K-pop: Why 's hard for stars to be gay South Korea | CNN

Contents:

• IN THE MP WORLD OF K-POP, ’S HARD FOR STARS TO BE GAY
• SOUTH KOREAN URT GRANTS GAY UPLE HEALTH BENEFS LANDMARK LG
• S​OUTH KOREA’S SUPREME COURT ​ISSU LANDMARK RULG ON GAY SEX
• HOW GAY-FRIENDLY IS SOUTH KOREA?WH THE WTER OLYMPICS AROUND THE RNER, THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT IS ON {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY SAM MANZELLAFEBARY 5, 2018/12:03 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3414PX;WIDTH:5120PX;}CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JULY 15: PEOPLE ENJOY THE KOREA QUEER CULTURE FTIVAL 2017 ONT OF CY HALL ON JULY 15, 2017 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THE ANNUAL FTIVAL PROMOTG THE LGBT RIGHTS HAD OCSNALLY BEEN DISPTED BY ANTI-LGBT GROUPS THE PAST, THOUGH HOMOSEXUALY IS NOT ILLEGAL THE UNTRY. (PHOTO BY CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAG)BY SAM MANZELLAFEBARY 5, 2018 / 12:03 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"HOW GAY-FRIENDLY IS SOUTH KOREA?","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2018-02-05T17:03:39.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2018-02-05T17:03:39.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SAM MANZELLA","KEYWORDS":"TERNATNAL, SPORTS","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN JT A FEW DAYS, HUNDREDS OF ATHLET WILL SCEND ON PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA, FOR THE 2018 WTER OLYMPICS, CLUDG A NUMBER OF GAY AND LBIAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT WHAT'S THE STATE OF LGBT EQUALY SOUTH KOREA?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HISTORILLY, THE UNTRY'S NSERVATIVE ERNMENT AND LARGE CHRISTIAN POPULATN HAS MEANT SLOW PROGRS: IN 2013, A PEW REARCH POLL DITED ALMOST 60% OF KOREANS BELIEVED SOCIETY SHOULDN'T ACCEPT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN LAWS AGAST SAME-SEX ACTIVY KOREA, AND THE AG OF NSENT ARE EQUAL FOR HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL SEX. BUT BEG GAY IS STILL CULTURALLY TABOO: A MAJORY OF QUEER PEOPLE ARE STILL CLOSETED, AND THOSE WHO E OUT ARE OFTEN ENURAGED TO UNRGO NVERSN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"MOST KOREANS STILL KEEP THEIR SEXUALY PRIVATE," NOT SABRA CONSTANCE HILL, A CANADIAN TRANS WOMAN WHO'S LIVED SOUTH KOREA FOR NEARLY 13 YEARS. "WHILE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WILL E OUT TO IENDS, A LOT STILL HI OM THEIR FAY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE THE RT OF ASIA, SOUTH KOREA LACKS MARRIAGE EQUALY, AND SAME-SEX UNNS AREN'T REGNIZED BY THE ERNMENT, EHER. SAVE FOR A FEW MUNICIPALI, THERE ARE NO LEGAL PROTECTNS AGAST DISCRIMATN. LGBT KOREANS N'T ADOPT CHILDREN OR OPENLY SERVE THE ARY. (LAST YEAR, A SOLDIER WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS JAIL FOR HAVG NSENSUAL SEX WH ANOTHER SOLDIER.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CENSORSHIP IS NOT UNMON, AND THE ERNMENT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BLOCK GAY DATG APPS OM APP STOR KOREA. AND CHRISTIAN GROUPS LIKE SEOUL'S ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY CHRISTIAN SOLIDARY FUEL MPAIGNS TOUTG MARRIAGE AS STRICTLY BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JULY 15: ANTI SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ACTIVISTS ATTEND THE RALLY NEXT TO THE KOREA QUEER CULTURE FTIVAL 2017 ONT OF CY HALL ON JULY 15, 2017 