Ryu Ho-jeong: "The Purpose of Tal-Korset Is to Break Free from All Self-Censorship"

"Deciding My Appearance Freely Is 탈코르셋"
"Walk Proudly in the Parade as You Wish"

"I wrote a few words because I was worried that students who have just started encountering feminism and women's rights might be confused. The purpose of 탈코르셋 (Tal-Corset) is to break free from all kinds of self-censorship. Instead of living as the world dictates, it's okay to live in the way you choose yourself."

Ryu Ho-jeong, a Justice Party lawmaker who gained attention for participating in the Queer Parade, rebutted criticism that she violated 탈코르셋. 탈코르셋 refers to a women's movement rejecting external and internal standards defined by society as feminine, such as wearing makeup and having a slim body.

On the 1st, Ryu attracted attention by showcasing a short T-shirt fashion while participating in the 24th Seoul Queer Culture Festival held around Euljiro and Jongno in Seoul. It is known that Ryu also went on a diet to attend the Queer Parade, which led some to criticize her for breaking 탈코르셋.

Ryu Ho-jeong, a member of the Justice Party, participating in the 24th Seoul Queer Culture Festival. / Photo by Ryu's Facebook

In response, Ryu posted on Facebook on the 3rd, saying, "I feel I need to respond to the remark 'Isn't that a corset?!'" and offered an explanation.

Ryu said, "The three points that made Ryu Ho-jeong, a female lawmaker attending the Queer Culture Festival, a hot topic: 'belly shirt, diet, female lawmaker,'" and added, "Though the headlines appearing in the Top 10 hottest news taste bitter, I am now used to it."

She continued, "탈코르셋 is a declaration that there is no need to conform my appearance to the social standards demanded of women, and an expression of my will to freely decide my appearance myself. For example, to break free from the prejudice that 'women must have long hair,' one can choose a 'short cut,'" she explained.

However, she emphasized, "That does not mean pointing fingers at women with long hair as 'corset' wearers again. That is not 탈코르셋; it is not liberation but another form of restraint."

Ryu said, "I wanted to wear cool clothes at the Seoul Queer Culture Festival," and added, "The movement I started made my body and mind healthy. And last Saturday, I walked through Euljiro 'confidently, in the appearance I wanted.'"

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.