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Red Feminism and Propaganda in Communist Media

Portrayals of Female Boxers in the North Korean Media

Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea, ljw0202{at}gmail.com

This article discusses the representation of female boxers in the North Korean media. Communists proclaim the liberation of women as one of their major political aims, and the media's portrayal of female pugilists appears to adhere to this political notion. No negative or sexualized description can be found in the North Korean media coverage of female boxing. However, a deeper analysis reveals that the media in this communist state ideologically underline a broader political structure based on state patriarchy. Moreover, the political use of female boxing is evident. In this regard, the priority seems to be given to nationalism over feminism. With respect to this, this article contends that while the North Korean media representation of female sport highlights active and skilful female athletes, such a portrayal must be seen within the limit of broader patriarchal politics. Thus, media coverage of female sport in `actually existing communism' appears to differ considerably from the genuine sense of increasing the social status of women.

Key Words: boxing • communism • gender • media • nationalism • North Korea

International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 44, No. 2-3, 193-211 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1012690209338438


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