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A screenshot from the TV variety show “Night of Malicious Comments” on JTBC2.

An on-air statement by actress and singer Sulli explaining why she usually goes braless has led to a flood of supportive messages.

Sulli appeared on the JTBC2 variety show “Night of Malicious Comments” on June 21, stating that “(the issue of wearing a bra) is a matter of personal freedom” and “to me, a bra is an accessory.” She added that “bras contain wires, so they cause indigestion and are bad for your health.”

This statement drew a lot of attention as it came after a spate of provocative reports and malicious comments claiming that the reason Sulli has uploaded braless photos to social media was to ‘be suggestive’ or ‘grab attention.’ However, Sulli has not backed down from uploading braless pictures. As for the reason, she explained that she thought it would be great if the prejudice against going braless disappeared, and “I also wanted to say that it’s not as big of a deal as people think.”

Twitter was quick to react after Sulli spoke her mind on the issue, with users posting comments including “Sulli is the coolest person” ((@taemj****) and “I’ve been going braless for more than two years, I find it easier to breathe and my posture has changed. My body has become more natural.” (@would_you_****)

A screenshot from the TV variety show “Night of Malicious Comments” on JTBC2.

The prejudiced view that breasts, and particularly nipples, are obscene, has been cited as an obstacle to women going braless. In fact, a search for the phrase ‘no bra’ on Twitter returns ‘exposure’ and ‘pornography’ as related search terms. On Korean portal sites, searching for the same term causes a notification to pop up that reads “Search results that are inappropriate for young people to be exposed to have been excluded.” Son Mo-ah, 28, a university student, said “Up until I attended a women’s university, there were times when I went to school without wearing a bra, but after entering a co-ed graduate school I went to the library braless a few times and could feel a lot of eyes staring at me, so I have no choice but to wear a bra now, even if it’s uncomfortable.” Cheon Sa-rang, 25, a nurse, stated, “I think the phrase ‘no bra’ itself is like a corset, since it is predicated on the belief that it is normal for women to wear a bra. I always wear a bra to work even though it’s uncomfortable, because my colleagues might think I am weird if I’m not wearing a bra when we change clothes together.”

Jung Seong-eun, 30, who produced the 2014 documentary ‘No Brablem’ about the experience of going braless, said “When I was making the film, some people reacted by saying ‘it’s lewd to not wear a bra’ or ‘I wouldn’t want my girlfriend walking around without a bra.’ This kind of attitude stands in the way of women going braless.”

By Lee Yu-jin and Oh Yeon-seo, staff reporters

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