The "MeToo" movement took off in South Korea recently when a female prosecutor exposed the reality of sexual harassment within the country's highly-regimented prosecution system.
And now the movement has spread to the culture industry, after women in the field spoke up about their experiences of being sexually assaulted by powerful male directors and actors.
Park Hee-jun has the details.
The #MeToo movement has erupted in Korea's culture industry.
The latest revelations show that,... behind great literature and highly-praised art performances, there's a long-hidden ugly truth.

The spotlight turned to cultural circles when a female poet first publicized her experience of being sexually harassed by a famous male poet,... and how such incidents were common in the field.
But momentum grew, especially after a renowned theater director was found to have sexually abused numerous women in the industry.
Lee Youn-taek, a former artistic director of the National Theater of Korea, and one of the most influential figures in theater,... was revealed to have sexually harassed women in theater circles,... even raping a former actress. He admitted to the allegations in a press conference.
His case was followed by more allegations of sexual misconduct involving famous male poets and actors.

Although some have admitted their wrongdoings and said they are willing to take responsibility for their actions,... apologies are being seen as far from enough.
The fundamental problem lies in a deeply hierarchical code of the industry.
Men still wield the power, making women vulnerable to sexual abuse and discrimination.
There are calls for a lasting reform of the system, so that the #MeToo movement does not just end as a temporary measure to merely punish a handful of men.

Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.