The 4B Movement of South Korea
Written By Julianne Bullock
The 4B movement in South Korea (S.K) is a feminist movement that is predicated on women refusing to partake in heterosexual romance and relationships. 4B stands for 4 No’s, that is, saying “no” to dating, sex, marriage, and child-bearing. By not participating in the heteronormative practices that are expected of them as women, the movement allows South Korean women to envision and define their lives outside of the patriarchy. It is important to note that these women do not seek to dismantle the patriarchy, but rather escape it.
Women in the 4B movement have the opportunity to be completely financially independent. In a society where unequal pay and workplace discrimination against women are common, joining the 4B movement is a risk. It is not easy for a woman to rely entirely on herself in S.K. The system works against them. However, the message that the 4B movement sends is undeniable and arguably necessary in our era of modern feminism.
The Rise of the 4B Movement
According to South Korean scholars Jieun Lee and Euisol Jeong, the 4B movement was facilitated by the rise of “digital feminism” in 2015. Women were publicly discussing the misogyny that they faced on a daily basis. Unfortunately, a culture of misogyny is normalized in S.K. In 2014, an anti-feminist, ‘incel’ community called “Ilbe” gained popularity among South Korean men. The misogynistic ideologies that they promoted were not unique nor unprecedented. Women were no strangers to this type of rhetoric that seeked to demean and dehumanize them.
The digital feminists of this time period also found themselves resenting and rejecting the harsh societal standards forced upon them. Such standards are often tied to norms surrounding femininity and ideas of what a woman should be.
These online discourses allowed for a larger conversation to be had about the patriarchal structure of S.K. In particular, women participated in discourse around the South Korean government’s “explicit interest in the reproductive capacity of women’s bodies”. The nation has had the lowest birthrate in the world since 2013. This continuing decline in birthrates has been a major concern of the South Korean government. The situation is problematic because it means that not enough young people are entering the workforce to replace the seniors who are exiting it. The issue has been referred to as a ‘fertility crisis’ and while complex, it can be traced back to several identifiable issues that must be addressed in order to resolve the crisis. Such issues include gender inequality, the patriarchy, and gender-based discrimination and violence.
These problems have led to the creation of feminist movements such as the 4B movement. Considering that one of its tenets is not having children, this only exacerbates the fertility crisis. Thus, the South Korean government must take policy action that goes beyond viewing women as reproductive tools that have the sole purpose of providing the economy with the next generation of workers.
South Korean Women Are Fed Up for a Reason
Issues such as digital sex crimes, severe privacy violations, femicide, and revenge porn are unfortunately commonplace in S.K. According to The Cut, “A 2016 survey by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family found the incidence of intimate-partner violence at 41.5 percent, significantly higher than the global average of 30 percent.” There is also a concerning prevalence of hidden spy-cameras that are meant to record women without their knowledge and consent. These cameras can be located in hotel rooms, the change-rooms of clothing stores, public washrooms, etc. Participation in the 4B movement serves as a form of protest against these atrocities, and the government’s lack of enforcement and protection.
As previously mentioned, there are numerous expectations and standards placed upon South Korean women. Under the patriarchy, much emphasis is put on women’s ‘short-lived’ youth. Women are seen as almost having an “expiry date”, as explained by Hyeonseo Lee, a woman in the 4B movement:
When I was little […], my goal was to graduate from college at the age of 24, work until I was 29 years old, and get married when I turned 30. In other words, my desire would come to a dead end at the age of 29. It was not that I had no dreams. It’s just that I built up a wall called marriage there.
Without the pressure of achieving expected milestones such as getting married, women in the 4B movement are able to pursue their aspirations well into their adult lives. They are able to live for themselves without the burden of taking on the role of traditional wife and mother.
Concluding Remarks
The 4B movement is making waves in South Korean society, and for good reason. A culture of misogyny, repressive patriarchal structures, and gender-based discrimination and violence have radicalized a growing community of women.
According to the scholars Lee and Jeong, “The economic vulnerability of single women, in the context of the 4B movement, is seen not only as a result of gender inequality, but also as a factor that pulls women back into the patriarchal institution of marriage so that they serve as ‘bricks of the patriarchy’.” With this and the ongoing fertility crisis in mind, the South Korean government must work to dismantle the structures that make it difficult for women to be independent and fulfill their potential. This starts with changing the perspectives on women’s roles in society. Being a wife and mother should not be an absolute expectation that puts an end to a woman’s independence and sense of self.
Liberation from the patriarchy and a culture of misogyny is a difficult but not hopeless objective. Feminists have been working towards this goal for over a century, with gradual success. However, activists and advocates cannot be alone in this endeavour. Women in the 4B movement view the repressive structures of their society and the attitudes of men in S.K as unredeemable. After being continuously failed by their government and broader society, their cynicism is understandable. However, if there was a collective commitment to achieving radical social change, women in S.K (and the world at large) would likely not feel so hopeless anymore.
Sources
Ahn, Ashley. “South Korea Has the World’s Lowest Fertility Rate, a Struggle with Lessons for Us All.” NPR, NPR, 19 Mar.
2023, www.npr.org/2023/03/19/1163341684/south-korea-fertility-rate.
Lee, Jieun, and Euisol Jeong. “The 4B movement: Envisioning a feminist future with/in a non-reproductive future in
Korea.” Journal of Gender Studies, vol. 30, no. 5, 4 July 2021, pp. 633–644,
https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2021.1929097.
Sussman, Anna Louie. “A World Without Men.” The Cut, The Cut, 8 Mar. 2023,
www.thecut.com/2023/03/4bmovement-feminism-south-korea.html
