Challenging Traditional Family Structures in South Korea
An event was held to celebrate and discuss the book authored by Hwang Sunwoo and Kim Hana, both 47 years old, which sheds light on their life as single women in South Korea. However, during the event, a male audience member criticized the authors, claiming that their book would worsen the country’s already low birthrate, the lowest in the world. Interestingly, the man himself, who was unmarried, blamed women for the declining marriage and birth rates.
South Korean society is deeply entrenched in patriarchal norms and revolves around the traditional family concept. Various government benefits and incentives, including tax breaks, housing support, and insurance benefits, are primarily designed for families. In return, families are expected to provide significant social welfare support, such as caring for sick or elderly family members. Nevertheless, with a growing number of South Koreans opting out of marriage, the traditional family support system is facing challenges.
The quality of the support network in South Korea, measured by individuals’ ability to rely on others in times of need, is reported to be the lowest among developed nations. Additionally, the country has the highest suicide rate among these developed nations.
Kim and Hwang, who are not romantically involved with each other or anyone else, advocate for redefining the concept of family. Their book, “Two Women Live Together,” published in 2019, has gained immense popularity, and their weekly podcast, “Two Women Talk Together,” has attracted hundreds of thousands of listeners. Their work gives a voice to South Koreans, particularly women, who challenge traditional family structures by forming cohabiting unions outside of marriage.
Legally, a family in South Korea is defined as including only spouses, parents, and children, with same-sex marriage not recognized. Nonetheless, as housing and social welfare systems struggle to adapt to changing societal dynamics, there is a growing call to broaden the definition of family to be more inclusive and reflective of modern relationships.
