The gender role conflict has intensified in South Korea in recent years. The ‘Gangnam Station incident’ in 2016 ignited a feminism reboot, widening the gender gap.
Among the men and women from Generation Z (born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s), differences in political tendencies and thoughts on work, marriage, and childbirth are gradually widening. John Burn-Murdoch, a chief data reporter at the Financial Times (FT), described the current situation in South Korea as a warning to other countries about what can happen when young men and women are divided. “South Korea has split in two. Thus, the marriage rates have plummeted, and its fertility rate is the lowest in the world,” Murdoch said in his FT column.
The Chosunilbo conducted interviews with Generation Z individuals. To better understand each other, female reporters in their 20s interviewed men of their age, and vice versa, male reporters in their 20s interviewed women of their age.
Many of the Gen Z men have noted experiencing instances of reverse discrimination in the workplace. “I think young men often face more challenging working conditions than women,” said Mr. A (28), who works at a medium-sized company in Seoul. He expressed irritation about men being expected to engage in more physically demanding tasks and being subjected to verbal abuse and violence in the workplace. A 29-year-old former military officer highlighted instances of discrimination within the military. “There was a time when a female colleague won an award as a representative despite receiving a lower grade than me in a military class.” He attributed this bias to the smaller number of women in the military, suggesting that they stand out as a result.
A second-year elementary school teacher expressed frustration, stating, “I often find myself handling physically demanding tasks and resolving violent conflicts between students.” He also mentioned feeling unfairly judged by some parents of female students at the beginning of the school year simply because he is a male teacher.
Additionally, there was a notable sentiment of antipathy towards feminism. Many men voiced concerns that overly aggressive attitudes towards men only encourage the gender gap. A 31-year-old company worker with four years of experience remarked, “While I believe issues faced by women in the workplace, such as pregnancy-related burdens and instances of sexual harassment, need to be addressed, slogans like “all men are potential perpetrators” do little to integrate the divided society.
Gen Z women concur that they continue to struggle against the constraints of outdated traditions and unfounded beliefs that hold them back, preventing them from breaking free and realizing their full potential. Some even said that being a woman feels like a shackle. “At a recent dinner, a senior colleague told me, ‘You might think about getting married soon, so you’d better consider moving to another team with a good work-life balance,’ and everyone present seemed to agree,” recounted Ms. E (30), who works at a law firm in Seoul. “Despite my lack of immediate plans for marriage and my strong career ambitions, hearing this made me ponder, ‘Is this suggestion implying that my age necessitates marriage?’ or ‘Am I expected to take on less demanding work post-marriage?’” Another colleague, Ms. F (29), said, “Being a woman, I frequently find myself excluded from business trips or projects with significant workloads.” She continued, “This constant underestimation of my capabilities based on gender leaves me feeling undervalued at work.”
There are also complaints of exclusion from coworker gatherings based on gender. Unlike her male colleagues in the same team, Ms. G (28), a newcomer at a large corporation, expressed feeling left out from senior gatherings like drinking parties and study groups. “When I questioned a male senior about not being invited, he responded, ‘I assumed you wouldn’t be comfortable because you’re a woman,’” she recounted. “Seeing my male colleagues privately meet with seniors for guidance and support, I feel like I’m being treated unfairly solely because of my gender .” H (28), who works at a small business in Seoul, also said, “Male coworkers in my workplace are grouped to enjoy various hobbies such as gaming and hiking, but women are not even asked if we want to do them due to preconceptions, so it seems difficult for me to build and expand good work relationships.”
The clash between Gen Z men and women is not unique to South Korea; it’s a global phenomenon. Young women are increasingly embracing progressive ideals in response to persistent sexism, while young men are veering towards conservatism due to feelings of relative deprivation as women gain status. An analysis of polling data from the top 20 income countries by The Economist, a British weekly found that whereas 20 years ago there was little difference in political attitudes between men and women aged 18-29, in 2020 young men are more conservative than young women in every country. On a scale from very liberal (1) to very conservative (10), the average for men is close to 5, compared to 4 to 4.2 for women.
“Gender conflict is a global phenomenon that arises with the implementation of post-modern education, serving as evidence of societal evolution,” remarked Song Jae-ryong, a sociology professor by Special Appointment at Kyunghee University. “It’s crucial for both men and women to consistently assess the extent of gender equality attained in our society and to promote it with an inclusive mindset, rather than engaging in adversarial battles to overcome the other side.”
