South Korean prosecutors have ordered the reopening of an investigation into the use of the “pincer gesture,” a hand sign made by pinching the thumb and index finger together, which some men in their 20s and 30s claim is used by radical feminists to mock male genitalia.
On Aug. 9, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office directed police to revisit the case involving online users who revealed the personal information of a female artist and insulted her over accusations that she used the gesture in the game “MapleStory.” Seocho Police Station had initially determined there was no criminal activity and chose not to refer the case for prosecution. However, following public backlash, police reversed their decision on Aug. 7, acknowledging that the initial investigation was insufficient and announced plans to investigate further.
The controversy began in November 2023, when male gamers noticed a character making the pincer gesture in a promotional video for MapleStory and claimed it was a form of “male-bashing.” Some netizens targeted a female artist involved in the video’s production, accusing her of deliberately including the gesture due to her past social media posts supporting feminist views. Despite it later being revealed that a man in his 40s had drawn the gesture, the artist became the focus of online harassment, including the sharing of her personal information and derogatory comments. In June, she filed a defamation lawsuit against 35 individuals at Seocho Police Station.
Police initially declined to pursue charges, citing the artist’s previous feminist-leaning social media activity. This decision sparked outrage among South Korean women, who accused the police of neglecting their duties and failing to protect individuals targeted for their feminist beliefs. Critics argued that dismissing the case based on the victim’s past actions was akin to victim-blaming in sexual assault cases. Police reportedly received numerous complaints through their website.
The reversal of the police’s decision, along with the prosecutor’s order to reopen the investigation, is considered highly unusual. The prosecution cited the need for further investigation, noting that the suspects had posted or sent messages that were both insulting and potentially humiliating. A government official acknowledged that the pincer gesture has become a “hot-button issue” in South Korea’s ongoing gender conflict, raising concerns about the adequacy of the police’s initial response.
The pincer gesture controversy first gained attention in 2021 when the convenience store chain GS25 faced criticism for featuring the gesture in a promotional poster. Since then, similar claims have emerged in various contexts, including promotional materials from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Renault Korea, and several private companies such as SK Hynix, LG Electronics, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, Nongshim, Musinsa, and Emart. Government ministries and local governments have also been accused of using the gesture in their publications. At one point, international media covered the debate, describing it as part of a fierce gender conflict in South Korea.
Some men argue that the pincer gesture is an intolerable expression of male hatred that should be severely punished. A 20-year-old university student likened it to the hand gestures associated with the far-right South Korean website Ilbe or even the Nazi swastika. However, others see the situation differently. Park Ji-yeon, a 27-year-old office worker, contended that labeling every instance of the gesture as male hatred infringes on freedom of expression. Min Seung-jin, a 28-year-old job seeker, expressed fatigue over the gender conflict, lamenting that South Korean society seems increasingly focused on condemning and ostracizing those with differing opinions.
