Member Huh Yun Jin of LE SSERAFIM has found herself in an untimely “feminist controversy” due to her recent choice of reading material.
The group appeared on the February 24th episode of MBC’s variety show Point of Omniscient Interfere. During the makeup segment, Huh Yun Jin’s appearance with a book in hand, “Breasts and Eggs” by Mieko Kawakami, caught the viewers’ attention.
The book’s selection stirred debate among netizens, with some netizens arguing that Huh Yun Jin is a feminist because the book is written by a “feminist author.” “Breasts and Eggs” deals with the themes of mother-daughter relationships, changes in the human body, and femininity. It tells the story of a mother who is dissatisfied with her body due to aging and her daughter who is confused and blames herself for it. The book has been praised for its artistry and has won the Akutagawa Prize, Japan’s highest literary award. It has also been popular abroad, with an English translation published in 2021.
But does reading a feminist book make someone a feminist? Lee Mi Kyung, a journalist with South Korean news outlet Ten Asia, stated, “Just because someone reads a book by a feminist author, doesn’t mean they are a feminist themselves. It’s like saying reading a love story means you’re in love. Huh Yun Jin hasn’t shared any personal views on feminism, so it’s unfair to label her based on a book choice.”
South Korea is much more sensitive about feminism than other countries. Lee Mi Kyung pointed out that celebrities have been criticized just for reading books thought to be about women’s rights, like “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982.”
Lee further emphasized that “Criticizing someone for their personal interests and beliefs is no different from a ‘modern-day witch hunt.’ The idea that an individual’s opinion must conform to that of the majority is akin to collectivist violence. The interests and beliefs of celebrities who do not cause social harm or controversy should be respected.”
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