Photos by Harriet Kim and Mirae Lee
Michelle Ye Hee Lee on Korea’s Declining Birth Rate, Gender Realities, and Shifting Social LandscapeInterview by Mirae LeeSouth Korea’s birth rate dropped to a record low of 0.72 in 2023, signaling a shift in young people’s priorities. Many are rethinking the traditional paths of marriage and family. Based on conversations with friends and the stories I have encountered, these choices are more nuanced than the one-dimensional portrayals often seen in mainstream media, especially outside of Korea. What’s influencing their choices? What are the pressures young people are facing?
We have been following Michelle Ye Hee Lee’s reporting for some time. As the Tokyo/Seoul bureau chief at The Washington Post, one of the issues she covers is gender, such as this two-part feature on gender inequality in South Korea. We reached out to Michelle to gain a deeper understanding of the sociopolitical realities Korean women are navigating and the policies aimed at addressing these challenges. Most importantly, as a Korean American herself, we asked for her perspectives on why South Korea’s declining birth rate matters to those of us in the diaspora. This interview was edited for grammar, flow, and clarity. Mirae Lee (ML): In your feature article, you highlight several movements in South Korea challenging traditional gender norms, such as more women freezing their eggs, fathers taking on greater childcare responsibilities, and individuals choosing to remain single and redefine "family." While these movements mark significant progress in reshaping gender roles in South Korea, they don’t seem novel from a North American perspective, where similar phenomena have already been underway for some time. Based on your experience reporting and living in South Korea, how do you view these movements? How do they compare to or differ from gender role advancements observed in other parts of East Asia?
Michelle Ye Hee Lee (MYHL): Although these movements seem par for the course in many Western societies, they represent a fundamental shift in South Korea and other East Asian nations, which have long emphasized heterosexual nuclear families with traditional gender roles. We’re seeing similar trends in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and China—the part of the world I’m focused on and reporting from. While delaying or eschewing marriage and motherhood is not unique to this region, the impact of these choices is felt acutely here because of the long-held conservative values around families, largely underpinned by Confucianism.
These lifestyles are making their way to mainstream awareness, primarily through television shows highlighting people, sometimes very prominent celebrities, who are crafting families that stray from the traditional. But they remain a minority in South Korean society.
ML: The low birth rate in South Korea reflects deeper sociocultural and political trends, including declining marriage rates and fewer young people dating or engaging in long-term relationships. These trends are influenced by a range of factors, including the high cost of living and the financial burden of raising children, societal expectations regarding what constitutes an ideal partner (which is heavily gendered in Korea), and inadequate support for women balancing their careers and family responsibilities after childbirth. From your research, how are young people and policies addressing these challenges? MYHL: South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world, and it’s dropping fast. This follows a trend in many countries around the world and in this region, and in South Korea, it’s reshaping many aspects of society. Elderly care homes are replacing daycare centres. Elementary school class sizes have shrunk so much that they have started to close. Some local governments are holding dating parties and matchmaking events. The national government is offering stipends to encourage families to have more children. Some companies are pledging millions of dollars in employee bonuses to support those having families.
It’s also not just a choice that women are making; a lot of men are also thinking twice about getting married because of the overwhelming social expectations of them to be the family’s primary, if not sole financial provider. Government surveys show the pressures of male breadwinning are among the top reasons younger Koreans are not getting married.
