1.3 The journal Dong-a Ilbo Women
This paragraph is dedicated to one particular journal, which is narrow-oriented. In this paragraph I also want to provide a diagram with the number of mentions and will analyze some articles connected with some topics. In this paragraph I am going to make brief analysis in connection with the main problems on the feminist agenda. The search of mentions will be made by the usage of some codes of the first paragraph: some of them are left the same, some of them are specified.
Table 7. Number of mentions by problem.
The chart above shows the number of mentions for all the time (with the usage of the magazine`s website archive search. We can see that sexism is one of the major problems for the narrow editorial. It is difficult to judge whether this magazine is strictly pro-feminist or not, however, it is obvious, that the magazine is quite attentive towards sexual violence in particular and violence against women in general. In this paragraph I want to provide brief analysis of 6 random articles from different columns, connected with the particular topics.
For instance, in the article 브랭섬홀 아시아의 차별화된 세계 시민 교육 (Brahmsheim Hall's differentiated global citizenship education in Asia )121 from 27th, December, 2017 it is written about differential global education in Asia in general – and about a particular school, Brancksome Hall, international school for girls. Actually, this article is a typical biased article – however, also typical for the magazine with the female target audience. In the article the school is promoted as a progressive place for young females, who can get multilayered education with a number of facilities: discussions, camping, trainings, etc. Journalist writes about new methods in the school education, based on the ideas of globalization and social justice. That seems to be quite close to the SJW-propaganda with its leftist ideas. School is provided both for Koreans and Western young women which will share the same ideas and cooperate in different situations. Program can be called quite pro-feminist as it provides education only for girls and pro-western as it does not seem to have Korean roots at all.
The article 여성이 부딪히는 부당한 현실에 대한 해법 담은 책 펴낸 페미니스트 김신명숙 (Feminist Kim Shin Myung Sook published the book about unjust thread in women`s protection) 122 from 22nd, August, 2007 is dedicated to the publication of the feminist book. Article consists of thoughts about hard women`s destiny in the patriarchal South Korean society – as she often has to interrupt her career and become housewife and mother. In the article it is stated that women need more external approval, satisfaction than financial and career promotion. The author of a promoted book tells that she was influenced by the feminist success in already united Germany. Journalist speculates on different sharp topics: gender discrimination on the labor market or the social position of women in family, feminist movement and even the reunification of Korea. Although the last one was not clearly mentioned, but everything becomes clear after the mentioning of Germany and its feminist fighting. Parallel is obvious.
The other article, 한국가정상담센터 민호기 소장 가슴 아픈 고백 (Head of Korea Family Consulting Center makes a sorrowful confession)123, published on 22nd , June, 2007 touches a problem of the domestic violence. Journalist provides interview with the head of the familial consultation center against domestic violence. Journalist pays attention to the fact that the big part of the clients of the center are victims of alcohol- and drug-addicts. Several cases are provided with mentioning all entire range of problems, including psychological ones. For instance, if a female disburdens abusive relationship (if she has children – it complicates the situation), there is no guarantee that she will not get in such a relationship again. The center helps juridical and psychologically as it is impossible for victims to cope with such a problem alone. Journalist also draws attention to the fact that women have to become brave in order to escape toxic relationship, not limited by only physical violence.
Article from 5th, October, 2011, 국민참여재판 3일간 치열한 공방 끝 결론 “이런 사랑은 없다” (Three days of intense workshop concluding the public participation trial "There is no love")124 touches sharp topic of the sexual violence. Journalist analyses some cases of sexual violence and draws attention to quite a miserable fact – disproportionate sentence. According to the Criminal Code of the Republic of Korea (article 297), “a person who, through violence or intimidation, has sexual intercourse with a female, shall be punished by limited imprisonment for not less than three years”.125 One of the rapist who was involved in one of the crimes, got only 2 years for the sexual rape (강간). Journalist shows physical and psychological manipulations of the criminal, mister Lee, who used direct and implicit threats towards the victim, contrived of making backroom deals, terrifying victim and her relatives and trying to play the injured innocence before the jury trial. The journalist shows insightful story: horrible crime and inevitability of the punishment.
The article from the 15th, January, 2013, 막장 드라마 따로 없는 性검사 사건의 진실 (The naked truth of sex scandal without drama)126 is also dedicated to the sexual violence case. The article is quite similar to the previous one – the case of rape against a woman. Journalist analyses the work of the juridical system in the one concrete case, concentrating on the behavior of victim (touching the problem of the so-called victim-blaming, when the victim of a crime becomes the main antagonist of the story), the process of searching for proofs of the rape as a crime.
In the article from 13th, January, 2013, 깊고 향기로운 사랑에 대하여 (About deep and fragrant love) 127 journalist deals with the other contradictory thing in the feminist discourse, especially in its radical branch – love. What is significant about this article, it is the fact that it is written by a male. He thinks that love began losing its meaning for women since 1990s, when feminist ideas came into social and cultural life. Also miserable thing that can destroy love – marriage, patriarchal institution that oppresses South Korean women. Love becomes instrument of manipulation and despite its fragile nature, it remains instrument of toxic relationship. Divorce, according to him, also cannot be solution of the problem. I also want to notice that that is the problem not only for the South Korean feminism. Here is the article from the German Newspaper FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) Egoistische Zweisamkeit: Ersaztzreligion Liebe (Selfish Loneliness Together: Quasi-religion Love)128. This article is quite radical and non-compromising, comparing to the Korean one. German Journalist has very critical attitude towards this feeling and its role in the society: “It is a common knowledge that popular culture speculates on no other topic but romantic love. If man switches on the radio, watches a film, he or she comes across two people who walks arm-to-arm. Even Detective, Child and Family comedies cannot avoid this topic“.129
It is clear that the magazine is narrow-oriented and speculates on the most sharp topics for the feminist agenda. The magazine can be characterized as a typical subjective media which has narrow target audience, but it a non-typical woman magazine. Contradictions are quite clear – the very existence and work of this editorial are the evidence of ambiguous balance of feminism and patriarchy in media and unbalanced situation in South Korean society.