​There’s no denying the two-word hashtag #MeToo and the use of the Internet renewed a widespread consciousness of feminist ideas in the public sphere, shifting the cultural outlook of associating vulnerability as a sign of oppression to strength as women took off their veil of silence. But what we didn’t know was the global impact the campaign would have, #MeToo is igniting the fight for women’s rights flaring up calls for a new social norm all over the world.
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As millions of women took the streets and held rallies standing in solidarity to mark International Women’s Day, one thing is clear – the personal is political. As the movement continues to cross racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic boundaries – it’s important to take a closer look at how the movement is being translated in different parts of the world.
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In South Korea, the movement has taken a surprisingly strong hold in the socially conservative nation. Much like the United States, a series of high-profile sexual assault allegations against some of South Korea’s most prominent politicians, entertainment figures, and professors have incited calls for gender equality and a new social norm. The watershed of accusations began when female public prosecutor Seo Ji Hyun accused former South Korean ministry of justice official Ahn Tae Geun of groping her during a funeral in 2010. Seo’s claim opened a flood of similar revelations, including allegations against rising political star Governor Ahn Hee-Jung of South Chungcheong province, filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, and poet Ko Un –  a prominent literary figure revered as a potential Nobel Prize recipient. The unexpected rapidity of the #MeToo movement was a stark reminder that the country remains a male-dominated society with deep-rooted societal bias against women, but it’s also important to note the boiling rage of public outcry made it clear South Korea is a famously adaptable nation.
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The new dynamic and momentum in the discourse surrounding women’s human rights is beginning to be reflected even on the policy level. A record number of women hold cabinet positions in South Korea. Though only 30% of President Moon Jae-In’s administration is female, it is the highest figure in South Korea’s history – no doubt, a signal towards gender parity. Clearly, there is an appetite on the global stage for leaders to apply a more gender-conscious decision in appointing key leadership positions; and in time, we will see how the gender-sensitive moves will be reflected in Korea's greater social structure.
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In contrast to its Asian neighbors, the #MeToo movement has barely registered in Japan.

​The dialogue remains largely absent in the public sphere and Japanese sociologists argue it’s in part due to the weak representation of women in the Japanese media. According to Mari Miura, a political science professor at Sophia University in Tokyo, in a patriarchal society such as Japan where speaking out draws criticism rather than sympathy – even from other women – female victims try to forget sexual assaults rather than seeking help and justice.
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In one case, Japanese journalist Shiori Ito broke her silence and accused prominent TV newsman Norijyk Yamaguchi of drugging her and raping her only to receive death threats and criticism from the public. A victim-blaming rhetoric ensued online criticizing Ito for being a “publicity hound” for speaking out, looking too seductive, and ruining the life of a revered public figure. Japanese lawyer Yukiko Tsunoda, an expert on sex crimes, says the stigma of rape victims is even embedded in the Japanese language itself. In Japan, sexually assaulted women are traditionally called “the flawed” – clearly illustrating why rape victims tend to shy away from going to court. According to a 2014 government survey, nearly three quarters of rape victims say they had never told anyone, and only 4% file a report with the police.
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With men dominating the upper echelons of political and corporate life, women are reluctant to break social norms and reveal instances of sexual harassment. My hope is that in the year 2018, #MeToo will apply a more global, intersectional lens to detect racial and economic divides that had deprived the women’s rights movement of unity in past waves. That way, the movement can adjust its framing to include the voices of women in more patriarchal societies.    ​