Abstinence-Only Feminism: Exploring South Korea's 4B Movement

The 4B Movement in South Korea aims to fight discrimination and decenter men by leaving them behind entirely.

Women’s protest in Seoul for sex worker’s rights, South Korea. Rita Willaert. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The 4B movement comprises four strategies that de-center men in an attempt to advance gender equality and women’s rights in South Korea. They include abstaining from bihon (marriage), bichulsan (childbirth), biyeonae (dating), and bisekseu (sex) with men. 

Since the 4B movement was sparked by a Twitter user in 2018, the fertility rate in South Korea has dropped significantly, and the country now has the lowest fertility rate in the world. There are predictions that by 2065 over half of South Korea’s population will be over the age of 65.

Feminists in South Korea have been fighting against traditional gender roles, gender-based violence, and discrimination for years. South Korea’s gender income disparity ranking is one of the highest among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members, with a 31% gap between the average pay of men and women. This is particularly striking in contrast to the OECD average wage gap of 11.9%.

Discrimination and violence against South Korean women are not limited to the workplace. A 2021 survey found that a third of South Korean women have experienced gender-based violence in their lifetimes, while 80% of South Korean men admitted to abusing romantic partners in another survey. Most of the perpetrators do not face consequences.

In South Korea, feminist movements have recently been faced with significant resistance and anti-feminist rhetoric. President Yoon Suk Yeol’s political platform focused on men’s grievances regarding feminism and called for the abolition of South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality. 

This rhetoric includes the notion that feminism and misandry are synonymous and that, because of feminism, men are now the victims of gender discrimination. These tensions have further stigmatized the discussion of women’s rights and gender equality, with the government going so far as to remove the term “gender equality” from textbooks.

While President Yook Suk Yeol has yet to be successful in getting rid of the Ministry of Gender Equality, his appointment of Kim Hyunsook as Gender Equality Minister has been condemned by feminists and activists who claim Hyunsook has failed to fulfill the mission of the ministry by ignoring cases of discrimination and gender-based violence.

To address the demands of the 4B movement, international affairs experts have several policy recommendations. These initiatives include increased support and advocacy for advancing South Korea’s Ministry of Gender Equality, enforcing laws against gender-based discrimination, and requiring gender equality training for the Gender Equality Minister.

Feminist organizations such as Haeil and the Korean Women’s Associations United continue to organize protests and advocate for women’s rights. This persistence combined with the tangible impact the 4B Movement has had on the South Korean fertility rate has inspired feminists around the world.

GET INVOLVED

Those who wish to support the 4B Movement can use social media to raise awareness. To financially support feminism in South Korea, donations or sponsorships can be made with South Korean feminist organizations such as the Seoul International Women’s Association or the Korean Women’s Association.

Madison Paulus

Madison is a student at George Washington University studying international affairs, journalism, mass communication, and Arabic. Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Madison grew up in a creative, open-minded environment. With passions for human rights and social justice, Madison uses her writing skills to educate and advocate. In the future, Madison hopes to pursue a career in science communication or travel journalism.

Jeju: South Korea’s Largest Island

Jeju-do, known as Jeju Island, is the largest island in South Korea, and is home to beautiful natural scenery and an interesting community of women divers known as haenyeo.

Jeju Island. Republic of Korea. CC BY-SA 2.0

South of the Republic of Korea lies Jeju Island, a volcanic island famous for its beautiful beaches, resorts and landscape. The volcano on the island is a shield volcano called Hallasan, and it is the largest mountain in South Korea, standing at 1950 meters tall. Its status is considered active, but there are some who disagree since the last time it erupted was in 1007 AD. Also, the volcano does not smoke, and there is no fire coming out, so it appears to be dormant, hence the disagreement. Jeju Island is both the largest and only island in South Korea that governs itself. It is home to the World Heritage Site Jeju Volcano Island and Lava Tubes, and it is one of the new 7 wonders of nature alongside areas like South America’s Amazon Rainforest, Indonesia’s Komodo Island, South Africa’s Table Mountain and others.

Beyond the volcano, the island also has a network of lava caves and tunnels. The beaches, too, are beautiful, and there are walking trails called Olle, which means “a winding path to your front door” in the local dialect. They cover almost the entire island, and along their route people can see the sea, rock formations, caves and more. There are interesting rock sculptures known as Dol Hareubang, which are statues carved from the volcanic rock all over the island. The name translates to “grandfather made of stone”, and they get this name because they all have elderly features. They are also considered to be guardians of the island that ward off evil spirits and demons.

