How Korean women took matters into their own hands

📚How one domestic spark ignited a global fire. Penned by South Korean journalist and former AFP Seoul Correspondent Hawon Jung, Flowers of Fire tells the story of the Korean feminist movement and its far-reaching impact. Often portrayed in pop culture as delicate, meek, and likened to flowers, Korean women have long been misconceived by the world. In this non-fiction account of South Korea’s feminist history, Jung flips the script; indeed, Korean women are flowers — though of a different kind.

It only takes a flicker. Drawing on years of on-ground journalistic experience and myriad interviews with Korean women who spearheaded the battle against the patriarchy, Jung gives readers a first-row seat to the events of South Korea’s feminist revolution. She puts to paper the stories of the women who have illuminated a path towards change, from Seo Ji-hyun — the public prosecutor who ignited the #MeToo movement in South Korea — all the way to the group of women who led a campaign against non-consensual photography and videography. In doing so, Jung spotlights the trials and tribulations of Korean women, and shares their experiences in a way that resonates profoundly with readers.

A flawed system. Jung adeptly dissects the social constraints designed to keep Korean Women hindered. Korean women are expected to be caring mothers and obedient housewives while maintaining the ludicrously pressuring Korean standards of beauty. Through the first-hand accounts of the women who have dedicated their lives to overcoming these boundaries, the author highlights the struggles that come with rewriting the rules.

Flowers of Fire is neatly divided into four distinct sections. The opening section tackles the growing popularity of the #MeToo movement in the country, while the second turns back time to discuss the history of feminism in South Korea. The third dissects the on-going South Korean spy camera epidemic, and the final section analyses South Korean beauty standards as well as the societal pressure to conform.

This is not just a historical account of South Korea’s feminist movement, Flowers of Fire delves deep into the movement beyond the borders of the country that inspired it. The book is filled with scores of real-life stories that invite readers to carefully examine the rules of their societies and question whether traditional gender expectations still serve us. Published in 2023, the book’s revelations feel as urgent today as they did upon release, offering an invaluable window into stories that are too often silenced.

WHERE TO GET IT – You can find Flowers of Fire as an e-book on Amazon, or listen to the audiobook on Storytel.