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Reform Party leader responds to backlash over Dongtan meme comments

Published: 10 Oct. 2025, 14:46

Reform Party Rep. Lee Jun-seok speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul on Sept. 22. [NEWS1]

Lee Jun-seok, leader of the Reform Party and lawmaker representing Hwaseong B District in Gyeonggi, signaled legal action on Thursday after controversy erupted over comments he made on social media regarding the so-called "Dongtan Missy Look" meme.

“There are people spreading false claims that I left inappropriate comments to harass a woman,” Lee wrote on Facebook. “Don’t even think about pulling such clumsy tricks.”

The controversy stems from comments Lee left on an Instagram post that referenced the "Dongtan Missy Look," an online meme that objectifies women — typically mothers — wearing formfitting outfits in the new town area of Dongtan, Hwaseong. The term emerged around 2020, when Dongtan became known as a fast-growing city with many young couples.

Under posts depicting women in revealing dresses described as “Dongtan Missy Look,” Lee left comments such as, “There’s no one like that in Dongtan,” and “You won’t see people dressed like this in Dongtan.”

Lee also shared a screenshot of the Instagram post in question, which featured a photo of a woman in a tight-fitting dress labeled “Dongtan Missy Look,” with added descriptions saying “Dongtan’s fashion moms.”

“People living in Dongtan dislike having their city stereotyped or misrepresented by terms like ‘Dongtan look,’” Lee wrote. “That’s why, when I see absurd posts like this, I sometimes comment, ‘There’s no one like that in Dongtan.’”

“If you look at the post I attached, you’ll see many Dongtan residents have left similar comments,” Lee went on. “Isn’t it only natural for a lawmaker representing the district to speak out when an internet meme belittles hard-working mothers raising children in Dongtan?”

“I haven’t deleted my comments because there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them,” Lee said. “As this kind of false narrative continues to spread, I’ll be taking legal action against it as well.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]