“Korean ethnicity is about to go away, and Korean women are literally like…,” Jeanie added while holding up her middle finger.
Her point was that Korean women are tired of the misogyny and hence are going to boycott heterosexual relationships and other feminine norms.
The video now has over 5.5 million views and thousands of comments, mostly from women calling for the 4B movement to go beyond the shores of South Korea.
Unsurprisingly, those against the movement have claimed that the 4B movement is the cause behind the low birth rate in South Korea.
South Korea already holds the title of the world’s lowest birth rate and in 2023, hit an all-time low at only 0.78, compared to the global average of 2.3.
Singapore’s birth rate is at 0.97, also a record low.
According to a study on anti-family sentiments in South Korea, 65 per cent of women surveyed do not want children.
Media reports have also suggested that the 4B movement is in retaliation to recent incidents including high-profile murders of women, revenge porn, and spy-cam sex crimes.
There was even an instance in South Korea where a man who murdered a young woman in a public bathroom claimed to do so because she ignored him.
However, the police did not classify it as a hate crime.
Netizens aired their thoughts online on other sites, many saying such a movement is a long time in coming and a “rational response to the male-dominated culture of Korea”.
“Well done, Korea! Such movements should be normalised so women can make the same choices as men with no fear of pressure or backlash instead of conforming to society’s expectations,” wrote a user.
However, some female South Korean bloggers have dismissed the 4B movement as an exaggeration of Western ideologies and represents a very small part of the population.
This story was originally published in 8days.
For more 8days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/
