“Fat” female comedians in S. Korea are often reduced to narrow roles that highlight their weight. They’re even seen as an empowering counter-current to conventional ideals of femininity. Is fat comedy for female comedians a tool for empowerment? Or a reinforcement of stereotypes? The
In one comedy sketch, an overweight woman wearing sparkling jewelry and a comely black dress scarfs down food. A man acting as her manager yells, “Min-kyoung, wake up! How many times have I told you to lose that weight? How can you call yourself a woman and not make the