Reinterpreted Victorian Womanhood: Freedom, Constraints, and Faith of Korean Protestant Women

This paper examines the reinterpretation of Victorian womanhood in Korean Christianity, arguing that rather than serving solely as a tool of patriarchal subjugation, the ideal of the "good wife, good mother" has been transformed into a source of spiritual authority. Using Duranno Eomeoni Hakgyo (Mother School) as a case study, this research explores how Korean Christian women navigate traditional gender norms while asserting agency through prayer, family leadership, and religious devotion. Despite lacking institutional power of the women, their numerical dominance and engagement in spiritual practices have allowed them to exert significant influence within the church. By reframing Victorian femininity as a mechanism for theological and social agency, this study contributes to a broader discourse on gender and leadership in World Christianity. Therefore, this paper highlights the complexity of non-Western feminist expressions like Gina Zurlo emphasizes in her book, demonstrating how Korean Christian women craft their own models of empowerment.