From #MeToo to 4B and Escape the Corset: What feminism looks like in South Korea

The gender pay gap

South Korea has consistently recorded one of the largest gender pay gaps among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. According to 2022 data, women earn approximately 31.1 per cent less than their male counterparts—the highest disparity among developed economies. This gap reflects deeply embedded structural issues in the Korean labour market and workplace culture.

Glass ceiling and workplace discrimination

Women in Korea continue to face significant barriers to career advancement, with corporate leadership remaining overwhelmingly male-dominated. As of 2022, women held just 5.2 per cent of executive positions in the top 100 Korean companies, according to a report by the Korean Women’s Development Institute. The concept of the “glass ceiling” remains deeply entrenched in Korean corporate culture, limiting opportunities for women to rise through the ranks.

Beyond structural limitations, social expectations around female appearance have also shaped workplace dynamics. The 2018 “corset-free” movement was a powerful statement against these pressures, as thousands of women shared photos of smashed makeup products, rejecting the unspoken rules of beauty conformity in professional settings. The movement underscored a broader call for change, challenging the rigid standards that continue to define women’s roles in Korea’s professional landscape.

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Family care burden

Traditional and highly patriarchal gender roles remain deeply ingrained in Korean society, with women in dual-income households disproportionately shouldering household management and childcare. A 2024 study by the Yonsei University College of Medicine revealed a stark imbalance: married women spend an average of two hours and 37 minutes per day on housework, while their husbands contribute just 21 minutes—a disparity of more than sevenfold.

This unequal division of labour has far-reaching consequences, contributing to the “M-curve” employment pattern, where many women exit the workforce during childbearing years and struggle to return. These career interruptions significantly hinder economic security and professional advancement, reinforcing the systemic barriers that continue to limit women’s long-term career trajectories in Korea.

The #MeToo movement in Korea

The #MeToo movement in Korea gained momentum in 2018, sparking a national reckoning on sexual harassment and abuse. The catalyst was prosecutor Seo Ji-hyeon, who, in a nationally televised interview, bravely recounted the sexual harassment she endured from a senior colleague. Her revelation shattered the silence and emboldened countless women across Korea to share their own experiences, exposing the entrenched power imbalances that enabled such misconduct to persist.

The movement led to the downfall of several high-profile figures, marking a turning point in Korea’s cultural and professional landscape. Acclaimed filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, once celebrated for his artistic contributions, saw his career and reputation irreparably tarnished after multiple women—actresses and former colleagues—accused him of verbal and physical abuse, including sexual harassment.

In politics, Ahn Hee-jung, a rising figure in the Democratic Party, was publicly accused of sexual assault by his secretary, Kim Ji-eun, during a live interview on JTBC. Kim alleged that other victims existed within the governor’s office, prompting Ahn’s immediate expulsion from the party and his resignation as governor.

The literary world also faced its reckoning when women in South Korea’s literary community came forward with allegations against poet Ko Un, accusing him of decades of sexual misconduct and coercion of vulnerable writers. His legacy came under fire, leading to the removal of his poems from South Korean textbooks.

These cases underscored the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and assault in Korea, particularly in industries and institutions where power imbalances rendered victims vulnerable. The #MeToo movement forced a national conversation on accountability, consent, and gender dynamics, pushing Korea toward greater social and legal recognition of women’s rights.

Read more: How entrepreneur Jiwon Park challenged the patriarchy, tackled online abuse and is empowering women to take charge of their sexual wellness

The spy camera epidemic and women’s response

One of the most visible and powerful feminist movements in Korea emerged in response to the molka crisis—a wave of secretly recorded videos capturing women in public spaces, including toilets, changing rooms, and public transport, which were then shared online without consent. The term “molka”, short for “mollae-kamera (Korean: 몰래카메라), translates to “sneaky camera”, reflecting the insidious nature of these hidden recordings. The epidemic of spy cam crimes became a national issue, highlighting the systemic failure to protect women's privacy and safety.

In 2018, frustration turned into action as an estimated 70,000 women gathered in Seoul for the Women’s March Against Spy Cams, chanting, “My life is not your porn.” These demonstrations, among the largest women’s protests in Korean history, continued monthly throughout 2018, applying immense pressure on authorities to take action. The movement forced the government to tighten laws on digital sex crimes, increase policing of hidden cameras, and hold perpetrators accountable. What began as a protest against molka evolved into a larger feminist awakening, as Koreans began to confront the fact that the problem existed because of more deeply rooted social inequities. At the same time, women also began to demand greater protections for women’s rights and privacy in South Korea’s digital age.

Escape the Corset movement

The Escape the Corset (탈코르셋) movement emerged in 2018 as a bold rejection of Korea’s rigid beauty standards, with women across the country taking a stand against societal expectations. Participants cut their hair short, destroyed their makeup products, and shared their transformations online using the hashtag #탈코르셋. These public acts of defiance challenged the deeply ingrained belief that women’s worth is tied to their appearance, sparking a larger conversation about gender inequality and social pressures.

At its core, the movement confronted Korea’s intensive beauty culture, where women are expected to adhere to elaborate skincare routines, cosmetic enhancements, and strict appearance standards. More than just a pushback against beauty norms, Escape the Corset connected beauty standards with deeper structural inequalities, highlighting how these expectations reinforce gender roles, workplace discrimination, and societal control over women’s bodies. 

See also: “Skip-care”: The Korean beauty scene’s “less is more”, but what is it?

The 4B movement

Perhaps one of Korea’s most radical feminist movements, ‘4B’ (Four Nos) advocates for women to reject heterosexual relationships, marriage, childbirth, and male-dominated relationships. The name comes from the Korean words “bihon” (no marriage), “bichulsan” (no childbirth), “biyeonae” (no dating men), and “bisekseu” (no sexual relations with men).

