Stripping off the Mask: Jane Park Wells and the Ascent of Korean Women by Meher McArthur

Asian Accents:  This article is part of an ongoing series that explores the diverse range of artistic influences from Asia in the arts and culture of Southern California.

On February 25th of this year, Park Geun-hye will be sworn in as South Korea's first female president. Although being the daughter of former president Park Chung-hee gave her a considerable leg-up in the December 2012 elections, the fact that 51.6% of the Korean population voted for a female president (who emphasized her gender in her campaign) is huge in a country where the role of women has traditionally been very limited. Probably the most Confucian of Asian cultures today, Korean society has not encouraged female participation in the realms of business or politics. Until recently, the primary role of a Korean woman has been to provide her husband with children -- and ideally, sons . . .

Stripping off the Mask: Jane Park Wells and the Ascent of Korean Women by Meher McArthur