A South Korean website that was made to expose celebrities who are feminists is currently receiving backlash. Keep on reading for all the details.
South Korean Website Made to Expose Celebrities as Feminists
On August 12, a website called "CheckFemi" was made to disclose which celebrities are feminists. Each celebrity is categorized into three stages: "Suspicions," "Confirmed," and "Vanguard," with the latter meaning they are leading forces in South Korea's feminist movement.
Those running the website include photos and personal information of these celebrities on their profiles and past remarks or posts left on social media that indicate they are feminists.
While the list mainly contains female celebrities, some male celebrities and politicians have also made the list. Most notably, South Korea's President Moon Jae In and the late former Seoul mayor Park Won Soon were considered feminist "vanguard," with people saying that Korea's number one feminist, Moon Jae In, is the one with the most significant influence right now.
Another male celebrity that was included in the list includes RM, the leader of BTS. They noted that the idol often posts feminist statements on Twitter and that he has recommended the book "Kim Ji Young, Born 1982," which is considered the "bible" of Korean feminism.
However, they also note that there are doubts if RM is genuinely a feminist or not. They note that BTS's fan base is primarily young women and state that it is possible that he is only pretending to be a feminist for his fans.
The only other male idol that has been included in this list is NU'EST member Ren, who they confirmed is a feminist. Currently, his post is locked and is unable to be viewed by the public.
Female idols who are confirmed as feminists include Red Velvet member Joy, APRIL member Jinsol, and Bae Suzy.
Female idols suspected of being feminists include Red Velvet member Irene, Girls' Generation member Tiffany, and Girl's Day member Hyeri.
South Korean Website That Exposes Feminists Draws Flack
After the website went live, many expressed disgust over the premise of the site. Many questioned why feminists in South Korea had to be blasted in such ways and why it was considered wrong for them to be feminists in the first place. Several people claimed that they would cheer on every person who was listed on the website for being a feminist.
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Additionally, the creators of the website were slammed for doing such things and were urged to do better things with their time, such as volunteer work.
One South Korean social media user pointed out that in South Korea, data concerning sex offenders online are closed to the public due to human rights issues, and yet feminists are being lambasted online with a separate website to expose them.
This has led to arguments on feminism and why it is considered unfavorable to campaign for women's rights in the country.
ALSO READ: Here Are 6 Female Idols Who are Proud Feminists
What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below.
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Written by Alexa Lewis