Dol Hareubang. Charity Davenport. CC0 1.0

Beyond the natural beauty of the island and the stone statues, Jeju Island is home to a community of women, known as Haenyeo. They are all divers that gather food from the sea like oysters, sea urchins and abalone. The thing that makes them truly unique, however, is the fact that they don’t use oxygen masks. They free dive down to as deep as 30 feet below the surface and can hold their breath for minutes. Girls start learning how to swim, dive and help the women from as young as 8 years old, and there are women still diving who are in their 80s. The women have been the ones to do this for many years, in part because there were a lot more of them than men on the island. The Korean War also caused an increase in women being more economically engaged. 

Haenyeo are considered to be the first working mothers of South Korea and have made diving their profession. There are no men participating in the dives and harvesting of seafood. Like many places, South Korean society has been typically male dominated, so the women on Jeju Island are very different. They have been diving for the past 1700 years, but after an increase in the demand for seafood the haenyeo were doing well and they started  trying to provide better education and other career options. As a result, many women choose  to not follow the diver tradition and the number of haenyeo has decreased since then. A lot of them are also older women who have been doing it for their entire lives, while the younger and middle-aged women chose to follow career paths. The women’s work and contributions have led to them being mentioned in UNESCO’s list of Korea’s cultural heritage in 2016.

Katherine Lim

Katherine is an undergraduate student at Vassar College studying English literature and Italian. She loves both reading and writing, and she hopes to pursue both in the future. With a passion for travel and nature, she wants to experience more of the world and everything it has to offer.

Mud Madness: Getting Down and Dirty at South Korea’s Mud Festival

South Korea’s Boryeong Mud Festival is popularly known for the mud’s enriching properties for skin, resulting in a messy yet enjoyable experience for all its visitors. 

Giant mud bath at the Boryeong Mud Festival. Hypnotica Studios Infinite. CC BY 2.0

Although South Korea is widely renowned for its frenetic cities and for birthing K-pop, many people may not know that it's also home to many unusual festivals, from body painting to bullfighting to ice fishing. However, among them all, the Boryeong Mud Festival, better known as the “Mudfest,” stands out as one of the most popular.

This festival was first established in 1998, when it was meant to spread awareness about the unique qualities of the mud at Daecheon Beach. Although initially intended to promote beneficial skin care products made from the mud, the festival’s mission soon transitioned from a marketing scheme to a more pleasurable and exciting experience.

Inflatable playground at the mud festival. Hypnotica Studios Infinite. CC BY 2.0

The mudfest takes place in the city of Boryeong on the western coast of South Korea, and can be experienced across two weeks in mid-July. With an amusement park-like vibe, visitors can purchase a one-day ticket where they can experience everything: “mud pits, mud fountains, mud pools, mud massage zones and even a mud prison.” On top of this, attendees can enjoy obstacle courses, mudslides and races, and even inflatable playgrounds. In the mud self-massage zone, visitors apply mud on themselves and wash it off after 10 minutes once the mud turns white. Applying the mud onto one’s body is believed to result in more radiant and clean skin. The mudslide, on the other hand, provides visitors with a thrilling experience which can be accentuated by applying mud on one’s body beforehand to increase speed. 

For those looking to further show off their athleticism, the Beach Mud Football Competition is an event held at the Citizen’s Tower beach on a specific day every July, where one can put their soccer skills to the test while fighting through the mud. However, as a break from all this mud madness, visitors can also enjoy the beautiful fireworks show and live performances during the festival’s opening and closing ceremonies. 

Swati Agarwal

Swati is a sophomore at University of California, San Diego, where she is studying Environmental Sciences and Theatre. Although born in India, she was raised in Tokyo, which gave her the opportunity to interact with diverse people from distinct cultures. She is passionate about writing, and hopes to inspire others by spreading awareness about social justice issues and highlighting the uniqueness of the world.

South Korea Loves Its Mountains

Climbing the country’s many mountains is a national pastime. South Korea’s tranquil scenery allows hikers of all skill levels to escape the worries of the modern world.

Two hikers at Seoraksan. Tasmanian.Kris. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

If you go to South Korea, bring hiking gear. Lots of it. More so than in the United States, hiking is a communal exercise and a great to-do. A pair of sneakers and a water bottle won’t cut it when trekking up Seoraksan, a mountain located three hours from Seoul. Hikers, whether amateur or professional, purchase a catalog’s worth of clothing for even a short afternoon hike. In addition to the equipment, bring an appetite. Food, along with a little rice wine, will be served once—at the very least.