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THE ANNUAL FTIVAL PROMOTG THE LGBT RIGHTS HAD OCSNALLY BEEN DISPTED BY ANTI-LGBT GROUPS THE PAST, THOUGH HOMOSEXUALY IS NOT ILLEGAL THE UNTRY. (PHOTO BY CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"AS THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT FOR THE LGBT MUNY BE MORE VISIBLE, THE MOVEMENT OF DISGTG FORC IS ALSO BEG MORE TENSE," SAYS CANDY YUN OF THE KOREAN SEXUAL MORY CULTURE AND RIGHTS CENTER. "THE HATE GROUPS KOREA ARE TRYG TO OVERTHROW OUR RIGHTS AND SPEWG THE SAME TIRED PROPAGANDA THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS THE E OF AIDS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE EXPERIENCE FOR THE TRANSGENR MUNY ISN'T MUCH BETTER: WH A FEW EXCEPTNS, TRANS KOREANS N ONLY CHANGE THEIR LEGAL GENR MARKERS AFTER THEY'VE UNRGONE SURGIL TRANSN AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT ATTUS ARE CHANGG QUICKLY. ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE THE REPUBLIC, 60% OF WHOM SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALY. "WHILE KOREA IS STILL EPLY NSERVATIVE, THERE IS A TREND TOWARD EQUALY AND OPENNS," SAYS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A TELEVISED BATE LAST YEAR, PRINT MOON JAE- SAID HE OPPOSED HOMOSEXUALY. BUT SUPPORTERS SAY HE WAS ONLY SAVG FACE ONT OF NSERVATIV. FOUR MONTHS LATER, AN LGBT RIGHTS GROUP WON A LANDMARK SU ALLOWG TO LEGALLY REGISTER AS A CHARY. (THE SEOUL METROPOLAN GOVERNMENT, THE MISTRY OF JTICE AND THE NATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSN HAD ALL TRIED TO BLOCK .)ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAGPARTICIPANT 'SEEA' POS FOR A PHOTO DURG A 'GAY PRI' GATHERG SEOUL ON JULY 15, 2017.THOANDS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATED GAY RIGHTS WH SONG, DANCE AND A MARCH SEOUL ON JULY 15, AMID RA AND BOISTERO PROTTS BY NSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS. RELIG SOUTH KOREANS HAVE BEEN A LOUD FIXTURE AT THE ANNUAL PARA FOR YEARS, HOLDG A RIVAL ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY RALLY WHILE TRYG TO PHYSILLY BLOCK THE MARCH. / AFP PHOTO / ED JONES (PHOTO CRED SHOULD READ ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2015, ANIZERS OF KOREA'S ANNUAL PRI EVENT, THE QUEER CULTURE FTIVAL, HAD TO GO TO URT TO OVERTURN A POLICE BAN. IN 2017, THE EVENT SAW A RERD-BREAKG TURNOUT WH 85,000 {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"EVERY YEAR, [THE FTIVAL] GROWS," HILL SAYS. "TEN YEARS AGO, WAS ATTEND MOSTLY BY THOSE THE LGBT MUNY. BUT NOW MORE ALLI SEEM TO BE SHOWG UP."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CERTA NEIGHBORHOODS SEOUL, LIKE ITAEWON AND HONGDAE, HAVE GAY AND LGBT-IENDLY CLUBS, AND HILL SAYS SHE GENERALLY FEELS SAFE. "IN MY TIME HERE, SOME OF MY BIGGT ALLI HAVE BEEN KOREANS. KOREANS ARE GENERALLY KD PEOPLE... ONCE YOU ARE THEIR GOOD GRAC, THEY HAVE YOUR BACK."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEDIA REPRENTATNS HAVE EXPAND, AS WELL: FILMMAKER KIM JHO GWANG-SOO AND ACTOR-POLICIAN HONG SEOK-CHEON ARE BOTH OUT CELEBRI. HARISU IS A WELL-KNOWN TRANS POP SGER AND ACTRS. EARLIER THIS MONTH, OPENLY GAY K-POP STAR HOLLAND RELEASED "NEVERLAND," HIS BUT MIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE CLIP, WHICH FEATUR A SAME-SEX ROMANCE AND KISS, HAS GARNERED MORE THAN 4 LN VIEWS ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• SOUTH KOREA’S GAY UPL FIGHT FOR REGNN, ONE LAW AT A TIME

