A woman walks past a poster about preventing deepfake crimes displayed in front of the Digital Sexual Crime Victim Support Center in Seoul, Nov. 6. Yonhap

Teenagers accounted for up to 81.2 percent of those apprehended for creating illegal deepfake content this year, as of Wednesday, highlighting a troubling normalization of sexual misconduct among the youth.

Although the phenomenon is often linked to the tech-savvy "digital native" generation, experts argue that the root cause lies in a distorted understanding of gender and sexuality among teenagers.

Exposure to online adult content has resulted in the adoption of behaviors that demean the opposite sex, spreading as a form of entertainment and fueling hatred.

Social media amplifies misogynistic culture

Teenage boys on platforms like Instagram and X frequently share posts like The Creed for Girls, a list dictating behaviors women "should follow."

Examples include "Women's voices must not exceed 80 decibels," "Women must respond to men within three seconds," "The only skirt women should wear is an apron," and "The only sounds a woman should make are the sound of washing dishes and assisting her husband at night."

What were once extremist views confined to male-dominated forums are now circulating widely on mainstream social media platforms.

"Although society has moved past openly labeling women as inferior ‘second-class citizens,' some individuals remain resistant to gender equality," Heo Min-sook, a legislative researcher specializing in sexual violence, said. "These sentiments find an outlet in anonymous online spaces."

A "confession" account on X that collects stories of others' sexual misconduct and claims to offer forgiveness. Captured from X

Normalizing sexual crimes as jokes

Adding to the concerns are "confession" accounts on social media where teenagers casually admit to acts of sexual misconduct.

For example, one user wrote about "masturbating in a girl's seat after school." The anonymous administrators of these accounts often respond with gestures of forgiveness before publicly sharing the messages.

"Talking about experiences of sexual violence has turned into a form of entertainment," said Lee Myung-hee, secretary general of Dongseoul Women's Association. "These behaviors are being repackaged as memes, reducing guilt and encouraging participation."

Misogynistic language is also prevalent among teenage boys. Names like "Hyeji" or "Sujin" are used to ridicule peers for poor gaming skills, echoing how some adults deride poor drivers as "Mrs. Kim," here.

Experts warn that unless the distorted views of some teenagers regarding gender and sexuality are addressed, they will continue to find ways to commit crimes, even as penalties for acts like creating deepfake content become harsher.

"Punishment is crucial, but education is just as important," Heo said. "From an early age, children must understand why it's necessary to see others as equals and why mocking or hating others is harmful."

However, meaningful sex education is still missing from many schools. Complaints about the content and instructors have led to a passive approach, with many schools avoiding interactive or discussion-based lessons.

An analysis by Rep. Park Sung-joon of the Democratic Party of Korea revealed that 64.6 percent of schools nationwide used lecture-based methods for sex education this year, a teaching approach that experts contend is much less effective than participatory methods.

Unless schools provide comprehensive lessons and engage in discussions on gender equality, experts fear that these harmful and deeply concerning behaviors will persist, undermining efforts to combat crimes rooted in hate and misogyny.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.