposed Asia expert, Joshua Ramo made quite the blunder with his statements about Korea and Japan during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics:
Joshua Ramo
NBC Sports analyst Joshua Cooper Ramo has been relieved from its PyeongChang Olympic coverage after enraging many Koreans with ignorant remarks about their country.
An NBC Sports spokesperson, who refused to be named, told The Korea Times Sunday that Ramo has been removed from the role.
“It was possible for him to do more with us here; now it is no longer possible,” the official said.
Ramo angered Koreans here and overseas by saying during the opening ceremony on Friday, “Every Korean will tell you that Japan is a cultural and technological and economic example that has been so important to their own transformation.”
NBC apologized for the comment.
“NBC issued an apology in a written letter to the PyeongChang Organizing Committee, and on air, regarding the comments made by one of our presenters during our coverage of the opening ceremony,” the official said.“NBC has great respect and admiration for South Korea and its people.”
The official explained that NBC hired Ramo “to serve as an Asia expert during the opening ceremony.His role was to give an overview to our viewers of the host country and this region of the world.” [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link, but problem number is one is to claim “every Korean will tell you”. It would be more accurate to say some Koreans may believe Japan was important to the development of South Korea, but many other would disagree which is quite evident by the simmering tensions remaining today. Problem number two is why even go down this political rabbit hole during the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics? Can’t these commentators just talk about the athletes and their accomplishments?
NBC also referred to “The sea of Japan” when referencing the venues location. I think more backlash is coming.
Doug
6 years ago
Most of the American media are socialist fools. and Ramo is no exception.
guitard
6 years ago
NBC is only broadcast back in the States … how did Koreans even know about what he said?
J6Junkie
6 years ago
Some Korean American probably put it on the lefty interwebs.
setnaffa
6 years ago
Lots of Koreans in LA, Guitard…
terrence pebody
6 years ago
What needs to be discovdred is who hired Joshua Cooper Ramos at NBC? Who hired him as a director at Starbucks and Federal Express? The political organization that he manages is acceptable as they probably hold certain views that have more to do with emotional irrational beliefs than rational ones.
Ramos and the people who hired him and worked with him are the ones that need to apologize. A institutional entiry apologizing holds no one accountable for their choice and behavior.
AppeasingNorthKorea
6 years ago
So forget the part about where he said ‘every Korean would say..’ part.
Isn’t it true that South Korea looked upon Japan as their role model for development, and the Japanese cultural, economic and technological influence on South Korea are undeniable?
lee
6 years ago
Ramo made a somewhat vague statement, but in essence, what he said was true. Japan is a certainly an example of a nation that rose to super power status after adapting to western technology. Their modernized army routed Korea during the Imjin Wars and dominated Russia in the Japan Russo War.
Japan’s transformation certainly had an influence in Korea – good and bad.
NBC also referred to “The sea of Japan” when referencing the venues location. I think more backlash is coming.
Most of the American media are socialist fools. and Ramo is no exception.
NBC is only broadcast back in the States … how did Koreans even know about what he said?
Some Korean American probably put it on the lefty interwebs.
Lots of Koreans in LA, Guitard…
What needs to be discovdred is who hired Joshua Cooper Ramos at NBC? Who hired him as a director at Starbucks and Federal Express? The political organization that he manages is acceptable as they probably hold certain views that have more to do with emotional irrational beliefs than rational ones.
Ramos and the people who hired him and worked with him are the ones that need to apologize. A institutional entiry apologizing holds no one accountable for their choice and behavior.
So forget the part about where he said ‘every Korean would say..’ part.
Isn’t it true that South Korea looked upon Japan as their role model for development, and the Japanese cultural, economic and technological influence on South Korea are undeniable?
Ramo made a somewhat vague statement, but in essence, what he said was true. Japan is a certainly an example of a nation that rose to super power status after adapting to western technology. Their modernized army routed Korea during the Imjin Wars and dominated Russia in the Japan Russo War.
Japan’s transformation certainly had an influence in Korea – good and bad.