Positive Masculinity in Contemporary South Korea: Cultural Patterns and Psychometric Evidence from the Korean Positive Masculinity Scale

Positive masculinity has been proposed as a strengths-based alternative to deficit-focused accounts of men, but its meaning may shift across cultures. This study evaluated the 32-item Positive Masculinity Scale among 400 Korean men using bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling, Rasch-family models, and construct correlations. Results supported a strong general factor and a single total score, while residual clusters reflected direct expression, achievement/leadership, and risk/adventure. Positive masculinity correlated with mental well-being and selectively, rather than inversely, with traditional masculine norms. Associations with work primacy and risk-taking coexisted with negative associations with emotional control and power over women. Findings suggest that positive masculinity in Korea combines adaptive qualities with familiar achievement-oriented masculine practices, requiring contextual rather than uniformly celebratory interpretation.