Graduate Associate
choinamj[at]yorku.ca
Master's Student
Graduate Program in Sociology, York University
Research Keywords:
South Korean feminism; transnational feminism; intersectionality; nationalism; Korean Wave; digital violence
Research Region(s):
East Asia, South Korea
I am a Master’s student in the Department of Sociology at York University, after graduating in 2025 from Toronto Metropolitan University’s Sociology undergraduate program. As a woman of South Korean descent, I have always felt incredibly passionate about East Asian women’s issues and the orientalist lens. This was my focus throughout my undergraduate career, however, with the recent surge in far-right, anti-feminist rhetoric and digital violence against women in South Korea, I narrowed down my research interests to South Korean feminism and women’s issues during my final year. I plan to continue pursuing this topic during my journey here at York, specifically trying to understand how the popularization of Korean media, also known as the Hallyu Wave, plays a part in silencing South Korean women’s issues through nationalism. I strongly believe that this relationship deserves more research, as the situation in South Korea for women continues to lack global attention. I take great inspiration from South Korean feminist scholars and young women who, despite the dangers of declaring oneself as a feminist in public spaces, continue to raise awareness through social media and protests. I also draw from my own experiences as a South Korean woman born and raised in Canada, as thanks to my personal knowledge, I am able to take a critical stance on South Korean society and culture, while also approaching the issues with a deep sense of empathy and hope for the country.