IN THE MP WORLD OF K-POP, ’S HARD FOR STARS TO BE GAY

A urt South Korea has led that same-sex upl are entled to the same spoal verage unr the natnal health surance service as heterosexual upl – the first time the untry has regnised the legal stat of a gay partner. Tuday’s landmark cisn by the Seoul high urt overturned a prev lg by a lower urt January 2022 that rejected a gay uple’s petn after one partner was told he had to make separate health surance South Korean law, a pennt is exempt om makg health surance payments if their spoe meets certa employment ndns. Right-wg lawmakers troduced legislatn last year that would remove any reference to “sexual orientatn” as a possible source of discrimatn unr the mandate of the Natnal Human Rights Commissn of liberal Print Moon Jae-, a former human rights lawyer, said on the mpaign trail 2017 that he disliked homosexualy and had “no tentn” of legalizg print, Moon has said he oppos discrimatn, but he has also said that society “has yet to reach a nsens” on legalizg same-sex unns and that the issue needs more Rights Watch reported November that LGBT youth South Korea experienced difference or outright hostily that left them feelg isolated and jeopardized their mental said she feels attus are gradually changg.

“I thk the private sector is begng to look at gay people as ctomers.

SOUTH KOREAN URT GRANTS GAY UPLE HEALTH BENEFS LANDMARK LG

She dreams of one day beg s first non-European, first female and first openly gay chief executive — a “totem of diversy, ” she the uple still face many obstacl their daily are treated as separate for the purpose of securg a mortgage, they nnot sign medil nsent forms as next-of-k, and for heranc, Korean law giv close fay members tomatic precence, leavg anythg that benefs an unmarried partner vulnerable to legal the ceremony Manhattan, the uple honeymooned the Seychell, but their return to South Korea was a slap back to realy.

” One petn sent to the Mistry of Jtice prophied, whout any evince, that “homosexuals will try to sce everyone” if the bill were to bee law.

” In May, a top adviser to Print Yoon said “homosexualy n be treated, ” like a smokg hab (he later rigned). Prottant Pastor Yonah Lee, a stnch supporter of Yoon’s polici, is often lled this untry’s facto “ex-gay” spokperson. ” Pastor Yonah Lee, center, leads an "ex-gay" march LifePastor Lee acknowledged that discrimatn agast LGBTQ dividuals is “wrong, ” but he argued that the Bible “nmns homosexualy” and baselsly claimed that an anti-discrimatn law that explicly protects LGBTQ people would “force church to close.

S​OUTH KOREA’S SUPREME COURT ​ISSU LANDMARK RULG ON GAY SEX

What is like to be gay South Korea?

