The Bridge
Why so many South Korean women are refusing to date, marry or have kids
South Korean women are confronting severe sexism and rising digital sex crimes, prompting movements like 4B, where women reject relationships with men amid increasing gender hostility and resentment.
Min Joo Lee, Indiana University
South Korea finds itself embroiled in an all-out gender war – and it keeps getting worse.
The animosity between Korean men and women has reached a point where some women are outright refusing to date, marry and have kids with men – a phenomenon known as the 4B movement.
As a Korean feminist scholar living in the U.S., I’ve followed this gender war from afar as I conducted research on contemporary Korean gender politics.
However, I also became embroiled in it myself after my research on Korean masculinity was published by CNN.
The article described foreign women who traveled to Korea after becoming enamored of the idea of dating Korean men from watching Korean television dramas. I pointed out that since the tourists’ fantasies were based on fictional characters, some of them ended up disappointed with the Korean men they dated in real life.
The article was about racial politics and the masculine ideals. But some Korean readers thought that I was simply criticizing Korean men for not being romantic and handsome enough. One enraged Korean man commented that I was an “ugly feminist.”
But this was tame in comparison to what women living in South Korea have endured in recent years.
Extreme misogyny and a feminist backlash
Over the past couple of decades, there have been flash points in this gender war.
In 2010, Ilbe, a right-wing website that traffics in misogyny, started attracting users who peppered the forums with vulgar posts about women.
Then in 2015, an online extremist feminist group named Megalia arose. Its goal was to fight back by demeaning Korean men in ways that mirrored the rhetoric on sites like Ilbe.
A year later, a man who had professed his hatred of women murdered a random woman in a public bathroom near a Seoul subway station. He was eventually sentenced to decades in prison, but the lines were quickly drawn. On one side were feminists, who saw misogyny as the underlying motive. On the other side were men who claimed that it was merely the isolated actions of a mentally ill man. The two groups violently clashed during competing protests at the site of the murder.
A backdrop of digital sex crimes
However, none of these events have elicited as much public controversy as the steep rise in digital sex crimes. These are newer forms of sexual violence facilitated by technology: revenge porn; upskirting, which refers to surreptitiously snapping photos under women’s skirts in public; and the use of hidden cameras to film women having sex or undressing.
In 2018, there were 2,289 reported cases of digital sex crimes; in 2021, the number snowballed to 10,353.
In 2019, there were two major incidents that involved digital sex crimes.
In one, a number of male K-pop stars were indicted for filming and circulating videos of women in group chatrooms without their consent.
A few months later, Koreans were shocked to learn about what became known as the “Nth Room Incident,” during which hundreds of perpetrators – mostly men – committed digital sex crimes on dozens of women and minors.
They tended to target poorer women – sex workers, or women who wanted to make a few bucks by sharing anonymous nude photos of themselves. The perpetrators either hacked into their social media accounts or approached these women and offered them money, but asked for their personal information so they could transmit the funds. Once they obtained this information, they blackmailed the women by threatening to reveal their sex work and their nudes to their friends and family.
Since sex work and posting nude images of yourself online are illegal in Korea, the women, fearing arrest or being ostracized by friends and family, complied with the perpetrators’ demands to send even more compromising images of themselves. The men would then swap these images in chatrooms.
And yet a 2019 survey conducted by the Korean government found that large swaths of the population blamed women for these sex crimes: 52% said that they believed sexual violence occurs because women wear revealing clothes, while 37% thought if women experienced sexual assault while drunk, they are partly to blame for their victimization.
In other words, a significant percentage of the Korean population believes that female sexuality is the problem – not the sexual violence.
Government policy lays the groundwork
Digital sex crimes are too widespread to lay the blame at the feet of a handful of bad actors.
To me, part of the problem stems from the long history of “gendered citizenship.”
Korean feminist scholar Seungsook Moon has written about the ways in which the government created one track for men and another for women as the country sought to modernize in the second half of the 20th century:
“Men were mobilized for mandatory military service and then, as conscripts, utilized as workers and researchers in the industrializing economy. Women were consigned to lesser factory jobs, and their roles as members of the modern nation were defined largely in terms of biological reproduction and household management.”
Although these policies are no longer officially carried out, the underlying attitudes about gender roles remain embedded in Korean life and culture. Women who veer from being mothers and housewives expose themselves to public and private backlash.
The government has created gender quotas in certain industries to try to unravel this system of gendered citizenship.
For instance, some government jobs have minimum gender quotas for new hires, and the government encourages the private sector to implement similar policies. In historically male-dominant industries, such as construction, there are quotas for female hires, while in historically female-dominant industries, such as education, there are male quotas.
In some ways, this has only made things worse. Each gender feels as if the other is receiving special treatment due to these affirmative action policies. Resentment festers.
