Distorted Memories.
Many people, even Koreans living in the Philippines, believe that the Philippines was once significantly wealthier than Korea and provided substantial aid to Korea. They even claim that the Jangchung Gymnasium was built by the Philippines. I remember a friend living in Angeles City who held this belief. Even when I tried to correct them, they seemed unconvinced.
I'd like to explore why these distorted memories have spread.
I believe the reason behind the widespread notion that the Philippines was once much richer than Korea and supported it is a mix of actual history and public memory, which has become exaggerated.
It's true that the Philippines was economically better off than Korea until the early 1950s and 1960s. At that time, the Philippines had a very close relationship with the United States, and its per capita GDP was slightly higher than Korea's. Filipino troops also participated in the Korean War, and there was some minor aid and support after the war. However, it's not to the extent that Korea survived on Philippine aid or that the Philippines was overwhelmingly wealthier than Korea.
So, why did exaggeration and distortion occur?
The first reason is to emphasize Korea's economic growth miracle. Korea experienced rapid growth starting in the 1960s. As a result, the media and broadcasts often talked about how the Philippines was richer in the past, but Korea has now far surpassed it. In this process, "richer" might have been inflated to "immensely richer." The Philippines was chosen as a point of comparison to highlight Korea's own progress.
The second reason is the era of internet memes. In the 1960s, the Philippines was the second wealthiest nation in Asia after Japan. Sensational phrases like "Korea was a country that received aid from the Philippines" were repeated in online communities, leading to further exaggeration. What was originally a story about the Philippines being slightly better off than Korea at the time transformed into a narrative of a vast difference through repetition.
In conclusion, while it's historically true that the Philippines was somewhat wealthier than Korea in the early 1950s and 1960s, it was not the overwhelmingly developed country that is often portrayed in Korean society. The narrative often involves Korea being very poor and the Philippines being only slightly better off, followed by Korea's rapid growth and the Philippines' relative stagnation under Marcos, leading to an exaggerated perception of the difference.
ChatGPT
Year
Korea Philippines
1960
Approx. $150-$160 Approx. $250-$270
1965
Approx. $105-$120 Approx. $200-$230
1970
Approx. $270-$300 Approx. $230-$260
Other Sources.
https://m.blog.naver.com/daturada73/221485797552?referrerCode=1