Hiking is less of a hobby and more of a national pastime for South Korea. Two-thirds of South Koreans climb a mountain at least once a year, and almost a third go once a month. Companies that make hiking equipment find a lucrative market in the country, since retailers have estimated that the average hiker wears $1,000 worth of gear for each trek. South Korea’s 22 national parks see roughly 45 million visitors a year.

There are many reasons why climbing mountains is such a widely enjoyed pastime. For one, they’re everywhere. Most people live within an hour or two of a hiking trail. Subways and buses provide easy transport, not to mention that multiple hiking groups offer group expeditions. Beginning in 1967, South Korea began setting aside its many mountains as national parks. By the end of the 1980s, over 2,000 square miles had been designated as national parks. This amounts to 6% of South Korea’s landmass. 

The sun shines on Dobongsan. Giuseppe Milo. CC BY 2.0. 

Mountains figure prominently in national myths as well. Dangun, the mythical founder of Korea, is said to have been born on Mount Paektu, along the border between China and North Korea. The mountain is mentioned in the national anthems of both North and South Korea. Additionally, South Korean culture values “pungsu,” a practice similar to feng shui, that emphasizes harmony with nature. With mountains located so close to big cities like Seoul, they provide a picturesque respite for hard workers. 

South Korea’s fall foliage. Brandon HM Oh. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

However, only recently did the mountains attract as many mountaineers as they do now. Park Chung-hee, president in the 1960s and ‘70s, encouraged businesses to lead employees on group hikes as a community-building tool. The residual effects of this policy are still widely felt. A long lunch break often provides enough time for a quick trek. Many trails shoot straight to the peak before climbing down, allowing for brisk and efficient exercise. This may be annoying for  many enthusiasts who want to savor the panoramic views the mountains offer.

A hike through Bukhansan. golbenge. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Citizens have plenty of mountains to choose from, such as those in the Taebaek and Sobaek ranges. Seoraksan, South Korea’s third-tallest peak at 5,600 feet, takes only three hours to climb, and fiery fall foliage attracts many to this mountain in particular. However, its beauty is nearly matched by other peaks. For example, Bukhansan gives urbanites in Seoul a chance to unwind in the great outdoors. Located just outside the city, it is affectionately called the “lungs of Seoul.”

The Taebaek Mountains in winter. mariusz kluzniak. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

South Korea’s hiking culture is visible even among those who emigrate. In Southern California, South Korean immigrants often don the same gear for hiking Runyon Canyon in Los Angeles that they would for Seoraksan. Backpacks bulge with Tupperware stuffed with South Korean delicacies for a midday picnic. For these hikers, traveling the trails is more than a hobby. It’s a way of keeping a precious national tradition alive. 

Michael McCarthy

Michael is an undergraduate student at Haverford College, dodging the pandemic by taking a gap year. He writes in a variety of genres, and his time in high school debate renders political writing an inevitable fascination. Writing at Catalyst and the Bi-Co News, a student-run newspaper, provides an outlet for this passion. In the future, he intends to keep writing in mediums both informative and creative.

#MeToo Movement Reaches South Korea, Shaking the Foundations of a Society in Flux

In a deeply patriarchal culture, feminist activists face constant setbacks and scrutiny.

Park Geun-hye meeting with former President Barack Obama in 2014. Republic of Korea/Jeon Han. CC BY-SA 2.0

In 2017, TIME Magazine named “The Silence Breakers” as its Person of the Year, marking the influence of the #MeToo movement and commending the women who have shattered decades of complacency regarding sexual harassment. Yet despite the movement’s place at the forefront of the American cultural zeitgeist, the effects of #MeToo are far from confined to the United States. On the other side of the globe, in South Korea, generations of women—long oppressed by the sexism that has proliferated in Korean society—are now uniting to push back against gender discrimination and question the influence of the patriarchy.

A glance at the numbers reveals the gender bias deeply embedded in Korean culture. On average, women earn 37 percent less than their male colleagues, creating the most severe gap among the 35 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Countrywide, women account for only 11 percent of managerial positions and 2.1 percent of corporate boards, in comparison to the OECD averages of 31 percent and 19 percent, respectively. In its glass ceiling index, The Economist ranks South Korea as the worst developed nation for working women.

