While Japan and South Korea try to steer a way out of their latest row over ownership of two rocky islands, animosity is creeping into the countries' close cultural ties.

It remains to be seen whether the Takeshima-Dokdo spat sees Japanese consumers fall in line behind their political leaders. Weaning themselves off K-pop and TV dramas will not be easy. In a recent poll conducted by the Japanese women's magazine Josei Seven, only 10 percent of respondents said the row over Takeshima had made them consider abandoning the Korean wave.

Any prolonged cultural estrangement would come at a cost to both economies: ordinary South Koreans and Japanese drawn to one another's food and culture form the bulk of the 5 million people who travel between the two countries every year. While Japanese authorities have not issued travel warnings, the country's embassy in Seoul has advised visitors to avoid anti-Japanese protests.