A new survey shows South Koreans sharply divided over how gender affects social standing.
According to the “2026 Gender Perception Survey” released on the 29th by Korea Research, based on 1,000 adults nationwide ages 18 and older, 23% of men said women are socially disadvantaged — less than one in four.
By contrast, 33% of men said men are socially disadvantaged. That was about three times the share of women who agreed with the same statement (11%).
Views on whether society favors one gender also shifted. Overall, 34% said South Korea is a good place for women to live, compared with 29% who said it is more favorable to men. The survey said this was the first time perceptions of a women-friendly society exceeded perceptions of a men-friendly one.
The gender gap in responses remained wide, especially among younger people, where gender conflict is more visible.
Among women ages 18 to 29, 68% described South Korean society as “male-friendly.” Among men in their 40s and younger, more than 40% said society is “female-friendly,” more than 20 percentage points higher than women in the same age groups.
Across all respondents, 37% said there is no difference between genders. Korea Research said the results make it difficult to conclude that one gender is overwhelmingly advantaged in society.
Overall, the survey suggests that men and women experience and interpret gender realities differently in South Korea, with the divide most pronounced among younger generations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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