‘The generation that has given up’
Today, the sense of competition between young men and women is exacerbated by the soaring cost of living and rampant unemployment.
Called the “N-Po Generation,” which roughly translates as “the generation that has given up,” many young South Koreans don’t think they can achieve certain milestones that previous generations took for granted: marriage, having kids, finding a job, owning a home and even friendships.
Although all genders find themselves discouraged, the act of “giving up” has caused more problems for women. Men see women who forgo marriage and having kids as selfish. And when they then try to compete against men for jobs, some men become incensed.
Many of the men who have become radicalized commit digital sex crimes to take revenge on women who, in their view, have abandoned their duties.
Ultimately, the competitive dynamic created by the Korean government’s embrace of gendered citizenship has stoked the virulent gender war between Korean men and women, with digital sex crimes used as ammunition.
The 4B movement, whereby Korean women forego heterosexual dating, marriage, and childbirth, represents a radical escalation of the gender war by seeking to create an online and offline world devoid of men. Rather than engaging in altercations, these women are refusing to interact with men, period.
Digital sex crimes are a global problem
To be sure, digital sex crimes are not unique to Korea.
When I teach my college class on digital sex crimes in the U.S., I’m surprised by how many of my students admit that they’ve been victims of digital sex crimes, or knew of it happening at their high schools. And at the National Women’s Studies Association’s annual conference in 2022, I watched feminist activists and scholars from all over the world present their findings about digital sex crimes back home.
Since each country has its own cultural context for the rise in digital sex crimes, there isn’t a single solution to solve the problems. But in South Korea, continuing to unravel the system of gendered citizenship could be part of the solution.
Min Joo Lee, Postdoctoral Fellow, Indiana University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Community
ABCs for School Zone Safety: Tips for Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists
School Zone Safety: A new school year means there’s more traffic around school campuses. Between dropoffs and pickups, children riding bicycles, walking to school and all the shuttling between sports practices and other extracurricular activities, this season is a reminder to make every trip to and from school a safe one.
ABCs for School Zone Safety: Tips for Drivers, Pedestrians and Bicyclists
(Feature Impact) A new school year means there’s more traffic around school campuses. Between dropoffs and pickups, children riding bicycles, walking to school and all the shuttling between sports practices and other extracurricular activities, this season is a reminder to make every trip to and from school a safe one.
To make sure no parent worries about their child getting to school safely, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are encouraging drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to remember their “ABCs” on every trip: stay Alert for Bicyclists and watch for and yield to Children crossing the street.
With students in school and traffic patterns changing, consider these tips so students arrive to and from class safely:
Drivers
Because children outside of vehicles do not have the same protections as drivers and passengers, drivers have an outsized role to protect people walking, biking and rolling.
- Take your time and be patient.
- Always follow the speed limit.
- Use extra caution at crosswalks and intersections, especially if you notice children nearby.
- Don’t drive distracted – even a quick glance at your phone can have tragic consequences.
- Never drive while impaired.
- Adjust your driving to the conditions and use extra caution in rain, fog and darkness.
- If you see a bicyclist ahead, wait until it’s safe to pass and give them at least 3 feet of space when you do.
Pedestrians
Pedestrians have an important role in their own safety, particularly in school zones and crosswalks where children and other people may be present.
- Use sidewalks when available. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic so you can see drivers and they can see you.
- Avoid crossing outside of crosswalks. If there is a signalized crosswalk or marked crosswalk, use it.
- Before crossing the street, look both ways. If there are any stopped or turning cars, try to make eye contact with the drivers before crossing so you know they see you.
- If you’re walking after dark or when visibility is poor, make yourself visible by wearing something bright or reflective and shining a light.
- Stay alert – don’t wear headphones or use your phone while crossing the street or walking across a busy road.
Bicyclists
Bicyclists can help protect themselves by staying alert and visible, especially in areas where traffic, pedestrians and young students may be present.
- When possible, plan your route along bike paths or roads with dedicated bike lanes away from vehicle traffic.
- Equip your bicycle with lights and reflectors to be more visible to drivers and pedestrians.
- Wear a properly fitted helmet and bright clothing.
- Learn cyclist hand signals to communicate when you’re turning, slowing or stopping.
- Stay aware of drivers and always yield to pedestrians.
To learn more and join the movement, visit GoSafelyCA.org.
E-Bike Safety Tips
With more young people using e-bikes than ever before, it’s important that riders and their parents or guardians understand the risks involved and make smart, safe choices.
Since e-bikes can travel at faster speeds than traditional bicycles, they pose greater risk for serious injury or death in the event of a crash. Class 1 and 2 e-bikes can both travel at up to 20 mph unassisted, while Class 3 e-bikes can go as fast as 28 mph unassisted.
