S. Korea’s top poet under fire over sexual abuse row
Seoul: A top South Korean poet regularly tipped for the Nobel Prize for literature has been accused of sexual abuse by another famed writer — in the form of a poem.
Choi Young- mi, in her recent composition “Monster”, described sexual harassment she suffered at the hands of a poet named “En”.
She did not explicitly identify “En” in her poem, or in a subsequent television interview.
But the character’s biographical details match those of Ko Un, a 84- yearold former Buddhist monk, who is one of the South’s most respected contemporary poets and an outspoken political campaigner who champions reunification with the North.
South Korean media and commentators have concluded the two are identical.
“Choi Young- mi exposed Ko Un,” said one newspaper headline.
Such accusations are rare in the South, where patriarchal values remain deeply ingrained and women are still expected to be chaste and obedient.
The “MeToo” movement, which has exposed sexual harassment and assaults in cultural, entertainment and various industries around the world has had a relatively limited impact in the country.
“Don’t sit next to En/ the poet ‘ K’ advised me, a literary novice/ He touches young women whenever he sees one,” Choi’s poem begins.
“Forgot ‘ K’’ s advice and sat next to “En”/ Me too/ the silk blouse borrowed from my sister got rumpled,” it said.
“Years later/ At a publisher’s year- end party/ I saw En groping a married female editor sitting next to him/ I screamed/’ You sneaky old man!’”