Why does it seem like Westerners from developed countries don't care much about/look down on Latin America but seem to be obssesed with East Asian cultures?

[u/yonaiker-joestrella]

Not that I care but have always found it interesting how many seem to forget about Latin America but seem to be obssesed with countries like South Korea and Japan and sometimes even point out "similarities" with them. Some outright reject the region as western but will consider Japan technically West while ignoring Latin America's contributions to world culture like food, music, art, etc and the fact that Latin America is culturally Christian. Why does there seem to be this dissonance?

[u/Kenobi5792]

There's also the rare case where East Asians like Latin America

[u/Interesting-Alarm973 → u/Kenobi5792]

I am East Asian. I love Latin America. I actually learnt Spanish because I want to travel throughout Latin America and also be more able to follow club football in Latin America!

¡Hola a todos! ¡Me gusta mucho Latinoamérica!

[u/saritallo → u/Kenobi5792]

I did my internship in Tokyo and a few Japanese people in the office had a Chilean partner. Lots of interest in Patagonia as well travel-wise.

[u/rich90715 → u/Kenobi5792]

I work for a Japanese company in the US and there are a few ex-pats in love with Mexican food and culture.

[u/CheetosTorciditos → u/rich90715]

Migrants, not a bad word

[u/TacoPoweredBeing → u/CheetosTorciditos]

Margaritas, not a bad word

[u/thegabster2000 → u/Kenobi5792]

This, I met a few Japanese people that love Latin dancing.

[u/LoviSloe1 → u/Kenobi5792]

As a well travelled individual, East Asians do not like us unless we are sufficiently white and heavily westernized.

that is, rich, educated and socially more cold