HOW GAY-FRIENDLY IS SOUTH KOREA?WH THE WTER OLYMPICS AROUND THE RNER, THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT IS ON {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}LIFEBY SAM MANZELLAFEBARY 5, 2018/12:03 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:3414PX;WIDTH:5120PX;}CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JULY 15: PEOPLE ENJOY THE KOREA QUEER CULTURE FTIVAL 2017 ONT OF CY HALL ON JULY 15, 2017 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THE ANNUAL FTIVAL PROMOTG THE LGBT RIGHTS HAD OCSNALLY BEEN DISPTED BY ANTI-LGBT GROUPS THE PAST, THOUGH HOMOSEXUALY IS NOT ILLEGAL THE UNTRY. (PHOTO BY CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAG)BY SAM MANZELLAFEBARY 5, 2018 / 12:03 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"HOW GAY-FRIENDLY IS SOUTH KOREA?","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2018-02-05T17:03:39.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2018-02-05T17:03:39.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"SAM MANZELLA","KEYWORDS":"TERNATNAL, SPORTS","ARTICLESECTN":"LIFE"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN JT A FEW DAYS, HUNDREDS OF ATHLET WILL SCEND ON PYEONGCHANG, SOUTH KOREA, FOR THE 2018 WTER OLYMPICS, CLUDG A NUMBER OF GAY AND LBIAN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT WHAT'S THE STATE OF LGBT EQUALY SOUTH KOREA?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}HISTORILLY, THE UNTRY'S NSERVATIVE ERNMENT AND LARGE CHRISTIAN POPULATN HAS MEANT SLOW PROGRS: IN 2013, A PEW REARCH POLL DITED ALMOST 60% OF KOREANS BELIEVED SOCIETY SHOULDN'T ACCEPT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THERE HAVE NEVER BEEN LAWS AGAST SAME-SEX ACTIVY KOREA, AND THE AG OF NSENT ARE EQUAL FOR HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL SEX. BUT BEG GAY IS STILL CULTURALLY TABOO: A MAJORY OF QUEER PEOPLE ARE STILL CLOSETED, AND THOSE WHO E OUT ARE OFTEN ENURAGED TO UNRGO NVERSN {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"MOST KOREANS STILL KEEP THEIR SEXUALY PRIVATE," NOT SABRA CONSTANCE HILL, A CANADIAN TRANS WOMAN WHO'S LIVED SOUTH KOREA FOR NEARLY 13 YEARS. "WHILE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WILL E OUT TO IENDS, A LOT STILL HI OM THEIR FAY."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}LIKE THE RT OF ASIA, SOUTH KOREA LACKS MARRIAGE EQUALY, AND SAME-SEX UNNS AREN'T REGNIZED BY THE ERNMENT, EHER. SAVE FOR A FEW MUNICIPALI, THERE ARE NO LEGAL PROTECTNS AGAST DISCRIMATN. LGBT KOREANS N'T ADOPT CHILDREN OR OPENLY SERVE THE ARY. (LAST YEAR, A SOLDIER WAS SENTENCED TO SIX MONTHS JAIL FOR HAVG NSENSUAL SEX WH ANOTHER SOLDIER.){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CENSORSHIP IS NOT UNMON, AND THE ERNMENT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BLOCK GAY DATG APPS OM APP STOR KOREA. AND CHRISTIAN GROUPS LIKE SEOUL'S ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY CHRISTIAN SOLIDARY FUEL MPAIGNS TOUTG MARRIAGE AS STRICTLY BETWEEN ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAGSEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JULY 15: ANTI SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ACTIVISTS ATTEND THE RALLY NEXT TO THE KOREA QUEER CULTURE FTIVAL 2017 ONT OF CY HALL ON JULY 15, 2017 SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THE ANNUAL FTIVAL PROMOTG THE LGBT RIGHTS HAD OCSNALLY BEEN DISPTED BY ANTI-LGBT GROUPS THE PAST, THOUGH HOMOSEXUALY IS NOT ILLEGAL THE UNTRY. (PHOTO BY CHUNG SUNG-JUN/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"AS THE SOCIAL MOVEMENT FOR THE LGBT MUNY BE MORE VISIBLE, THE MOVEMENT OF DISGTG FORC IS ALSO BEG MORE TENSE," SAYS CANDY YUN OF THE KOREAN SEXUAL MORY CULTURE AND RIGHTS CENTER. "THE HATE GROUPS KOREA ARE TRYG TO OVERTHROW OUR RIGHTS AND SPEWG THE SAME TIRED PROPAGANDA THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS THE E OF AIDS."