BTS' RM wins hearts by promoting feminist artist Rha Hye Sok's works at the LACMA exhibit

BTS' RM has been a pioneer of championing minority rights in South Korea. His recent actions at the LACMA once again garnered praise and put the spotlight on the artist's genuine concern and support for the feminist movement in the country.

BTS' RM lent his voice to serve as an audio guide to some of the pieces featured at the Los Angeles County Museum in collaboration with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of South Korea.

One of the pieces displayed and introduced by BTS' RM was that of the pioneer of feminism in Korea, Rha Hye Sok. The self-portrait of the artist, born in 1897, was put up in the museum as one of RM's favorite pieces as he dictated the story of her life.

Fans couldn't stop hailing BTS' RM for his actions and focused on its importance at a time when several anti-feminist protests have taken place in South Korea.

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About Rha Hye Sok, the pioneer of feminism in South Korea

Rha Hye Sok was a revolutionary artist of 20th century Korea, who became one of the most resented 'radical' women of her time. Born in 1897, she started studying oil painting at the Women's School of Art in Tokyo when she was 16 years old.

She was the first Korean woman to study Western style oil painting. Her first solo exhibition was in Seoul in 1921, a time when the public interest and knowledge of oil painting was close to none in Korea.

The LACMA audio narration touched upon the activism of Rha Hye Sok and highlighted her involvement in the women's liberation movement.

"Rha Hye-seok was the epitome of the “New Woman” of the modern age. In addition to her groundbreaking work as an oil painter, she was also actively involved in the women’s liberation movement. She helped to publish the magazine New Woman and wrote numerous articles on women’s liberation, in addition to being an accomplished illustrator and novelist."

Rha Hye Sok traveled to Europe and the United States in 1927 with her husband. She trained at the studio of Roger Bissiére in Paris, and her style of art evolved into bolder and darker paintings. "Self-portrait" is one such piece with a dark color pallate, reflecting the psychological turmoil she was facing in her life.

"The darkness that appeared in Rha Hye-seok’s paintings was likely related to her marital problems. After the trip back to Korea, the marriage ended in divorce. At a time when marital infidelity and divorce were highly stigmatized, she spoke openly about her situation. In an article entitled “Confession about My Divorce,” she described her reasons for getting divorced, criticized gender inequality, and declared that every woman deserved autonomy as an independent person."

"Unfortunately, at that time, Korean society had little tolerance for a woman who expressed such progressive ideas or attempted to subvert traditional values. As a result, Rha was gradually shunned by society. She spent the last years of her life in poverty and alienation, before dying alone in 1948."

— lacma.org.

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RM and BTS have championed the cause of feminism over the years

In one of his past Vlives, BTS' RM talked about the feminist author Kim Ji Young and her book Born 1982. The book voices the struggles of women facing gender discrimination in Korea and was a topic of much controversy. Artists like Red Velvet's Joy and Irene, as well as Suzy who read the book, had to face severe backlash from anti-feminists.

In another interview, BTS' RM also talked about his personal growth through the years, as he came to terms with his insensitivity to gender issues.

The criticisms faced by the leader over the lyrics of some of BTS' earliest songs like Joker and War of Hormones led the group to course-correct and get the lyrics checked by professors of gender studies in Universities of Korea. This was done in order to ensure that they avoided hurting the sentiments of their fans.

The group later released songs like 21st Century Girl and Boy with Luv with Halsey, who herself is a feminist, has led many fans to come out and hail the group for their efforts to sensitize themselves on such social issues.

BTS' RM was the first ever K-pop artist to address the United Nations General Assembly for BTS' campaign Love Yourself, a move to promote self love. BTS' actions have gone on to inspire many in the world of K-pop to become more socially responsible and use their platform for good causes.