“I always find myself wondering, ‘Is she a feminist?’ when I meet a woman.” (Kim, a 24-year-old man)
“The worst was when men pushed to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. That’s when I thought, ‘This country is doomed.’” (Son, a 26-year-old woman)
Young men and women in South Korea are deeply divided politically, ideologically, and even in their perceptions of each other, according to a recent survey.
The survey found that young men in their 20s leaned more toward conservatism than their female counterparts. Men in their 20s had an ideological orientation index of 5.42, which is 0.78 points higher than women (4.64) in the same age group, according to a political perception survey commissioned by the Institute for Future Strategy at Seoul National University and the Chosunilbo. The index measures ideological leanings on a scale from 0 (progressive) to 10 (conservative), with higher scores indicating stronger conservative tendencies.
This gender gap was unique to 20-somethings. For other age groups, such as those in their 40s, the index stood at 4.86 for men and 4.79 for women. “We only found a statistically significant ideological difference among young men and women in their 20s,” said Kim In-gyun, a researcher at the Institute for Future Strategy. “These differences were not observed in other age groups.”
This divide is also evident in political party preferences. Among men in their 20s, 29.7% supported the conservative People Power Party, compared to 24.7% who favored the Democratic Party. Women in the same age group overwhelmingly leaned toward the Democratic Party (43.7%) over the People Power Party (16%). Attitudes toward foreign countries also diverged. Men in their 20s rated the United States more favorably (62.3) than women (51.7). Similarly, favorability toward Japan was 50 among men and 39.9 among women, a 10.1-point difference. In contrast, women rated China more favorably (30.1) than men(26.7).
Many young people blame political parties for exacerbating gender conflicts. “Former President Moon Jae-in, who declared himself a ‘feminist president,’ implemented policies that many men perceived as favoring women,” said 26-year-old Park, a male law student. “Before that, many men empathized with and supported the ‘Me Too’ movement, but the response from women felt like ridicule and contempt.”
Choi, a 25-year-old female office worker, expressed frustration with the ongoing political strife. “I don’t have a strong preference for any political party, and I’m exhausted by all the gender-related conflicts,” she said. “I feel like political parties have fueled the current gender divide by attacking each other over gender issues.”
Jung, a 24-year-old female university student, added, “Extreme misogyny, which had previously only existed in the shadows, has now entered the mainstream, and some conservative politicians are actually encouraging it politically. I wonder if our society is even functioning properly anymore.”
The mutual hostility between young men and women is reflected in their low favorability ratings toward each other. Men in their 20s rated women in their 20s and 30s at 37.4, far below the average across all age groups (50). Women in their 20s also viewed men in their 20s and 30s unfavorably, giving them a score of 38.6, which is 10.4 points lower than the average for all age groups (49).
Some men cited negative personal experiences with women as the reason for their resentment. “A few years ago, I was waiting at a bus stop when a woman from a feminist protest yelled at me, ‘What are you looking at?’” recalled 28-year-old Im. “Experiencing such baseless hostility made me develop a negative perception of women.”
Young women also report feeling targeted by male hostility. “I can sense animosity from men my age, especially in online communities,” said Kim, a 27-year-old female graduate student. “Even at school, I worry about what they might say about me behind my back.”
Experts believe political rhetoric has played a significant role in deepening these divisions. “Regardless of how much the Moon Jae-in administration actually implemented policies supporting women, it framed women as vulnerable victims and fueled gender conflict,” said Kim Hanna, a professor at the Institute for Future Strategy. “The divide widened further when the People Power Party proposed shutting down the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family during the 2022 presidential election, while the Democratic Party responded by aligning itself with young women.”