E-bike rules vary based on the top unassisted speed, but parents and guardians should follow these tips for e-bikes:
- Many local ordinances and state laws restrict e-bike use for minors or require special licensing.
- Helmets are required for riders under age 18 for Class 1-2 e-bikes and all riders on Class 3 e-bikes, regardless of age.
- You must be 16 years or older to ride a Class 3 e-bike.
- Never ride e-bikes that don’t have pedals as they could be considered e-motos and not legally permitted on roads.
- Ride in bike lanes or on legal paths, avoiding roads with traffic when possible.
- Be as predictable as possible and use caution when making turns, crossing streets or riding in conditions with poor visibility.
E-bike rules may vary by state and regionally. Contact local law enforcement regarding local laws.
SOURCE:
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Forgotten Genius Fridays
Alexander Miles: The Black Inventor Who Helped Make Elevators Safer
In 1887, Black inventor Alexander Miles patented an improved mechanism for operating elevator car and shaft doors, helping make elevator travel safer and more convenient.
Elevators transformed American cities, allowing buildings to rise higher and making upper floors more accessible. But early elevator travel carried a serious danger: doors had to be opened and closed manually, and an elevator shaft could remain exposed if someone failed to secure it properly.
Alexander Miles, a Black inventor, barber and businessman, developed an innovative solution. His patented mechanism helped elevators operate their car and shaft doors automatically, making elevator travel safer and more convenient.
The danger of early elevators
By the late 19th century, elevators were appearing in hotels, offices and other multistory buildings. Although they made vertical travel easier, many depended on operators or passengers to close the doors manually.
A carelessly opened shaft door could expose an empty elevator shaft. Miles recognized that elevator safety could not always depend on someone remembering to close every door.
He designed a system that connected the movement of the elevator car with the operation of its doors.
Alexander Miles’ elevator innovation
On October 11, 1887, Miles received U.S. Patent No. 371,207 for what he described as “new and useful improvements in elevators.”
His design addressed two related problems. It provided a way to close shaft openings above and below the elevator car, and it allowed the movement of the car to help open and close the elevator doors at the appropriate floor.
Miles’s mechanism used a flexible belt attached to the elevator car, along with drums positioned at the top and bottom of the shaft. A system of levers, rollers and specially designed grooves helped control the car and shaft doors as the elevator moved.
The goal was straightforward but potentially lifesaving: prevent elevator-shaft openings from being left unprotected because of human negligence.
Did Alexander Miles invent the elevator door?
Alexander Miles is sometimes described as the inventor of the automatic elevator door. The complete history is more complicated.
John W. Meaker received a patent for an earlier automatic elevator-door mechanism in 1874, approximately 13 years before Miles received his patent. Therefore, Miles should not be credited with inventing the first automatic elevator door.
What Miles did was develop and patent his own important improvement to the way elevator car and shaft doors operated. His design advanced the effort to make elevators safer, more reliable and easier to use.
Recognizing that distinction does not diminish his accomplishment. Invention is often a continuing process in which engineers and innovators improve existing technology. Miles contributed a valuable new solution to a dangerous problem.
More than an inventor
Born in 1838, Alexander Miles built a successful life during an era when Black Americans faced severe restrictions on economic opportunity.
Miles worked as a barber before establishing himself in Duluth, Minnesota. He operated a barbershop in the city’s St. Louis Hotel and invested in real estate. He also became the first Black member of the Duluth Chamber of Commerce.
His achievements extended beyond mechanical invention. In Chicago, Miles later established the United Brotherhood, an organization intended to provide life insurance to Black Americans who were frequently denied coverage by established insurance companies.
That part of his story demonstrates the larger scope of his work. Miles was not only interested in solving mechanical problems. He also attempted to create economic security and opportunity for members of his community.
A lasting contribution to elevator safety
Modern elevators use far more sophisticated electrical controls, sensors and computerized safety systems than those available during Miles’s lifetime. His exact mechanism is not the system operating inside every elevator today.
However, the safety principle behind his work remains essential: an elevator should coordinate the movement of the car with the opening and closing of its doors, while preventing passengers from entering an unprotected shaft.
In recognition of his contribution, Alexander Miles was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007.
Remembering Alexander Miles accurately
Alexander Miles did not invent the elevator, and he was not the first person to patent an automatic elevator-door system. He was a creative Black inventor who recognized a serious safety hazard and developed a patented method for addressing it.
Everyday technologies are rarely the work of only one person. They develop through generations of experimentation, refinement and improvement. Miles deserves recognition as one of the innovators who helped move elevator technology toward the safer automatic operation passengers now expect.
His work is another reminder that Black inventors helped build and improve many of the technologies that shaped modern American life.
