Corea!

Why is it sometimes spelled with a 'C'?

One of my very smart and tender-hearted 4th graders explained this to me, while on the one-hour bus ride to the Water Park the second to last day of school (first semester).

Korea used to be spelled, "Corea." Same for "Koreans" which used to be "Coreans."

Then Japan CHANGED THE SPELLING from a 'K' to a 'C' because 'K' is AFTER 'J' in the alphabet, whereas of course 'C' is before 'J' in the alphabet. What?!? I thought maybe it was just a wild myth that my fourth grader had heard.

No, it was not a wild myth. My Corean friend who is in his 20's gave me the same reason when I asked him about stickers I'd seen showing 'Corea.'

This is partly why a lot of Koreans, excuse me - Coreans, do not like the Japanese. Or, as he appropriately put it, this is why a lot of Coreans do not like their history with Japan, although he recognizes that this doesn't mean all Japanese are such dominating monsters.