From Barracks to Bytes: Military Service, Memes, and the Construction of Digital Masculinity in South Korean Online Communities

This study examines the intersection of internet memes, hate speech, and political tribalism in South Korean male-dominated online communities, focusing on how military service experiences shape collective identity. The study investigates how online communities construct experiences through specific frames, centering on a shared sense of victimhood from mandatory military service. These frames shape the community's worldview, influencing interpretations of societal issues, particularly those related to gender and social equity.

Analyzing hateful memes and discourse, the research explores how these elements perpetuate power structures and reinforce dominant narratives. It argues that derogatory memes and hate speech act as symbolic violence, maintaining hierarchies and excluding perceived out-groups, particularly feminists and women. This process legitimizes existing power relations within the community and broader society. Furthermore, the study examines how identity is constructed through the repetitive use of memes and hate speech. It posits that these online performances actively shape community members' identities, with ritualistic use of certain memes and phrases becoming a way of performing and reaffirming group membership. Employing online ethnography, discourse analysis and in-depth interviews, the research provides contextual insights into these dynamics. It situates the phenomenon within broader societal changes in South Korea, including shifting gender dynamics and evolving perceptions of military service.

This study contributes to understanding online hate speech as an interplay of framing, symbolic violence, and performative acts that construct group identities in a polarized online landscape. It highlights the need for nuanced approaches to addressing online hate, considering multifaceted social, cultural, and psychological factors. By examining how victim narratives and hateful memes intersect online, this research offers insights into political polarization and identity formation in the digital age, with implications beyond the South Korean context.