If I used a Korean Name in a book based in ancient Japan ..

[Guest]

.. Do you think it would slide by or will some tattle teller catch it?

[Magdalen]

Korean and Japanese names are quite different. There’s some slight overlap with first names, but unless the character is from Korea I would use a proper Japanese name.

[Doreen]

I would know, for sure. Also, how ancient are we talking about? Women's names in the 1500s, for example, were very different than names today. You couldn't use a modern Japanese name either because that would be just as bad.

[Ceci]

I would be offended if someone wrote a Korean or Japanese character but used a Chinese name…but that’s just me…

[Marcia]

Eh, I would catch it. But be aware that at the time of Ancient Japan, there was no Korean; it was the Josean Dynasty and before that, Boreyo and a couple other countries. And name back then were not quite like modern Korean names. And I'm just a casual watcher of anime and Kdramas, heh.

[James]

Someone will always catch any small mistake and point it out, that's just how people are lol

[Tabitha]

Why would you do that to begin with? Honest question. Is there a reason? Like, is one of your characters Korean, but is living/working in Japan?

[Nelsie]

Even if no one catches it while reading, there's still Google, especially for those who do not know Asian naming conventions and would like to know what the name means. And based on my observations, even if Koreans and Japanese don't react, there would be people outside of these countries who would take more offense at the disrespect or lack of research.

[Brent]

If you’re writing historical fiction, you should probably stick to names appropriate to that period in Japan, or if you have a name from that same period from somewhere else, explain how and why they’re there. If you’re writing a spicy grimdark YA romantic alien comedy thriller that happens to take place in ancient Japan, knock yourself out.

[Judah]

I would catch it and really not like it unless there was some clear reason logically for the person to have a Korean name.

[Elizabeth]

Lots of people will catch it. Make the character Korean. I don't think it's fair to call them tattlers - if you make a mistake or do sloppy research, it matters. Step up.

[Danielle]

Considering the fact that Japan colonized Korea, going as far as to change Corea to Korea so it came after Japan in the alphabet, it’s probably not a great move to use a Korean name in a Japanese story. It would be way worse the other way around, but this could still be seen as claiming that Japan originated the name.

That’s just my two cents as someone who barely knows anything about it

Korean and Japanese readers would probably know, but Korean content is becoming huge in the West so you’d still have a lot of Westerners who might notice it.

[Kara]

Considering the violent colonial history, why intentionally offend Koreans by disregarding historical accuracy? Talk about rubbing salt in a wound. And readers who catch this don't deserve to labeled "tattlers." Unless it's a Korean person in Japan, no.