Ratih Indraswari, Korean and ASEAN Studies Expert
Earlier this month, on the 4th of April. South Korea has finally received the Constitutional Court’s verdict on the fate of its impeached president. The court ruling ousted the president and mandated that an election be held immediately.
The ordeal it self was a shock. A top-10 global economy, South Korea still faces challenges in safeguarding its democracy. On December 3, Yoon declared martial law, citing threats from “anti-state forces and pro-DPRK” elements—an accusation many found dubious. The declaration stirred painful memories of South Korea’s democratic struggles, particularly the martial law imposed during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising.
“The Declaration (of martial law) stirred painful memories of South Korea’s democratic struggles, particularly the martial law imposed during the 1980 Gwanju Uprising.”
Although the National Assembly successfully passed the motion for Yoon to step down as early as December 14, it took a tug-of-war between pro- and anti-Yoon supporters that dragged the process out for nearly four months before the verdict was finally delivered two days ago. The lengthy delay highlights how divided public pressure was—and how powerful the public can be. No politic can escape public activism. Here, Korea brought its distinct cultural elements into the political arena.
Known for its K-pop as a cultural asset, this time, the culture expanded into the political stage. Thousands of protesters singing Girls’ Generation’s “into the new World”. Protest grounds were painted with idol lightsticks, akin to a concert. But this was not any awards show rather, these cross-fan bases were united for one purpose: the impeachment of the President.
Source of photo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxd7lxMcg2o
What role di K-Pop fandom play in politics?
What role did K-pop fandom play in politic? Social movement observers have long noted the link between K-pop fans and political activism. During protests against the Omnibus Law, Indonesia K-Pop fans amplified the movement through digital platforms. Thai Kpop fans fundraised to support protests against Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army chief who seized power. Similarly, Myanmar Kpop fans aided the Civil Disobedience Movement against the junta with logistical and monetary support. Even on global issues, K-pop fandom has demonstrated its strength. BTS’s $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter, matched by fan contributions of a similar amount, exemplifies how this subculture can drive social movements.
At home, Korean K-pop fans have once again demonstrated their resilience. With their own protest dress code, complete with lightsticks, K-pop fan bases introduced a uniquely Korean style of demonstration. But is Yoon’s downfall truly driven by K-pop fandom? Not exactly.
First, the rise of the K-pop protest phenomenon is rooted in individual activism, not the views of idols themselves. South Korean celebrities tread carefully to avoid controversy, as public scrutiny can end careers. While some prominent figures, like movie director Bong Joon-ho of Parasite, have spoken out, and individuals like IU have indirectly supported the movement by funding meals and drinks for protesters, most remain silent.
Thus, the visible presence of K-pop fans at these protests is driven by protesters’ individual comprehension of their role in democratic society. K-pop fandom certainly aided in their causes by providing channels of communication across their base. Yet, ultimately, the gathering of cross-fandom adopted a bottom-up approach.
Second, a closer look at the demographics of K-pop fandom reveals that more than half are female, with an average age of 23rd years old. This aligns with KT surveys indicating that during both impeachment votes, the majority of demonstrators were female in their 20s and 30s, followed by male in their 50s.
For male in their 50s, the memory of the 1980s martial law provides a clear reason for their participation—they have experienced or witnessed the struggles for democracy firsthand. However, for younger female in their 20s and 30s, born well after these events, the motivation is different. Their activism is tied to the ongoing struggle for gender empowerment and the rise of feminism. Despite females surpassing males in college enrollment since 2008, South Korea’s gender pay gap remains significant—31% in favor of male workers as of 2022. This disparity frustrates many young females who excel academically but still face systemic barriers in the workplace.
This pent-up frustration spilled over to society and was capitalized ineloquently during the last election between Yoon Seok Yeol and Lee Jae Myung. The election has tapped the gender gap within society that further divided gender. Females see the limitations of society and the need to break the glass ceiling, and at the same time, males see themselves as victims of feminism. Feminism ideas thus create a stronger divide within Korean society, which is embedded with a strong patriarchal legacy.
As a result, young males are throwing their weight on the conservative party, with Yoon receiving majority votes from young men in their 20s up to 58.7% male voters, while young females 58% voted for Lee and its liberal and progressive stance. The election was the ‘war’ between the genders of young Koreans. With the narrow victory of less than 1 %, Yoon brought to the presidential helm the seed of gender polarization with him.
It is no surprise, then, that Yoon’s impeachment was spearheaded by young females in their 20s and 30s, who also make up the base age of K-pop fandom. These young females, motivated by the desire for progress, utilized the K-pop attributes that are familiar to them in their political activism and created this K-pop-demo phenomenon to put pressure on the political ruling party to play its part in the democratic game.
The demonstrations resembled a K-pop concert, with singing to popular but meaningful music and lightsticks waving in unison. This vibrant form of political activism stands out as a peaceful yet powerful way to demand accountability from political elites.
“This vibrant form of political activism stands out as a peaceful yet powerful way to demand accountability from political elites.”
It is an admiration- when political apathy has slowly crept into the world, South Korea showed how resilience and determination to uphold a hard-earned democracy are still vividly intact and shared even across generations.
The blending of cultural elements of K-pop with political protest showcases the creativity and resolve of its citizens, proving that activism can be both impactful and uniquely engaging. Foremostly, the Kpop-demo shows us a model for political activism where political aspirations can be expressed peacefully and entertainingly.
Source of Image Feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxd7lxMcg2o
