Navigating gender and power in South Korea

Born in South Korea, Soosun You spent her formative years moving between her native country and the United States, helping her to maintain strong ties to both cultures. These experiences along with fieldwork in Africa as a postdoc have given You a global perspective which “very naturally foreshadowed what I would do,” she says.

As the newest member of Penn’s political science faculty, You is nevertheless not new to Penn, having spent the last year here as a senior fellow honing her research. This fall, she is an assistant professor of political science and an affiliate with the James Joo-Jin Kim Center for Korean Studies.

Her academic journey began at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned degrees in economics and political science. She also holds a master’s in public policy from Seoul National University. As a graduate student, she focused on economic and social inequality, including poverty among older Koreans. Later, she conducted fieldwork in Ethiopia on child and women’s health and worked as a journalist in South Korea.

During her doctoral studies, You became interested in the rise of anti-feminist rhetoric in South Korea, particularly among younger men. Her current research explores public attitudes toward gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as the political motivations behind gender-related messaging.

“There are a lot of disparities that continue to exist in South Korea,” she says. “The sentiment towards feminism and women’s rights in general has worsened in recent years, especially among young men.”

You notes that political leaders have increasingly used gender-related rhetoric to mobilize voters. She points to the 2022 election of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who campaigned on anti-feminist issues and pushed through funding cuts. Many women “felt very insecure about speaking their concerns related to the pervasive anti-feminist sentiment,” You says.

Among market-based democracies in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, South Korea ranks as one of the most unequal places for women to work, You says. She notes that women earn about 70% less than men and spend about fourfold the amount of time on housework as men.

You argues that these disparities and policies are also linked to a steep decline in fertility rates as well as an increase in violence towards women. You says her research continues to evolve as she considers the impact of population-control policies, the resulting demographic transition, and the effects on women and gender relations. She is also examining the policymaking process in the National Assembly and how increased representation for women has led to better process and political outcomes.