SEOUL, Jan 12 – South Korean women working in male-dominated industries, such as gaming, are reportedly increasingly targeted by coordinated online abuse campaigns accusing them of feminism.

BBC reported that this wave of attacks reflects a growing backlash against feminism in the country, with women often harassed or ostracised for perceived feminist views, regardless of whether they openly identify as feminists.

“There were insults I’d never heard before, they were disgusting and inhumane,” the report quoted game animator Darim (not real name), who faced death threats after sharing a trailer for the video game MapleStory in 2023.

Darim became the target of online harassment after a single frame in her work was misinterpreted as a feminist message — the sign of a thumb and forefinger close together, signifying a small penis.

Critics flooded her social media and pressured her employer, video game developer and publisher Nexon, which removed her work and issued an apology.

“These anti-feminists are getting more organised; their playbook is getting more specific ... By taking a hand gesture that everyone makes and turning it into a scarlet letter they can brand literally anyone an evil feminist,” said Kim Min-sung, a 22-year-old gamer who founded an organisation to support victims of such abuse.

BBC reported that in response to attacks against Darim, Kim’s organisation stepped in to provide legal assistance and urged the company to resist demands from the abusers. Darim ultimately kept her job.

The anti-feminist campaigns often claim hand gestures or unrelated social media posts as evidence of feminist leanings, which they equate with hostility towards men.

“Young men saw women becoming vocal and were threatened by their rise,” said Yang Myung-ji Yang, a professor of sociology at the University of Hawai’i Manoa, who has interviewed dozens of young Korean men.

“They learn about feminism from online forums, which carry the most radical caricature of feminists ... This has given them a distorted idea of what feminism is.”

South Korea has the widest gender pay gap among OECD countries, and systemic gender discrimination is deeply rooted in workplaces and society.

The backlash intensified in the mid-2010s following feminist activism addressing hidden-camera crimes and workplace inequalities, sparking fears among young men about losing opportunities.