Cho Nam-joo, 41, is a former television scriptwriter whose novel Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 became a hotly debated bestseller in South Korea when it was published in 2016, coinciding with the country’s #MeToo movement. Now published in English, Cho’s book uses the story of one woman to reveal gender inequality in all parts of South Korean society, from the privileging of male children to workplace discrimination and harassment. (Despite having the world’s 12th largest economy, a recent gender gap report ranks South Korea 108 out of 153.) Cho lives with her family in Seoul.

What was the reaction to the book in South Korea?

Readers said they could really relate to the story – women said that it was like their own life. There were some cases where celebrities were attacked [online] for reading it. It provided an opportunity for public debate, so I have some pride for making a small contribution.

What was the #MeToo movement like in South Korea?

In May 2016, a woman was murdered at Gangnam station, and in October that year there were a lot of sexual harassment scandals in various areas of society, including literary circles and the arts. People started to speak about the horrors and threats women have felt – which had not been discussed earlier. Then a female prosecutor, Seo Ji-hyeon, participated in the #MeToo movement, revealing what she had experienced [during an interview on Korean television, Seo discussed her experience of being sexually harassed at work, a revelation that prompted other women to come forward].

Do you see things changing – or do young women face the same problems today?

There is still sexual abuse and discrimination. Recently in the news, there was an applicant who couldn’t get a job because the public officials gave her a lower score just because she was female. But there has been some change. Women have been protesting and petitioning; they have begun to gather in solidarity. Recently, it was ruled that abortion being a crime was unconstitutional. Although change is slow, I believe that we will not go backwards.

You’ve said that your father and uncle struck a deal before you were born: had you been a boy, your uncle — who already had five daughters – would have taken you as his own. How does it feel to know you might have been raised in a different family?

Actually, that didn’t matter to me. As long as I was a woman, it didn’t matter whether I was living with my uncle or my dad. But if I were born as a son, I think I wouldn’t have been able to understand this life, the world that I live in, in the same way – living as a person on the weaker side, we see the world a lot more broadly.

Was it a common practice that a daughter and a son might be swapped?

It was more common in my mum’s generation. Hearing about that pact between my uncle and my dad, I was really surprised. But as I say in the book, there was this trend where women would get an abortion if they were pregnant with a girl – which peaked during the 1980s and early 90s.

The novel has sold millions of copies and been translated into 18 languages. How does such global success feel?

When my novel was made into a film, the director [Kim Do-young] said that she felt like the book has a life of its own, and I agree! It is more progressive and brave than I am.

Several K-pop stars, such as Soo-young of Girls’ Generation and RM of BTS, have praised the book. What was the effect – and are you a K-pop fan?

We have a newly coined word in Korea: “idol-seller”. Like a bestseller, but we say K-pop stars are idols. The celebrity endorsement has a lot of impact. I have long been a K-pop fan: I’m a fan of the group Mamamoo, and the singer Taeyeon.

The novel includes a scene where women are secretly filmed in the bathroom at work. How widespread is this in Korea ?

There used to be a big website where members shared illegal recordings, but it was closed down in 2016. But even today, there is constant news about people caught making illegal recordings.

Parasite director Bong Joon-ho recently said: “Korea, on the surface, seems like a very rich and glamorous country... but the relative wealth between rich and poor is widening. The younger generation, in particular, feels a lot of despair.” Do you agree?

Yes, I think that the younger male generation have a certain sense of loss because they think they don’t have as much power, capital or opportunity compared to earlier generations. But I believe that these men should not belittle women, who have even less opportunity.

Why are birth rates very low in South Korea?

The price of real estate is really high, and we don’t have a lot of job security. Young people find it quite a burden just to live by themselves. Also, our systems for company benefits like maternity leave aren’t very good, so it is hard for both men and women to juggle work and domestic chores.

You talk about the challenges of parenting – how do you find being a mother?

Usually in Korean society, people do not view women who raise children very favourably. In my case, after I had a career break, I really didn’t have any hope that I could go back to the working me. I had a hard time. But if our social structure changes, so that we all place more value on raising children, I think we can enjoy having children more.

• Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo, translated by Jamie Chang, is published by Scribner (£12.99). To order a copy go to guardianbookshop.com. Free UK p&p over £15