内容摘要：It's the same for Jinha who says things can "never go back to how they were before Yoon declared martial law".

It's the same for Jinha who says things can "never go back to how they were before Yoon declared martial law".

"It's only after criticism that that there were no policies targeting women that the DP began adding a few," Saeyeon says. "I wish they could have drawn a blueprint for improving structural discrimination."When he was asked at the start of his campaign about policies targeting gender inequality, Lee responded: "Why do you keep dividing men and women? They are all Koreans."

After drawing critcism, the DP acknowledged that women still "faced structural discrimination in many areas". And it pledged to tackle inequality for women with more resources at every level.During his presidential bid in 2022, Lee was more vocal about the prejudice South Korean women encounter, seeking their votes in the wake ofHe had promised to put women in top positions in the government and appointed a woman as co-chair of the DP's emergency committee.

"It's evident that the DP is focusing significantly less on young women than they did in the [2022] presidential election," Ms Kim says.Prof Go believes it's because Lee "lost by a very narrow margin" back then. So this time, he is "casting the widest net possible" for votes. "And embracing feminist issues is not a good strategy for that."

That stings for young women like Saeyeon, especially after the role they played in the protests calling for Yoon's impeachment: "Our voices don't seem to be reflected in the [campaign] pledges at all. I feel a bit abandoned."

The ruling party's Kim Moon-soo, who served in Yoon's cabinet as labour minister, has emphasised raising birth rates by offering more financial support to parents.As a result, the groups have ended up rehearsing in sitting rooms and making sets in garages.

It often means they do not get into the spaces they will be performing in until just before the shows.For Ms Jerred, arts and culture bring a whole host of benefits to society, beyond just entertainment.

She said: "It's great for your mental health, the community, education and economic growth as well."And it brings joy for people. In the difficult times we had through Covid, people turned to theatre and music."