South Korean radical feminism: No dating, sex, marriage or children
The growing popularity of radical feminist ideologies risks reinforcing the looming demographic disaster in the country. A decade ago, nearly 47% of South Korean single women considered marriage necessary; in 2018 the figure dropped to 22.4%. The marriages plummeted to 257,600, from 434,900 in 1996.
Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - No dating, no sex, no marriage and no children: they are the "four no" on which the radical movement known as 4B is based, champion in South Korea of what sociologists call "fourth wave feminism".
An increasing number of women are turning their backs on the traditional expectations of a "male-dominated South Korean society" where working wives dedicate four times more time to household chores than their husbands. A decade ago, nearly 47% of single and unmarried South Korean women said they believed marriage was necessary. Last year the figure dropped to 22.4%. The number of marriages plummeted last year to 257,600, from 434,900 in 1996.
South Korean feminists argue that even the most educated women are destined to face an adverse reality in the workplace and numerous domestic difficulties after pregnancy. This was the subject of a recent blockbuster film, "Kim Ji-young, born in 1982". Based on a controversial feminist novel, the film centers on a married South Korean woman who quits her job and struggles to raise her child with limited support. On the main South Korean search engine, women viewers rated the film with an average of 9.5 stars out of 10. For men, the film only deserved 2.8 stars.
The 4B movement claims to have 4,000 members. In South Korea, a feminist YouTube channel is also very successful, which spreads messages for the boycott of marriage and the education of children. The platform can count on 100 thousand subscribers. Escape the Corset is another movement against the stringent South Korean standards of beauty. Some members shared viral videos in which they destroy their makeup and cosmetic collections.
According to analysts, the growing popularity of radical feminist ideologies risks reinforcing the looming demographic disaster in the country. South Korea's total fertility rate - the number of children a woman should have in her life - dropped to 0.98 in 2018, well below the 2.1 needed to keep the population stable. The government predicts that the 55 million inhabitants of the South will drop to 39 million by 2067, when half of the nation will be 62 or older.
The state is trying to take action: last September, the government unveiled a series of measures to tackle demographic challenges. The measures concern areas ranging from the army to schools. In addition, the authorities try to promote marriage (even with foreign women), offering newlyweds incentives and low-interest mortgages.
.png)
12/02/2016 15:14
19/08/2004
26/02/2010
