Archive · 4 Jan 2026
South Korea’s 4B Movement Gains Indian Interest
The 4B movement in South Korea is a feminist initiative that encourages women to reject traditional patriarchal norms.
It stands for four principles: no marriage, no childbirth, no dating, and no sex with men.
This movement started in the early 2010s as a response to gender inequality and unpaid labor.
It gained momentum with the MeToo movement and the 2016 Gangnam Station murder.
The movement also reacted to political attempts to abolish the Gender Equality Ministry.
In South Korea, women face a large gender pay gap and high rates of revenge porn and workplace harassment.
The 4B movement is a way for women to opt out of these oppressive systems.
Recently, Indian women on social media have shown interest in bringing the 4B movement to India, seeing it as a way to escape traditional gender roles and oppression.
The 4B movement in South Korea is a radical feminist initiative rejecting patriarchal norms through four principles: no marriage, no childbirth, no dating, and no sex with men.
It originated in the early 2010s as a response to gender inequality and unpaid labor, gaining momentum with the MeToo movement and the 2016 Gangnam Station murder.
South Korea has a significant gender pay gap of 31% and high rates of revenge porn and workplace harassment, fueling the movement.
The movement is seen as a systemic opt-out from cultural norms that perpetuate inequality, with experts concerned about its potential global impact on birth rates and societal resentment.
Indian women on social media are showing interest in the 4B movement, viewing it as a potential escape from traditional gender roles and oppression.
- Who
- Primarily young women in South Korea, with growing interest from Indian women
- What
- A radical feminist movement rejecting patriarchal norms through the 4B's
- When
- Started in the early 2010s, gained traction during the 2010s and 2020s
- Where
- Originated in South Korea, with interest spreading to India
- Why
- To protest gender inequality, unpaid labor, and systemic oppression of women
- Origin
- South Korea
- Year Started
- Early 2010s
- Key Influences
- MeToo movement, 2016 Gangnam Station murder, Escape the Corset movement
- 4B's
- Bihon (no marriage), Bichulsan (no childbirth), Biyeonae (no dating), Bisekseu (no sex with men)
- South Korea's Gender Pay Gap
- 31%
- Indian Interest
- Growing on social media, particularly among young women