feminism
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The Kevin Spacey Twist in South Korea's #MeToo Campaign?
The #MeToo movement is intensifying in South Korea. But in the sexually conservative society, the waters get murkier when homosexuality gets involved. On Feb. 1, a film director went public with her experience of sexual assault. She had been assaulted in 2015 by fellow director Lee Hyun-ju and wrote about
Study: "Dating Violence Prevalent in Seoul"
88.5 percent of women living in Seoul have experienced dating violence, in some form or another, according to a report published on Jan. 30 by Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG). The report, titled “Dating Violence Leads to Domestic Violence After Marriage,” was based on an online survey of 2,000
#MeToo Didn't Just Start in South Korea
On Jan. 29, prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon appeared on national television with revelations that shocked South Korea. Speaking on cable channel JTBC, Seo gave a detailed account of her sexual assault at the hands of a colleague eight years ago. Seo, formerly an award-winning prosecutor with a promising future, had once
P(r)aying for Bigotry at Handong University
“Homosexuality is not just any crime. It’s a serious problem that tries to change laws, systems, society and culture and corrupt our children.” Jei Yanggyu, a professor at Handong University, voiced such concerns on the university’s internal website on Dec. 23. “If Handong loses its identity as
"Black Protests" Call End to Outdated Abortion Law
These “black protesters” want to put an end to South Korea’s outdated abortion law, which activists argue places most of the burden on women, who must not only bear the brunt of the pregnancy, but also face the social stigma and shame surrounding abortion. Abortion
Faster Than Men
Too many occupations are still perceived as “a man’s job,” or “a woman’s job.” Meet Hyemin Moon, a car racer in a sport still dominated by men. She’s not afraid to break stereotypes, and she’s not afraid
The Latest in S. Korean Feminism: Zucchinis
Yes, zucchinis. On Nov. 18, 3:14 p.m. KST, South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in responded to a comment about a vegetable. The instigating tweet made a jab at Yoo’s persona: “Yoo Ah-in…he seems good to look at from 20 meters away…but it may be
Government Mulling Easier Access to Menstrual Cups
Good news for South Korean women: In the wake of a scandal last month involving evidence that the country’s top-selling sanitary pad products contained toxins, the government is taking a step toward legalizing menstrual cups, although the government denies that this action is caused by the pad scandal. Last
It Was Just Our Body. It Was Just Underwear
Editor’s Note: In July, online media outlet Dotface uploaded an interview with an elementary school teacher, titled “My Teacher is a Feminist.” In the interview, the teacher said, “Have you seen the schoolyards at elementary schools? They don’t belong to girls. Those that play soccer and run are
50,000 Won for Loose Dogs, Public Smoking, and Death Threats
On Aug. 10, a South Korean broadcast jockey (BJ) live-streamed his quest to track down and “kill” a female YouTuber. But he’s not the only one being criticized online — netizens are just as angry and taken aback by the police who handled the case, by fining the jockey a
Ppira: Women's Bodies as Bait in Propaganda War Between Two Koreas
A woman with curled up hair and enamel white pumps flashes her legs in an archetypal Marilyn Monroe posture — wind blows from below, ballooning up her flowing dress, which she pushes down just before revealing too much. “Who’s stopping you?” “If you run, it takes just five minutes!
Please Don't Walk Away Next Time You Hear a Scream
Imagine this. After a late evening golf practice, you light a cigarette and walk into the parking lot. Then, you hear a scream of a woman and see a pair of legs sticking out of one car. What would you do? On June 24, a woman surnamed Kim was abducted