The book that started the 4B movement in Korea.
Cho, Nam-Joo wrote this book, inspired by her own life experience in 3 months and sold over a million copies and started a feminist movement.
It was the perfect storm of discontent with discrimination against women, societal standards for women and the want for more. This book started a movement that questioned the unfair women's role in Korea. It sold over a million copies that was translated into 13 languages, a movie was made and the 4B movement started in Korea. Years later, women in the west took the 4B Movement to fight for women's equality after abortion rights and rights of women were taken away.
The Writer
Cho, Nam-Joo was born in 1978 and not 1982 like Kim, Ji Young. Nam-Joo graduated from the pristigious Ewha Womans University where she earned her sociology degree. Nam-Joo left her job as a TV scriptwriter to raise her kid and found it hard to reenter the workforce. She took this time to collect data and write her novel that would spark a movement.
The Book
"Kim Ji-Young, Born in 1982" by Cho Nam-Joo is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that delves into the mental breakdown of Kim Ji-Young, and the societal pressures she faces as a woman in South Korea. Through Kim's journey, the novel sheds light on the pervasive gender roles and inequalities that permeate Korean society. Cho Nam-Joo skillfully weaves together fiction and factual footnotes, providing a compelling narrative while grounding the story in real-world statistics and studies.
"Kim Ji-Young, Born in 1982" by Cho Nam-Joo portrays Ji-Young's mid-life crisis or mental breakdown of self-identity as she grapples with her identity and role as a woman in Korean society. Despite following societal expectations from girlhood to motherhood, Ji-Young feels discontented and questions her place in the world. Her struggle highlights deep-seated gender inequalities and the yearning for more than traditional roles allow.
From her childhood, where her brother is favored over her because of gender, to her struggles in the workplace where sexism and discrimination hinder her career advancement, Ji-Young faces numerous challenges. She is overworked and overlooked, as employers assume she will eventually leave to raise a child and favor men in the office, not overworking them to ensure their longevity.
When Kim and her husband discuss having a baby, Ji-Young is expected to sacrifice everything, while her husband's contribution is minimal, such as occasionally changing a diaper. As a mother, she grapples with societal pitfalls and is discredited for being a housewife. Her decision to become a stay-at-home mom exacerbates her inner conflicts as she wrestles with her desire for fulfillment beyond traditional gender roles. The novel reaches a tipping point when she overhears strangers in a park talking down about her for having a cup of coffee, viewing her as living a life of luxury as a stay-at-home mom and deeming her worthless.
4B Movement
The timing of "Kim Ji-Young, Born in 1982" aligned with Korea's MeToo movement, also known as the 4B Movement, and its cultural significance sparked a debate on gender inequalities in Korea. The novel became a catalyst for discussing these issues and influenced women in the West, particularly in the wake of the loss of Roe v. Wade, to fight for their rights.
While there are many similarities in the struggles for women's rights, the cultural contexts of the West and East differ. Korea, being a largely homogenous society, focuses primarily on gender issues within the 4B Movement. In contrast, Western cultures, which grapple with race and racism, have a broader scope for their feminist movements. Consequently, while the 4B Movement in Korea addresses gender issues comprehensively, its application in the West requires adapting to include the complex interplay of race and gender issues.
In Korea, gender roles are more rigidly defined, and societal expectations for women are pressured by familial obligations. In contrast, Western women are generally treated more equally in the home, relationships, and workplace, with the primary issue being the pay gap. I believe the recent loss of women's rights in the West is partly due to a large amount of white women voting against broader women's rights, influenced by racial considerations.
Consequently, while the 4B Movement in Korea focuses primarily on gender issues, in the West, it must adapt to address the complex interplay of race, gender, and systemic inequalities.
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