"Sexually Conservative Korea"... Controversy Over 'Adult Festival' Draws Foreign Media Attention

BBC, Public Opinion on Adult Festival Also Draws Attention

The British BBC broadcast highlighted the cancellation of the 'Adult Festival (2024 KXF The Fashion)' featuring Japanese adult video (AV) actors, due to opposition from local governments and other groups.

On the 24th (local time), in an article titled "The Fate of Korea's Largest Sex Festival," it mentioned, "Korea is known to approach sex and adult entertainment conservatively." It then introduced the process by which the adult festival event faced criticism from various local authorities and women's organizations for distorting sexual concepts, leading to multiple venue changes and ultimately cancellation.

Women's groups opposing ahead of the 'Adult Festival'.
[Image provided by Suwon Women's Hotline]

Previously, the adult content production company Playjoker planned to hold an event featuring Japanese adult video actors, but after repeated venue changes due to opposition from authorities and residents, it was recently canceled. The company's representative told the BBC that they even received death threats and said, "We did nothing illegal, yet we were treated like criminals."

The Suwon Women's Hotline, which opposed the event, stated, "This is not a sex festival but exploitation and objectification of women," adding, "The sex industry incites violence against women."

The BBC explained that public opinion in Gangnam, one of the planned event locations, was divided by gender. Men responded that it was acceptable as long as it was not illegal, while women viewed it as a problem of sexual commodification. However, the majority felt that the authorities went too far in banning the event itself, the media reported.

The BBC said, "Korean politics still largely moves according to conservative and traditional values, and Korean authorities have previously been criticized for suppressing diversity through excessive measures," adding, "Authorities will need to figure out how to navigate this difficult dilemma."