There are movements among younger generations, like the “bi-hon” movement, trying to normalize the choice to be single for life. There are podcasts, books, and events aimed at creating community around these lifestyle choices. Some “bi-hon” people are hosting financial classes for single people to plan for their retirements and navigate policies that promote married life over singlehood. In 2022, we wrote about a politician, Cha Hae-young, who is at the forefront of community-building efforts in Seoul’s Mapo district, where nearly half of the households were single-person households, by hosting singles events to support each other and create community. Politicians like Cha are still rare, but they are advocating for new policies and regulations that realistically help single-person households. ML: The “4B movement” (4B 운동), which emerged among Korean feminists in the late 2010’s, is resurfacing online, particularly on TikTok. The movement stands for 비혼 (bi-hon: no heterosexual marriage), 비출산 (bi-chul-san: no childbirth), 비연애 (bi-yeon-ae: no heterosexual dating), and 비섹스 (bi-sek-seu: no heterosexual sexual relationships). I’ve noticed that the discussion primarily involves diasporic Koreans and those who are not Korean, and the movement is often framed as a key reason behind Korea’s low birth rate. From your research and observations, what are the actual realities of women in Korea? How does it differ from the narrative shaped by this online phenomenon, which seems to be influenced by a diasporic perspective? MYHL: Based on my reporting and research, the “4B movement” is not reflective of the broader “bi-hon” community and the range of views and experiences that encompass that community. The 4B movement goes beyond simply “bi-hon,” or not married (either by choice or circumstance), and it describes a segment of the South Korean feminist community that is challenging head-on the concepts of sexuality, dating and marriage defined by patriarchy. I have interviewed many unmarried and/or childless women in their 20s, 30s and 40s. I have found there’s no single “movement” that is the key reason behind Korea’s low birth rate; it’s a combination of many socioeconomic factors that have affected both women and men. Patriarchy, misogyny, the biggest gender wage gap among advanced economies, the pervasiveness of sexual violence in South Korea, and the lack of professional support for working moms are very important reasons behind the low birth rate. But so are other factors I mentioned earlier, like lack of housing, a brutal academic system, long work hours, and the growing income divide.
The idea that South Korea’s low birth rate is driven by an anti-patriarchy movement of women refusing to even date anyone is just not accurate, even though it has gone so viral online among diasporic Koreans and others.
ML: Some experts say that a declining population could negatively impact Korea’s economy and productivity, with fewer people contributing to the workforce and a lower proportion of young people compared to the aging population. As diasporic individuals with ties to Korea, we’ve been reflecting on how this might impact us—not just in relation to our families and relatives there, but also in terms of our responsibility and desire to preserve Korean culture, potential changes in immigration and foreign labour policies, and shifts in Korea’s global standing. Based on your experiences, how do you think the low birth rate might impact the diaspora? Is this a concern we should take seriously? MYHL: In 2023, the Korean population over 70 years old exceeded the population in their 20s for the first time. South Korea’s rapid population decline could have far-reaching consequences for its economy, pension system, workforce, and possibly global influence. There’s a reason the South Korean president has declared it a “national emergency.” This is a stark difference from the overpopulation concerns in the 1960s to 1980s, when Koreans were having so many babies that the government slogan at one point was: “Two is plenty! (둘도 많다!)” But it’s important to remember that population decline is certainly not unique to South Korea, and it is affecting not only Northeast Asia but also the United States and many European countries. We can’t fully untangle current events in Korea and the experiences of the diaspora. Consider the roots of the diaspora in modern history: It was high unemployment, poverty and political instability in the decades following the 1953 Korean War ceasefire that led droves of Koreans to migrate around the world. But I think the experiences of the diaspora and of people in Korea can exist in parallel with each other, and that the declining birth rate does not necessarily define or dictate the experience of the diaspora. The growing global awareness of Korea is not just shaped by K-culture hallyu waves but also by the second- and third-generation diasporic communities reaching levels of cultural, political and societal influence outside of Korea. In the United States, Korean Americans are winning seats in statehouses and the U.S. Congress, running Fortune 500 companies, shaping our culture through art, food, and literature, and growing as a voting bloc. I think the Korean diaspora is a force on its own, and the experiences