Online gender-based hate speech in South Korea

ABSTRACT

This article examines online gender-based hate speech in South Korea. The article first discusses how the phenomenon has evolved and what its main characteristics are. It also examines new developments in the phenomenon in recent years and provides a brief overview of Korean legislation relevant to the regulation of online gender-based hate speech. Against this backdrop, the article then discusses two notable and distinctive trends that have emerged with the rise of backlashes against feminism in Korea. The two trends are 1) a focus on misandry rather than misogyny, and 2) a denunciation of regulatory efforts as an unjust restriction on freedom. The article concludes that it is time to redefine online gender-based hate speech in Korea, for otherwise discussions on how to regulate online gender-based hate speech will be directionless and futile.

KEYWORDS:

• Hate speech
• gender
• Korea
• online

Acknowledgements

I presented an earlier version of this paper at the conference on digital and online violence held in Milton Keynes, UK.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Research Fund of 2023.