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South Korea: The feminist hunters

In South Korea 鈥渇eminism鈥 has become a dirty word - something to be whispered in private - as young men hunt feminists down online and offline. Jean Mackenzie investigates.

Why feminism has become a dirty word in South Korea. In South Korea being a feminist is now something that can only be admitted in private, thanks to a fierce backlash against feminism. Anti-feminists accuse women who advocate for equality as being man-haters, worthy of punishment. Online witch-hunts - spearheaded by young male gamers - target women suspected of harbouring feminist views, bombarding them with abuse and demanding they be fired from their jobs. Jean Mackenzie investigates how these witch-hunts have silenced women. She asks what this means for the future of women's rights in a country where gender discrimination is still deeply entrenched.

Presenter: Jean Mackenzie
Producers: John Murphy, Jake Kwon and Hosu Lee
Mixed by: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Women marching in the South Korean capital, Seoul, on International Women's Day (2024). Credit: Jung Yeon-Je/Getty)

Release date:

27 minutes

On radio

Tue 7 Jan 2025 02:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 7 Jan 2025 02:32GMT
  • Tue 7 Jan 2025 09:32GMT
  • Tue 7 Jan 2025 20:06GMT
  • Tue 7 Jan 2025 21:06GMT
  • Sat 11 Jan 2025 23:32GMT
  • Sun 12 Jan 2025 12:32GMT
  • Sun 12 Jan 2025 16:06GMT

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