Emerging between 2017 and 2019 on Twitter, the movement responds to perceived structural inequalities within Korean marriage and family structures. Proponents argue that these traditional arrangements often disadvantage women both economically and socially, leading them to seek autonomy by rejecting conventional roles and expectations.

Interestingly, there was a surge in international interest in 4B following the US elections of 2024 in which Donald Trump won a second term. Calling the movement the “4 Nos” and “Lysistrata”, American women expressed interest in the tenets of 4B as a form of protest against Trump’s election and his anti-feminist policies.

While still relatively rare, K-dramas like Because This Is My First Life (2017), Strong Woman Do Bong-soon (2017), Nevertheless (2021), and Love To Hate You (2023) are increasingly exploring feminist themes, potentially shifting public discourse both domestically and internationally.

Beyond television, K-pop idols like Red Velvet’s Irene, Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung, and even BTS’s RM have shown their support for the feminist movement in Korea.

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Irene, however, faced significant backlash from male fans after being seen reading Kim Ji-young, Born 1982, a novel that examines South Korea’s deeply entrenched patriarchy. The book, widely considered a feminist touchstone, sparked outrage among certain male audiences, some of whom even cut up and burned Irene’s photos in protest.

Sooyoung, on the other hand, openly embraced the book despite the controversy, stating, “I read the book and it changed how I think. Everything I’ve put aside, thinking it doesn’t mean anything, is actually because I’m a woman. I realised how unfair it has been all this time.” 

RM also read Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 and has found it so thought-provoking that it has remained a staple in his list of book recommendations ever since.

Other Korean celebrities have taken bold stances in support of gender equality and feminism, despite the cultural and industry challenges that often accompany such advocacy. Among them, the late Sulli, a former member of f(x), was one of the most outspoken figures, openly addressing issues such as feminism, mental health, and body positivity, defying societal norms and industry expectations. A firm believer in women’s right to dress as they please, she often made headlines for choosing not to wear a bra in public—an act that drew both strong criticism and admiration. Her fearless attitude and willingness to challenge South Korea’s deeply ingrained beauty and modesty standards cemented her legacy as a trailblazer in feminist discourse.

Seventeen’s Wonwoo has also subtly expressed support for women’s rights. He has been seen wearing bracelets supporting comfort women, a term referring to women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. As a group known for producing their own music, Seventeen members frequently consult their female staff to ensure that their lyrics are respectful and not unintentionally offensive.

Read more: K-pop’s self-producing idols and how they’ve kept creative control over their work

Meanwhile, EXO has also lent its voice to gender equality, notably through the group’s 2013 Gender Equality and Multicultural Campaign. Members D.O. and Chanyeol have been spotted in public wearing slogan T-shirts advocating gender equality and anti-sexism, reinforcing their commitment to progressive causes.

Actress and singer Bae Suzy took a stand in 2018 when she publicly supported a Blue House petition demanding justice for YouTuber Yang Ye-won, who came forward with allegations of sexual harassment during a photoshoot. Suzy’s endorsement of the petition drew widespread media attention, adding pressure on authorities to investigate and address the issue.

Similarly, Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany spoke out when a video surfaced of Ewha Women’s University students singing the group’s debut song, Into the New World, while being forcefully suppressed by approximately 1,600 policemen during a protest. Reflecting on the moment, Tiffany remarked, “It was a proud moment as a member of Girls’ Generation. This is the age of feminists, and it is the time in which we need more messages to empower other women. I’m glad that our song was played for that role.” 

In recent years, anti-feminist sentiment has been on the rise in South Korea, particularly among younger men who view gender equality initiatives as a form of reverse discrimination. This backlash became particularly evident during the 2022 presidential election, where candidates openly courted male voters by questioning existing gender equality policies. The discourse surrounding feminism and gender issues has since remained a deeply polarising topic in the country, with politicians, media, and online communities all contributing to the debate.

See also: How Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com, is championing gender equity in a male-dominated industry

The internet has become a battleground for gender issues, with feminist and anti-feminist factions clashing in highly visible online spaces. Platforms like Megalia (now defunct) and Women’s Generation emerged as hubs for feminist discourse, often employing provocative tactics that sparked controversy. Meanwhile, male-dominated online communities have mobilised to push counter-movements, vocally opposing feminist initiatives and advocating for men’s rights. This division has played out in real-world protests, political campaigns, and cultural debates, shaping public attitudes toward gender and social equality.

At the governmental level, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family has been at the centre of political contention, facing repeated threats of dissolution. During his campaign, President Yoon Suk-yeol made disbanding the ministry a key promise, reflecting the broader pushback against institutional gender policies. While the ministry remains operational, its future remains uncertain, with ongoing debates over its role, necessity, and effectiveness in addressing gender disparities.

While substantial challenges remain, Korean women continue to organise, advocate, and create change across multiple fronts—legal, cultural, and social, and Korean feminist movements will only continue evolving and gaining strength. From grassroots activism to high-profile legal battles, women are steadily challenging deeply entrenched gender norms, proving that even in the face of strong opposition, progress remains possible.

Their persistence in the fight for equality and justice underscores the power of collective action in transforming systemic inequalities. While resistance to feminism remains a formidable barrier, the ongoing discourse has already begun reshaping public attitudes, policy debates and workplace dynamics. As these movements grow and adapt, they continue to lay the foundation for a more inclusive and equitable society, demonstrating that social transformation, though gradual, is inevitable when voices unite in pursuit of change.

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