The problem is a self-perpetuating one, as female role models in positions of power are few. In 2013, Park Geun-hye became Korea’s first female president—but far from sharing in her victory, women’s rights organizations strongly opposed her candidacy, recalling her father’s 18-year dictatorship. Only two of Park’s 19 ministers were women, and the aspects of her platform that did promote women’s rights and access were not much more progressive than those of the male presidential hopefuls she defeated. More important, Park lost all credibility when she became embroiled in an extortion scandal in 2016. In April 2018, she was found guilty of 16 out of 18 charges relating to abuse of power and coercion and sentenced to 24 years in jail.

February of that year witnessed an incident that encapsulated Korea’s suspicious attitude towards women’s liberation: Singer Son Naeun of the all-female group Apink was attacked for posting a photo on Instagram of her holding a phone case with the words “Girls can do anything.” In a culture that responds to even such minor displays of feminism with scorn and shame, sexual abuse toward women often goes unnoticed, and survivors who try to make their claims public are met with mockery.

However, despite these hostile attitudes, #MeToo principles in South Korea are finally gaining traction, and Korean women’s accounts of sexual abuse are beginning to garner at least a modicum of respect in the public eye. In January 2018, attorney Seo Ji-hyun—who had experienced years of sexual harassment at the hands of Ahn Tae-geun, the former chief of the Seoul prosecutors’ office—came forward with her allegations on the nightly news, precipitating Ahn’s two-year prison sentence for abuse of power. (He claimed not to remember the incident.) The next month, Choi Young-mi published a poem effectively accusing 85-year-old poet Ko Un of molestation, coerced sex, and harassment. The piece, titled “Monster,” has since gone viral.

The ensuing wave of sexual abuse allegations reached into the hundreds, with presidential hopeful Ahn Hee-jung and award-winning movie director Kim Ki-duk among the accused. Throughout 2018, both traditional and social media networks grew increasingly saturated with talk of societal change, and issues of gender discrimination entered public discourse. Online profiles owned by male and female Koreans alike sported the English-language hashtags #MeToo and #WithYou.

In March 2018, the burgeoning movement reached a watershed moment: a marathon protest in downtown Seoul, during which nearly 200 women publicly shared their stories of sexual harassment for 2018 consecutive minutes. In May, 15,000 people turned out to Daehangno in central Seoul to attend a rally for government accountability on sex crimes; a follow-up in July brought around 60,000, and continuing protests have earned a nickname that translates as “Uncomfortable Courage.”

Gwanghwamun Gate, at the edge of the plaza where almost 200 women shared their experiences with sexual assault as part of a massive protest. Dickson Phua. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Younger generations have been at the forefront of the movement, and some have pushed for change specifically within the culture of schools. Using the hashtag #SchoolMeToo, students at more than 65 Korean schools have come forward with allegations of verbal and physical sexual abuse by teachers. Their stories led to several criminal investigations, and in February of this year, a former middle school teacher was sentenced to a year and a half in prison on charges of repeated assault. In response to the multiple allegations, hundreds of female students turned out for a march in downtown Seoul, which culminated in a gathering outside the presidential palace to protest inadequate responses to abuse.

The Blue House, Seoul’s presidential residence, where students gathered to protest the lack of response to sexual abuse. Julio Martínez. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

On the legislative side, there are signs of incremental change. As of September 2018, maintenance staff in Seoul are now required to check public restrooms daily for hidden cameras, which are often used to secretly record footage of women that is later sold to porn websites. The administration of President Moon Jae-in, who was elected following Park’s impeachment, has announced extensions to the statute of limitations in sexual abuse cases, and a process for anonymous reporting of sexual assault crimes.

Despite progress, activists continue to face persecution. For instance, in the city of Gwangju, where 11 teachers and the principal at one school were criminally charged with sexual abuse, a newspaper editorial questioned the value of the movement and accused students of undermining teachers’ authority. Progressive politicians, such as Shin Ji-ye, a 28-year-old Green Party leader who ran for mayor on a feminist platform last June and finished impressively in fourth, may usher in more substantial shifts. For now, isolated policy decisions and grassroots uprisings are chipping away at the inequities entrenched in Korean ways of life—and #MeToo, from one side of the world to another, continues to stake a claim against centuries of injustice.







TALYA PHELPS hails from the wilds of upstate New York, but dreams of exploring the globe. As former editor-in-chief at the student newspaper of her alma mater, Vassar College, and the daughter of a journalist, she hopes to follow her passion for writing and editing for many years to come. Contact her if you're looking for a spirited debate on the merits of the em dash vs. the hyphen.