Gender Roles In The Housemaid

Although some changes have occurred in Korean culture and gender relations Korean Women still suffer from detrimental gender based stereotypes and expectations which are the result of traditional Confucian beliefs. The patriarchal South Korean society and its negative effects on Korean women are shown in the 2010 film “The Housemaid” in which two South Korean women are mistreated and used as tools for the benefit of their shared lover. The societal expectations are even more damaging for South Korean lesbians who suffer an even greater stigma as shown in the film “Whispering Corridors 2: Memento Mori” (1999) where the lesbian main characters are frequently discriminated against because of their sexuality and relationship.
Despite being accepted …show more content…
The gender imbalance and the unequal gender roles enforced within Korean society are the result of traditional Confucian beliefs and doctrines which have become an integral part of the South Korean mindset since their rise to popularity in the Joseon dynasty. These gender roles and the detrimental effect that they can have on members of both sexes are explored through the film “The Housemaid” where a male character dominates an entire household of women who seemingly live to serve him. An inability to conform to Confucian gender roles and behavioural expectations has also resulted in a stigma against homosexuality in South Korea which is displayed through the film Memento Mori where characters are disgusted by the main characters on the few occasions where they do not hide their lesbian relationship. The presence of male dominance over females and detrimental actions taken towards lesbian characters in “The Housemaid” released in 2010 and “Memento Mori” released in 1999 show that the culture within South Korea has not changed significantly in the years between their releases and that poor treatment of these two subgroups of society is still readily accepted by the