That's what we call misguided patriotism. Talk about being insecure.

Popular South Korean star Lee Byung-Hun's concert + birthday party was held on July 12th in Budokan, Tokyo. Both Japanese media and Korean media reported it. But apparently 'patriotic' Korean media changed the photo a bit by brushing the Japanese Flag into white. Here are the before and after photos:

However, after received protests from too many Japanese netizens, Chosun Ilbo replaced it with other photo in its news report.

Update 1 (July 20): According to the newly updated Wikipedia Lee Byung-hun page, the altered photo which causing Japanese hostility against this korean actor was submitted to the Korean press by Lee Byung-hun himself!

Update 2 (July 23): Yet another update on this. Looks like the Wikipedia entry was from an unreliable source, and consequently has been deleted from Wikipedia. It turns out that a Japanese Lee Byung-hun fan club send the photoshoped images to the Chosun Ilbo. The fan club later apologized for it. Direct link to their site thanks to John S. is http://byunghun.excite.co.jp/info/index.php?id=295.

Pics from Blog.goo.ne.jp

Lee Byung-hun's Bio:

Height: 178 cm
Weight: 68 kg
Blood Type: O
Religion: Buddhism
Homepage: www.leebyunghun.com
Korean Name:　이병헌
Chinese Name: 李炳憲

Lee Byung-hun is a South Korean actor. He was born on July 12, 1970 in Seoul, South Korea.

Lee was shooting Harmonium in My Memory in 1997 when his father, Lee In-chul, died. Lee's younger sister, Lee Eun-Hee is eight years his junior. She was the runner-up in the 1996 Miss Korea beauty contest.

He was also once romantically linked to actress Song Hye Kyo (Song Hae Gyo) who was the lead actress in the drama All In.

Lee is fluent in English and able to speak French and Mandarin, in addition to his native Korean. He also has a Westernised name, Brian.

In July 2007, he held concert in Budokan, Japan.

Japanese-Korean Disputes:

There have been disputes between Japan and Korea on many issues over the years. The two nations have a complex history of cultural exchange, trade, and war, underlying their relations today. In ancient times, cultural exchanges of ideas between Japan and Korea were common through Koreans immigrating to Japan[1] or via Japanese trade and diplomacy with Korea. However, the subsequent Japanese invasions of Korea, such as the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), and the 1910–1945 annexation of Korea, have scarred the relations of both countries ever since.

Today, Japan and South Korea are major trading partners so many students, tourists, entertainers, and businesspeople travel between the two countries. Conversely, North Korea has little political or economic relations with Japan.

Several unresolved issues continue to make headlines regularly in South Korea. South Korean Government manipulates such disputes to control public opinion. And, these disputes are also often accused of exploiting nationalism for political purposes. However, internationally, these issues have been solved by Japan-Korea Basic Relations Treaty without the Liancourt Rocks issue.

Source: Wikipedia