Why South Korean women are striving for a male-less existence. And why I sort of get it.

Dr Belle Tindall highlights the struggles women are facing in South Korea, and the feminist movements that are rising up

Have you heard of South Korea’s ‘4B’ movement? Admittedly, I hadn’t. But now I have, and I am fascinated. A little sad, too. To my shame, I was completely unaware of the deep fracture that exists between men and women in South Korea and, subsequently, how hard it is to be a woman there. 

In South Korea, women are facing widespread sexual assault and harassment, domestic violence, an epidemic of revenge porn and a rising number of femicides. What’s more, women are expected to adhere to pretty heavy-duty beauty ideals and so-called traditional gender roles. I’m very aware that these are particularly sweeping statements, and I have zero doubt that there is far more nuance to be wrestled with, but all the homework I’ve done seems to be telling me the same thing – on the whole, it’s harder to be a woman in South Korea than you may expect.