58

Actress faces jail time for adultery

I hadn’t intended on posting about actress Ok So-ri‘s current adultery case, because South Korean law is one subject that I freely admit is beyond me. But the news has hit the international newswire, so here we go:

The 39-year-old Ok, who enjoyed most of her popularity in the ’90s (her last film was 1996’s Karuna), admitted to having an affair. That alone was scandalous enough, but in Korea, adultery is still a criminal offense. Korea’s adultery rate is high, but rarely is it actually prosecuted. (Imagine the overcrowding of prisons were that true!) However, a 55-year-old adultery law has enabled Ok’s husband to press charges. Ok has attempted to overturn the law, but the prosecution is now looking to send her to jail. TO JAIL. FOR ADULTERY.

Reuters says:

“South Korean enacted its adultery law more than 50 years ago to protect women who had few rights in the male-dominated society but critics say now it is a draconian measure no longer fit for a country with an advanced civil and family court system. …Last month, the Constitutional Court said adultery damaged the social order and therefore was a criminal offence.”

Now, I’m not condoning cheating, but the problem is that this is an archaic law and is being misapplied here as a revenge tactic more than a protection of rights. It’s also pretty damn hypocritical given that Korea’s got a booming sex trade (with the vast majority of johns being men, married and otherwise) and an extremely high (and ever-increasing) divorce rate.

Way to punish one person for the “crimes” of an entire nation, Korea. This here is some fecking messed-up shiz, people.

Via Arts News, Chosun Ilbo, Reuters

Tags:

58

Required fields are marked *

Hold up! I know people are not laying morality at America feet here.

There was a case of a Grandfather and his brother that raped their granddaughter/niece for 7 years and the judge let them off scott free. Oh, and the judge send her back to them because she was mentally disabled and needed someone to care for her.

How about the case where a bunch of high school boys ran a prostitution ring and forced high school girls to have sex with them and their friends? Oh and they took pictures and put it on the Internet. No one took any responsibility and the parents blame the girls for ruining their sons lives. I guess they were not concern about their sons turning into rapists and pimps.

Yeah before you start blaming other countries, how about cleaning up your own backyard first?

THE ONLY REASON why she faces jail time is that she got caught with a foreigner; nevermind the fact that she also slept with a Korean man but no one cases about that. Another example on how Korea demonized Korean women with Non-Korean men.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

Wow, this was an interesting discussion, to begin with I am neither Korean or American, have had experience living in both countries and have come across beliefs and ideas that just made me question people's rationality (common when looking into a culture different from your own).

First in response to 'oppa'- your opinions regarding the influence of the America in Korea does come across as extremely insulting, talk about putting all your problems on someone else's shoulder. Adultery is something that has existed and will continue to exist far into the future, regardless of American influence and contribution, yes certainly cultures have been influenced by the American media and its openness on certain family- values that offend and challenge many cultures, stemming from religious as well as political laws, but hardly did Americans promote or glorify adultery. There are many things about Korea i was glad to leave behind, (the Confucian family system that made women 3rd class citizens is one that guts me, or being asked by an adult in front of children to pick which one was the most beautiful, then to be told by said adult that i was wrong that child was very unattractive, in front of the child is something that would almost never happen western societies) but i digress.

I also think its unfair that most people are looking at the law as draconian and backwards (i admit i was shocked to hear it at first). Besides the love and mushy stuff that has become associated with it, marriage is a legally binding contract signed by 2 people and thus when one person breaks said contract, by having an affair, they do need to face the consequences. I am in no way justifying the husbands actions i personally find it ridiculous at best, but lets not acts as if its totally beyond reason.

I think its also a bit disturbing that everyone is touting divorce as the obvious choice to get out of a marriage, as though divorce is both easy and acceptable in all societies, even in the most liberal and divorce ridden countries, people look down on those who are divorced, particularly women, and I'm guessing she had an affair because a divorce wasn't going to be an easy thing. People cheat for one reason or another, whether its against the law or not people will continue to cheat, on boyfriends/girlfriends and husbands/wives, hell even friends cheat on friends. Doesn't mean I'm going to go to jail for it, hey at least she wasn't living in Iran then she would have been stoned or tarred and feathered.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

I have also never been so shocked by sex scenes in Hollywood movies as i was by Korean movies, i mean damn the dramas are so PG you would never think the movies would be so pornographic. There are famous and popular actresses in all their fantastic glory in sex scenes that would never make it on an American film, and would also tarnish that actress's reputation. But for all the touting of how proper korean culture is, some seem to gloss over this fact when so many movies are glaringly and obviously contradicting such biased thinking.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

i heard a man once say that when it comes to cheating men and women are different he said that whilst he is not making an excuse for his own sex he knew that when men cheated they mostly did it out of lust and that the act of adultery in itself to them is insignificant he goes on to explain that men who are sexually frustrated are more likely to cheat (theoretically this makes sense). as for women he says that from a man's point of view there's nothing worse than a woman who commits adultery- not because man is superior to woman and therefore gets away with the act - but because when a woman cheats it's not just with her body but also with her heart!

if all of the above applies then no wonder when a man cheats people just roll their eyes but when a woman cheats people get shocked because they're thinking 'oh did she just switch allegiance!'......because you know a change of heart is a change of allegiance....but of course one can always get divorced before going around giving their hearts to random people.....be you man or woman better be divorced then be a cheater!

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

In Michigan it is possible to get a life sentence for adultery... Maybe US not very different from SK at times.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *

It's only called adultery if you're married. Why the fuck would you want to get married? For those that are considering getting married to that one "special" person take my advice, start practicing vomiting. Or be prepared to lose your brain to alcohol.

0
0
reply

Required fields are marked *