Forgotten Genius Friday celebrates the Black inventors, scientists and innovators whose ideas helped shape the world—even when their names were left out of the history books.
Sources
- Alexander Miles — U.S. Patent No. 371,207
- Alexander Miles — National Inventors Hall of Fame
- Alexander Miles Patent — IEEE REACH
- Alexander Miles — Lemelson-MIT Program
- Alexander Miles — Duluth Public Library’s Vintage Duluth
Historical context
The Knowledge
Exploring the Best Neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles
From the Arts District and Little Tokyo to the Historic Core and Bunker Hill, discover the best neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles and what makes each one worth exploring.
Last Updated on August 5, 2026 by Daily News Staff
The Best Neighborhoods in Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles has undergone one of the most remarkable transformations of any urban center in the United States. Once known primarily as the city’s business district, DTLA has evolved into a vibrant collection of neighborhoods, each offering its own unique character, history, dining, entertainment, and cultural experiences.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor, a longtime Angeleno, or planning your next weekend adventure, these are some of Downtown LA’s must-visit neighborhoods.
Arts District: Where Creativity Comes to Life
The Arts District has become one of the city’s most exciting destinations. Former warehouses have been transformed into lofts, art galleries, coffee shops, breweries, and award-winning restaurants.
Visitors can spend hours exploring colorful murals, browsing independent boutiques, and discovering public art around nearly every corner. It’s a neighborhood that celebrates creativity while preserving its industrial roots.
Perfect for: Art lovers, photographers, foodies, and nightlife.
Historic Core: A Walk Through Old Los Angeles
The Historic Core showcases Downtown LA’s architectural heritage. Along Broadway and surrounding streets, beautifully restored theaters, historic hotels, and early 20th-century buildings tell the story of a booming city during Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Highlights include the iconic Bradbury Building, Grand Central Market, and numerous rooftop restaurants overlooking the skyline.
Perfect for: History buffs and architecture enthusiasts.
South Park: Entertainment Central
South Park is home to some of Los Angeles’ biggest attractions, including LA Live and Crypto.com Arena. The neighborhood has added thousands of apartments, new restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues over the past two decades.
Whether you’re attending a Lakers game, a concert, or simply enjoying dinner before an event, South Park offers something for everyone.
Perfect for: Sports fans, concerts, and nightlife.
Little Tokyo: A Cultural Treasure
One of only a handful of historic Japantowns remaining in the United States, Little Tokyo offers authentic Japanese cuisine, specialty shops, cultural events, museums, and peaceful gardens.
From fresh sushi and ramen to Japanese bakeries and tea houses, visitors can experience generations of cultural heritage in just a few city blocks.
Perfect for: Families, food lovers, and cultural exploration.
Bunker Hill: Downtown’s Cultural Heart
Bunker Hill combines modern architecture with world-class arts and culture. Home to Walt Disney Concert Hall, The Broad, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Grand Park, this neighborhood is ideal for visitors looking to experience Downtown’s artistic side.
Its dramatic skyline and public spaces also make it one of the most photographed areas in Los Angeles.
Perfect for: Museum lovers and architecture fans.
Financial District: The Skyline of Los Angeles
Glass skyscrapers, luxury hotels, and bustling sidewalks define the Financial District. While it remains the city’s business center during the workweek, the neighborhood also offers excellent dining, rooftop lounges, and convenient access to other parts of Downtown.
Chinatown: Tradition Meets Modern LA
Los Angeles’ Chinatown blends rich history with a growing collection of contemporary restaurants, galleries, and community events. Visitors can enjoy traditional cuisine alongside modern culinary experiences while exploring one of the city’s oldest cultural neighborhoods.
Fashion District: A Shopper’s Paradise
Covering more than 100 city blocks, the Fashion District is one of the largest garment centers in the country. Whether you’re searching for fabrics, clothing, accessories, or bargains at Santee Alley, this neighborhood attracts shoppers from across Southern California.
A Downtown That Continues to Evolve
Downtown Los Angeles isn’t just one destination—it’s a collection of neighborhoods that reflect the city’s diversity, creativity, and resilience. From historic landmarks and world-class museums to vibrant street art and internationally inspired cuisine, DTLA offers something new around nearly every corner.
Whether you’re planning a day trip or an extended visit, exploring these neighborhoods is one of the best ways to experience the energy and history of Los Angeles.
Related External Links
- Discover Los Angeles – Explore Downtown LA
- Grand Central Market
- The Broad Museum
- Walt Disney Concert Hall
- Japanese American National Museum (Little Tokyo)
- Arts District Los Angeles
- LA Live
- LA Metro – Getting Around Downtown Los Angeles
- Olvera Street and El Pueblo Historic Monument
- Visit California – Los Angeles Travel Guide
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