Kang Yumi's 'Middle-Aged Man Bird' Video Sparks Misogyny Controversy... Female Students Say "Raise Your Sons Better"

Serious Sexual Harassment Issues in Schools... Victims Speak Out and Share Experiences
Teachers Also Express Concern Over "Dangerous Levels of Misogynistic Behavior"

Broadcaster Kang Yumi's video titled 'Middle-aged Man Birds' uploaded on her YouTube channel. Screenshot from Kang Yumi's YouTube channel

Debate continues over whether broadcaster Kang Yumi's 'Middle-Aged Man Bird' video is satire or mockery, while a growing number of claims are emerging among female students that misogynistic remarks by male students are a serious problem.

On January 1, Kang Yumi uploaded a video titled 'Middle-Aged Man Bird' to her YouTube channel. As of January 8, the video had reached approximately 1.46 million views and garnered over 17,000 comments.

'Man Bird' is an abbreviation of a derogatory Korean slang phrase meaning 'woman obsessed with men.' It is used to belittle women who are excessively fixated on men, making men the standard for all their decisions and actions.

In the video, Kang Yumi plays the role of a middle-aged working mother with an only son, delivering lines such as "These days, boys are more conscious of girls," "If girls hit my son, I tell him to hit them back," "Daughters are moody and sensitive," and "I'm set to become a bad mother-in-law."

After the video spread across various online communities, female students began to push back. They shared their own and their friends' experiences of misogyny, arguing that recent sexist remarks and behaviors by male students have become a serious issue.

One user commented, "When the deepfake scandal broke out, only the girls were gathered in the auditorium during lunch to be educated about 'not uploading photos carelessly on social media.' The boys were playing soccer outside and received no such education."

Comments on the 'Middle-Aged Man Bird' video. YouTube screenshot

Another user, who identified as a high school student, wrote, "If you go to a co-ed school, it's actually more surprising if you don't develop a dislike for men. While waiting for lunch, I heard 'Hey, you b****' just because I picked up my spoon before a boy did. Sexual harassment is just the baseline. It's happened more times than I can count, so please educate your sons properly," expressing anger.

The Teachers' Union Federation also voiced concern over the severity of misogyny among students. According to Yonhap News Agency, Jang Saerin, Policy Director of the Teachers' Union Federation, said, "There are countless incidents related to misogyny among students," but added, "The term 'misogyny' itself has yet to become established at schools. Simple misogynistic remarks, as opposed to sexual crimes like deepfakes or illegal filming, are difficult to punish."