New America Media, News Report, Peter Schurmann, Posted: Aug 11, 2011

South Korean netizens are in an uproar over a popular Japanese variety show that featured three well-known comedians beating up a female Korean martial artist, reports South Korea’s Chosun Daily.

According to the report, Soo-young Lim, 27, was seriously injured during what was supposed to be a mock match with the three Japanese comedians on the show “Flames Sports Competition,” which aired July 3. All three of the men were wearing protective gear. Lim, a mixed martial artist, wore only gloves.

According to another report in the Dong A Daily, the three comedians -- Toshiaki Kasuga, 31, Hiroshi Shinagawa, 39, and Koji Imada, 45 – are known to have backgrounds in martial arts. During the fight, Lim was several times knocked down by kicks from the men that were executed “as skillfully as pros.”

Lim, who goes by the moniker “Beautiful Fighter” in her native Korea, and her management team have reportedly demanded an apology from the show’s producers.

This latest spat comes as tensions between Seoul and Tokyo are on the rise, fueled in part by an ongoing territorial dispute over a set of islets in waters midway between the two countries.

According to the Chosun article, South Korean netizens are planning to launch a cyber attack on several right-wing Japanese sites on August 15, which commemorates Korea’s independence from Japan in 1945. Japanese netizens in turn say they plan to launch attacks against several high profile Korean Web sites, including that of the presidential house.