South Korea: The feminist hunters

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, Hosu Lee and Leehyun Choi
Mixed by: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Editor: Penny Murphy

(Image: Calling for gender equality during a march in the South Korean capital Seoul on International Women’s Day, 2024. Credit:Woohae Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)