Islamophobia Discourse via Online Rumors in Korea: Focusing on the Rumor “How Lebanon, which was a Christian Country, became an Islamic Country?” and the “Taharrush Game”

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the current status of the phenomena of online Islamophobia in Korea and how hate rumours affect internet users. The paper analyses Islamophobic information that flows online in Korean society with two particular rumors as examples, “Taharrush Game” and “How Lebanon, which was a Christian Country, became an Islamic Country?” To identify Islamophobic fake news in Korea, the study reviewed previous cases of fake news in Korea and examined the processes of creation and dissemination of Islamophobic fake news through a review of the literature. Moreover, using the survey method and examining online postings, this paper analyzed the current situation of Islamophobic disinformation in South Korea.