South Korean vlogger flashes ‘peace sign’ in Turkey, told by locals it means something else: ‘Most fragile nation’
A South Korean traveller’s innocent selfie gesture in Turkey has turned into a viral talking point online.
Content creator Tyongee was visiting the country when she struck a typical peace-sign pose for the camera. But almost immediately, two men stopped her and told her that the gesture was not acceptable in Turkey. In her Instagram post sharing the clip, she admitted, “I did not know at all! It’s amazing how I get to learn a new culture and manner whenever I travel.”
In the video, the men explain that while the V-sign means “peace” in many countries, in Turkey it is associated with terrorism. One of them tells her, “In your culture, it means peace, but unfortunately in Turkey, it is raised about terrorism,” leaving her surprised. Curious, she then asks if making a finger-heart–another popular Korean gesture–is fine, and the men say yes.
Watch the video:
The clip has stirred debate among viewers. Some Turkish users online clarified that the peace sign isn’t officially banned, but it carries sensitive associations.
One person wrote, “I’ll explain: this sign is, of course, originally the peace sign. However, in our country, since it is often used by terrorist kurds, it has left a negative impression on the Turkish public. It is not banned, but its use is generally frowned upon, and people may look at you differently. For years, the terrorist kurds who have caused us great suffering in our country have unfortunately tainted this beautiful sign for us and made it evoke negative feelings. Thank you for your understanding.”
Others, however, pushed back. A Turkish commenter said, “As a Turkish, I never heard that sign is banned:) they just made it up… We use it and it’s super common.” Another quipped, “I ain’t doing any signs if I’m traveling internationally.”
Many viewers appreciated the respectful way both sides handled the situation, with one remarking, “They were respectful, the girl was respectful, that’s how people should talk every time.”
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