This is a very interesting commentary on Mainichi News that compares the development of the “moe” industry in Japan and Korea.

Anime, manga, cosplay and maid cafes have become as popular in parts of Seoul as they are in Tokyo’s geek capital of Akihabara, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the Koreans have matched the accomplishments of the original Japanese otaku.

In fact, there are considerable differences between the geek culture of both countries, with the Koreans not adapting to the concept of moe - the Japanese otaku’s buzzword for whatever turns them on, but which has a decidedly “warm fuzzy” feeling about it.

Perhaps that’s why Korea’s only maid cafe shut its doors just eight months after opening.

“There’s still a concept close to moe in Korean otaku culture. There’s a word ‘haakku,’ which means to get excited, or feel good. But this word doesn’t really apply to the gaming or cosplay worlds here, yet it does apply to kinky stuff,” Korean adult entertainment world expert Chan Nan Woo from Jake Media tells Weekly Playboy. “In Korea, Lolicon is outlawed and maid cafes were a flop.”

Korea doesn’t have the swimsuit pin-up idols prominent among Japan’s otaku. It’s difficult for the Koreans to understand the concept of moe.

(“LOL, this really cracks me up, but on further thought, it does make some sense.”)

… But while Korean otaku are going for the full throttle approach, Japan’s attraction to vagueness continues. Nowhere is that more evident than in the thriving maid industry.

“Maid cafes have continued to be popular even after the Train Man otaku boom subsided. Maid cafes that did really well are already thinking about opening new outlets or getting big companies to invest in their expansion,” Harukomugi, operator of the Maid Caf? Go website, tells Weekly Playboy. “And with competition between the cafes getting fiercer all the time, there’s now a greater onus on the maids providing increasing high quality service.”

Harukomugi adds that the maid cafe boom in Japan is even striking female otaku.

“There are currently about 20 maid cafes in the Tokyo area. These have increased particularly in the Ikebukuro district. For women otaku, there are butler cafes and cafes where female waiting staff cross-dress so they look like men. All sorts of different places are opening up for female otaku. Add these in and there are 40 outlets alone targeting otaku. Add in things like maid massage parlors and the like and you’re looking at upward of 100 businesses catering exclusively to otaku maid fantasies and their ilk,” Harukomugi says.

(”Wow! seems like the otaku industry is really booming”)

Taken off Mainichi News, May 10, 2007

Now how come I dun see the moe industry booming here in Singapore?