As Bikini Girl’s protest against the imprisonment of popular podcaster Jung Bong-ju unfolds, the Korean web has been swamped by women uploading similar photos using their breasts as an expression of their anger against his imprisonment. Yet in a turn of events, many have started criticizing their protest, saying it is mere sexual exploitation of the female body. Following these accusations, men have now started to adopt the same “bikini protest”, with one notable man being Choi Young-min, a photographer who worked closely with the ex-National Assembly Member.
From Daum:
Bikini campaign is sexual harassment? Ex-MP’s supporter counters with a nude male campaign
Nude male photos in support of the imprisoned ex-MP Jung Bong-ju from the campaigning group ‘Jung Bong-ju and Future Power’ appeared on the web today. This was in response to accusations against the bikini protest as female sexual harassment.
Choi Young-min, a professional photographer who worked closely with the ex-MP was equally famous among his followers.
Painting the message ‘I’m dead serious’ and ‘Give back my model’ on his body was to remind the viewer of his support for the ex-MP.
In his interview with Money Today, Choi argued that “the female bikini campaign to publicize Jung’s case was seen as trivializing the campaign by ‘using’ the female body. I wanted to counter those criticisms by using male nudity.”
“One-person picketing protests in front of the Gwang-hwa gate do not get enough attention. I am not so against it as I am saying that it is not creative enough. Bikini protest was meant to generate interest and grab people’s attention, but it is regrettable that gesture was interpreted as commercializing female body.”
“The ‘Naneun Ggomsuda’ podcast was successful because it was able to differentiate itself from the antiquated student activism or progressive movement by being entertaining and irreverent.”
In response to criticism that the bikini or nude campaign may shift the focus away from the intended core message, Choi replied “That’s beside the point/irrelevant.”
“The key thing is maintaining people’s attention, and generating continuing publicity even if that means being more controversial. Some may say we have gone too far, but the spectrum of the progressive movement should not be the same everywhere. Photography is my bread and butter, and this is how I’ll communicate.”
Choi unveiled the plan to “continue the campaign of support until Jung is released by posting new and attention-grabbing photos every week.”
Choi added, “Even if there isn’t necessarily any bikini or nudity, I will voluntarily continue this one-man protest in a somewhat different, but fun, way revolving around the ex-MP.”
Comments from Daum:
keane:
Wow, thank you very much Mr. Choi! I applaud your courage. I cannot thank you enough. ㅠㅜ
진정한보수:
What lunacy, I cannot stand this.
anydays:
I am not a fan of Mr. Jung and felt that supporting someone who is thinking of running for president in the future by means of a bikini campaign is a bit excessive but I can now understand that it is important to keep making an issue out of this. Clearly this is a broader movement that shows how things have been changing. The party that recognises the current flow of things will do well in politics and reversing the current flow would probably lead to military dictatorship or becoming anachronistic. I enjoyed the article and keep up the good work.
창공:
Refreshing.
thflthfl:
……Huh huh huh, trying hard I see. Only village idiots do this sort of stuff.
이계선:
Psychopathic Naggomsu, doing whatever to get attention. Why not do a strip show? The ROK is diseased…
크아랜드:
The progressives ought to be like this. Don’t trap yourself. The progressives should not always be hungry and serious all the time. More effort to keep Jung in people’s memory…
나무님:
Jung demolished the authoritarianism of MPs with his flippancy. He demonstrated that one can be on the side of the people without elitism and seriousness. Until the last moment of being imprisoned, he provided his supporters quite a lot to laugh about. That was his greatness. Having a married, 50-year-old man posing in a bikini in support will be his lasting political legacy. Let’s not take this too seriously in this depressing time. Don’t be so serious, fu-ck.