of Korean immigrants are important, regardless of demographic trends in the homeland. ML: In recent years, Korean media has increasingly portrayed diverse family structures and relationships, from DIY families (non-traditional families) to LGBTQ+ couples. Reality shows like Family by Choice (조립식 가족), featuring various types of DIY families, and Just Family (모든패밀리), showcasing lesbian mothers and Christian gay fathers, along with the recent rom-com Love in the Big City (대도시의 사랑법), which tells a gay love story, reflect this shift. These portrayals suggest a growing openness to new relationship dynamics in Korea, potentially reshaping public perceptions of love and family. From your perspective, how can entertainment continue to influence society’s views on relationships? Do you see these media representations as catalysts for change or simply a reflection of ongoing societal shifts? MYHL: I have spoken with many younger Koreans who feel seen and understood through such shows that have opened up the rest of society to lifestyles and choices that extend beyond the confines of heteronormative, marriage-oriented expectations. Like many Asian nations, South Korea is a socially conservative society where homosexuality remains taboo. There is a robust LGBT activism community, and some couples have taken up the mantle in confronting rampant discrimination. Public opinion around LGBT issues is changing, though slowly. Christian groups remain a powerful voting bloc and have protested the annual Seoul Pride Parade and shows like Love in the Big City. We’ve covered LGBT issues in South Korea extensively and have seen the important role that these public-facing couples living openly gay lives—through media coverage, TV shows, or YouTube channels—play in a society where homophobia remains rampant and that has been moving at a glacial pace in recognizing queer rights. The awareness around DIY families has also grown through entertainment and through books and memoirs (for example, “Two Women Are Living Together (여자 둘이 살고 있습니다),” by Kim Hana and Hwang Sun-woo) that have also become popular in Japan and Taiwan. ML: Reading through your responses, a question keeps coming up: “Why is this important for those of us in the diaspora?” As mentioned in one of the questions, we’ve been thinking about how Korea’s low birth rate might impact us, but at the end of the day, there’s still a sense of distance—both physically and emotionally—from what’s happening in Korea. Why do you think it’s important to report on these topics in English? How do you approach reporting for a global audience, and what specific considerations do you take when covering these issues for the Korean diaspora?
As immigrants or children of immigrants, we form our understanding of our family’s home country—and by extension, our understanding of our own identity—through family stories, research and media about the home country. Journalism rooted in authenticity and cultural competence can play an important role in informing the diaspora. I think about this a lot as a diasporic journalist, and recognize I am a conduit of news and information for those who are deeply invested in stories from their family’s country but aren’t able to experience or witness it first-hand. I take very seriously the importance of cultural nuance, historical context and authenticity in storytelling.
For example, in 2023, Korean Canadian photographer Hannah Yoon and I published a project on displaced Koreans who fled the northern part of the peninsula when the Korean War broke out, thinking they would be able to return home once the war ended. The war never ended, and these Koreans never returned home. Hannah and I felt strongly about featuring our interviewees’ stories as authentically as possible—in photos and in words. Our editors and the design team were very supportive of this idea, which led to us featuring snippets of their answers in Korean (along with English translations) and also including their names in hangul (along with anglicized versions in English). This was a personal touch that Hannah and I brought to the project as diasporic journalists, and I believe these details go a long way in bringing authenticity in a way that resonates with audiences who aren’t used to seeing themselves or their language reflected in English-language media coverage. Michelle Ye Hee Lee is the Tokyo/Seoul bureau chief of The Washington Post since 2021, responsible for coverage of Japan, the Korean Peninsula and beyond. Her coverage focuses on foreign policy, security, domestic politics, climate, gender issues, youth culture, and more. Michelle began working at The Post in 2014 as a political reporter, covering money in politics, election administration, ethics in government, political campaigns, political fact-checks, and more. She began her career at The Arizona Republic from 2010 to 2014, where she covered state and Maricopa County politics and government. She served as two-term president of the Asian American Journalists Association, a nonprofit journalism organization with more than 2,000 members across the U.S. and Asia that promotes Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in newsrooms and news coverage. She graduated from Emory University and grew up in Guam. | Web: myhlee.com
|
