A Borderless Political Discourse in a Globalized World
With the rise of the internet and social media, we are now exposed to political and social debates from around the world in real time. Issues that emerge in one country quickly become the center of discussion elsewhere, and global topics often feel like they are directly relevant to our own societies.
But this phenomenon isn’t always beneficial. Even when foreign issues don’t align with local realities, certain political factions and media outlets actively adopt and reshape these narratives to fit their own agendas. This is especially evident in South Korea and the United States, where global issues are interpreted and used differently depending on political leanings.
The Right-Wing Strategy: Using Western Controversies to Mobilize Young Men
In South Korea, right-wing communities and media have been actively incorporating discussions on Western “woke” culture and LGBTQ+ issues. They highlight extreme cases from the West, framing them as imminent threats to Korean society and fostering a sense of crisis among young men.
However, the most pressing gender issues in Korea are the gender pay gap, career setbacks due to maternity leave, and broader structural inequalities. Yet, these discussions often take a backseat while debates about transgender athletes or gender-neutral language—topics with far less relevance in Korea—take center stage.
Among young men, this shift in focus fuels the belief that they are increasingly at a disadvantage. Conservative media and influencers capitalize on this sentiment, pushing the narrative that “what’s happening in the West will soon happen in Korea.” The problem is that such discussions often obscure the real gender equality issues that need addressing and instead contribute to deepening societal divisions.
The Left-Wing Strategy: Using South Korea as a Case Study for Global Feminism
On the other hand, some feminist groups in the U.S. have leveraged South Korea’s gender struggles to strengthen their own activism.
It’s true that Korea still faces significant gender equality challenges. But some international media outlets and advocacy groups portray these issues in an exaggerated manner, using Korea as an extreme example to reinforce their arguments. A key example is the “4B movement” (rejecting dating, marriage, childbirth, and sexual relationships). While this movement emerged in response to unique societal pressures in Korea, some Western media present it as a radical feminist model that should be applied elsewhere.
This approach, however, can backfire. In the U.S., anti-feminist groups often use Korea as a cautionary tale, arguing that “this is what happens when feminism goes too far.” They use Korea’s example to justify opposition to progressive gender policies in their own country. Furthermore, because Korea and the U.S. have vastly different social and historical contexts, transplanting Korean feminist narratives into American discourse without proper adaptation can lead to misunderstandings and misrepresentations.
Global Issues Must Be Understood in Local Contexts
As these cases show, global issues are often repurposed and reframed to serve different political agendas. While international discussions can provide valuable insights, they also risk distorting or misdirecting local conversations.
Both the South Korean right and the American left have selectively used foreign controversies to push their respective narratives—whether by amplifying Western cultural debates in Korea or leveraging Korea’s gender struggles to reinforce activism in the U.S. However, these strategies can ultimately be counterproductive, deepening social divisions and making meaningful solutions harder to achieve.
Looking at foreign examples can be useful, but equating them with local realities without critical examination is a mistake. Every country’s political and social landscape is unique, and applying global narratives without proper adaptation can lead to further polarization.
At the end of the day, the key is to engage with global issues critically—not by blindly adopting or outright rejecting them, but by carefully analyzing their relevance to local circumstances. A more thoughtful approach will help prevent misinformation and foster more constructive discussions.
his article was developed with the help of several AI models, such as OpenAI o1, Google Gemini, among others.
The original plot and direction of the article were provided by the human writer, Jieon Choi.
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