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE EXPERIENCE FOR THE TRANSGENR MUNY ISN'T MUCH BETTER: WH A FEW EXCEPTNS, TRANS KOREANS N ONLY CHANGE THEIR LEGAL GENR MARKERS AFTER THEY'VE UNRGONE SURGIL TRANSN AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BUT ATTUS ARE CHANGG QUICKLY. ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE THE REPUBLIC, 60% OF WHOM SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALY. "WHILE KOREA IS STILL EPLY NSERVATIVE, THERE IS A TREND TOWARD EQUALY AND OPENNS," SAYS {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN A TELEVISED BATE LAST YEAR, PRINT MOON JAE- SAID HE OPPOSED HOMOSEXUALY. BUT SUPPORTERS SAY HE WAS ONLY SAVG FACE ONT OF NSERVATIV. FOUR MONTHS LATER, AN LGBT RIGHTS GROUP WON A LANDMARK SU ALLOWG TO LEGALLY REGISTER AS A CHARY. (THE SEOUL METROPOLAN GOVERNMENT, THE MISTRY OF JTICE AND THE NATNAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSN HAD ALL TRIED TO BLOCK .)ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAGPARTICIPANT 'SEEA' POS FOR A PHOTO DURG A 'GAY PRI' GATHERG SEOUL ON JULY 15, 2017.THOANDS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATED GAY RIGHTS WH SONG, DANCE AND A MARCH SEOUL ON JULY 15, AMID RA AND BOISTERO PROTTS BY NSERVATIVE CHRISTIANS. RELIG SOUTH KOREANS HAVE BEEN A LOUD FIXTURE AT THE ANNUAL PARA FOR YEARS, HOLDG A RIVAL ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY RALLY WHILE TRYG TO PHYSILLY BLOCK THE MARCH. / AFP PHOTO / ED JONES (PHOTO CRED SHOULD READ ED JONES/AFP/GETTY IMAG){BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IN 2015, ANIZERS OF KOREA'S ANNUAL PRI EVENT, THE QUEER CULTURE FTIVAL, HAD TO GO TO URT TO OVERTURN A POLICE BAN. IN 2017, THE EVENT SAW A RERD-BREAKG TURNOUT WH 85,000 {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"EVERY YEAR, [THE FTIVAL] GROWS," HILL SAYS. "TEN YEARS AGO, WAS ATTEND MOSTLY BY THOSE THE LGBT MUNY. BUT NOW MORE ALLI SEEM TO BE SHOWG UP."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}CERTA NEIGHBORHOODS SEOUL, LIKE ITAEWON AND HONGDAE, HAVE GAY AND LGBT-IENDLY CLUBS, AND HILL SAYS SHE GENERALLY FEELS SAFE. "IN MY TIME HERE, SOME OF MY BIGGT ALLI HAVE BEEN KOREANS. KOREANS ARE GENERALLY KD PEOPLE... ONCE YOU ARE THEIR GOOD GRAC, THEY HAVE YOUR BACK."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}MEDIA REPRENTATNS HAVE EXPAND, AS WELL: FILMMAKER KIM JHO GWANG-SOO AND ACTOR-POLICIAN HONG SEOK-CHEON ARE BOTH OUT CELEBRI. HARISU IS A WELL-KNOWN TRANS POP SGER AND ACTRS. EARLIER THIS MONTH, OPENLY GAY K-POP STAR HOLLAND RELEASED "NEVERLAND," HIS BUT MIC {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE CLIP, WHICH FEATUR A SAME-SEX ROMANCE AND KISS, HAS GARNERED MORE THAN 4 LN VIEWS ON {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.49999999999999%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Homophobia is still rife South Korea, where very few mastream mic stars have e out as gay.

There, homosexual sex is not banned, but is illegal the ary, where almost all men mt plete a stt of pulsory nscriptn.

“It’s kd of sad, ” said Jungm Kwon, an amic who wrote a book lled “Straight Korean Female Fans and Their Gay Fantasi. “On the one hand looks like the dtry is very open md to shippg culture, ” she told CNN, referrg to the culture among fans of imagg relatnships between their favore stars – cludg gay relatnships. Acrdg to Kwon, fans were spired by “yaoi” – a kd of Japane manga that featur gay relatnships between male upl – and began makg up stori about their favore stars.

SOUTH KOREA’S GAY UPL FIGHT FOR REGNN, ONE LAW AT A TIME

Even now, K-pop labels sometim cultivate idols’ homoerotic appeal the hop that mak them more popular fanfictn, where Kwon timat 80% of stori volve gay story l. South Korea’s rerd labels are happy to let fans fantasize about idols beg gay.