The finger pinching gesture, known as the ‘Megalian hand’, is seen as a mockery of male genitalia
A common hand gesture in a South Korean army recruitment poster has prompted scrutiny of a little-known cultural sensitivity in the country.
In the poster, a female model in a combat uniform poses with her hand resting under her chin. All quite innocent – except her thumb and index finger form a shape that many South Koreans associate with man-hating, according to The Korea Herald.
The finger pinching gesture is known as the “Megalian hand”, after the radical South Korean feminist group that adopted it as its logo. Its shape is seen as a mockery of male genitalia.
Cultural psychologist Han Min told the newspaper that fringe groups often adopted seemingly benign gestures to pass on coded messages in their public content.
“They know that what they say and do is wrong. That is why they express it through anonymous hand gestures.”
Source: News - South China Morning Post
