Escape the Corset

This manuscript details South Korea’s “Escape the Corset” Movement, a feminist rebellion against societal demands of beauty and expectations of submissiveness. South Korea has a deep-rooted society of misogyny, informed by a long history of Confucianism and a patriarchal value system that has shaped values, gender roles, and societal norms. This value system contributes to the oppression of women by feeding into a male-dominated society where women are expected to be submissive and subordinate to men, and to adhere to traditional standards of self-presentation and beauty. Describing bold “Escape the Corset” statements like shaving one’s hair or distributing photos of destroyed makeup, as well as “Quiet Feminism” tactics of women’s book groups and discussion circles, the manuscript details how the Escape the Corset movement grew from a few feminist social media posts challenging Korean toxic beauty standards, into a powerful, globally-influential site of feminist resistance that inspires women to break free from rigid social standards.