Women in South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

Abstract

East Asia has achieved remarkable economic growth in the past few decades. Coupled with an influx of western liberal views, this growth has brought about a dramatic change in economic and educational opportunities for women.

This paper will explore women‟s movements in three East Asian societies: Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. All three societies have traditionally been strongly male-dominated and women adhere to strict Confucian ideals of female behaviour and obligations. In light of this, what kind of changes have economic progress brought about for women‟s issues? As these societies transit from tradition to modernity, how have society‟s demands on women changed? Have women achieved a stronger status in their respective societies, or do they continue to be oppressed by social expectations?

In this paper, I will argue that there is an insufficient level of gender equality in the three societies. The freedom of choice continues to elude many women in their societies. There is also a need to question whether society is entirely to be blamed for women‟s continual oppression. Do women themselves perpetuate stereotypes and entrench themselves in passive acceptance of their status? To this end, I will explore Shin Kyung-Sook‟s Please Look after Mom, Banana Yoshimoto‟s Kitchen, and Suchen Christine Lim‟s Fistful of Colours, and analyse the complexity of women‟s desires and the relationships they form with both men and women.