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Really, comparing people of Asian descent to fictional characters is not the compliment some people think it is.
It comes partly as an ironic surprise, too; as a Korean, I’ve observed this kind of behavior increase rapidly online alongside the rising popularity of Asian content. I’d expected that increased representation of Asian characters in the media would have resulted in greater awareness and respect for the diverse spectrum of cultures within it; if people enjoyed Squid Game and Haikyuu so much, I thought, what’s stopping them from gaining a greater appreciation for Asian cultures overall?
Instead, however, we get “You’re like IRL Kageyama Tobio!” and “She reminds me of Kang Sae-Byeok from Squid Game!”.
Well.
Take a quick look through any Asian (oftentimes east-Asian) content creator’s TikToks–be it a vlog, song cover or hair tutorial–and nine times out of ten, there will be someone pointing out–regardless of what the actual content is about–that they look like an anime or K-drama character. Aside from the comparisons being downright inaccurate much of the time (how does one even look exactly like a stylized 2D drawing?), they also perpetuate dangerous stereotypes that speak to the greater romanticization and generalization of non-western cultures.
By comparing people to fictional characters–especially in the context of physical traits and ethnicities– you inevitably treat them as outlets to project what you idolize or seek after in those characters. Not only do you end up using real people as ‘stand-ins’ for fictional ones, it also simplifies a person’s entire personal and cultural identity as nothing more than the extent of a popular movie or series. Are they really like Kang Sae-Byeok, or are you only willing to see them as an attractive, romanticized character?
It may have been meant as a compliment, but its underlying significance really renders the whole thing as the contrary. Alison Willmore put it well; “a lot of anti-Asian racism gets presented through a lens of warped, acquisitive affection, and then denied or defended on the basis of it.”
Of course, this isn’t to say one shouldn’t point out celebrity lookalikes, or compliment a haircut that looks similar to that of a popular character’s. It’s only when this comparison begins to disregard the other person completely that it arguably becomes tiring and demeaning. There’s so much more to mention when talking about others, especially to compliment them; maybe their talents, great personality, or even the shoes they wore. Let’s try not to make vague similarities to fictional characters our first choice.
