13 Portras of Gay Men In Seoul, South Korea

Contents:

• GAY SOUTH KOREA TRAVEL GUI
• KOREAN GAY CULTURE IS SO TERTG
• BEHD THE MYTH: ARE GAY KOREANS PRODUCTS OF WTERN CULTURE?
• 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
• IN THE MP WORLD OF K-POP, ’S HARD FOR STARS TO BE GAY
• THE COMPLITED LIV OF GAY MEN SOUTH KOREA
• GAY LIFE SOUTH KOREA

GAY SOUTH KOREA TRAVEL GUI

Elska Magaze, the gay photography and culture project that travels around the world meetg men om diverse LGBTQ muni, releas s latt issue. "This has been the most difficult issue to make yet", says Liam Campbell, edor and chief photographer of Elska, "We ntacted lerally hundreds of guys but the vast majory preferred to stay 'discreet', fearg that exposure any sort of gay media uld jeopardise their jobs, their fai, everythg.

KOREAN GAY CULTURE IS SO TERTG

The rult is a readg experience that giv an timate look si queer Seoul, as if we travelled together wh the Elska team to Seoul and met the guys real of the men the Seoul issue clu:U L, who shar his experience durg a trip to a tradnal bathhoe (a jjimjilbang), told through a lens of uncertaty and self-nscns;Jay S, who scrib the moment when his mother nonts him wh the accatn that he is gay;Ivan J, who reunts an afternoon of vegetable-aid masturbatn set to the soundtrack of hymnal Bach;Heezy Y, who talks about the difficulti of fdg succs a society so full of expectatns and nformy;Jose S-M, who as one of a large number of foreigners livg Seoul reflects upon his seven years livg the cy;Jam K, who discs tryg to rencile how to be a Korean man agast the opposg standard of masculy set by his Seoul is 180 pag. While there are very ltle rights protectg LGBT cizens, South Korea's tolerance of the LGBT muny is growg and a gay neighborhood exists the cy of Seoul where visors n enjoy the nightlife to the early hours of the morng.

One thg, I notice is that they're very pole but n be very at the same Youtube Channels I remend are: ddolddol - a sassy bottom that lik to talk sh and dance 남규 NAMGYU - a bar owner that do live stream where he aggrsively flirts wh his gut Hyugayso_Dia&DG - gay uple YoungJay - remds me MarkEMiller but is more tertg 대녈 DAENYEOL - sorta like gay BuzzFeedIf you guys have other YouTubers or social media acunts feel ee to share.

Sce gay culture has not been a public issue Korea for very long, some people believe same-sex relatnships are a cultural import of the Wt.

BEHD THE MYTH: ARE GAY KOREANS PRODUCTS OF WTERN CULTURE?

This fallacy is seemgly supported by the fact that Seoul’s “foreigner district” of Itaewon is the only place where Koreans are openly gay.

And y, Korea’s northern neighbor Rsia was once gay-iendly too: the historian Solovyov wrote the 1600s that “nowhere the East or Wt was [homosexualy] looked upon so lightly as Rsia. Regardls, public disurse Korea about homosexualy should be rmed by the fact that is a fully Korean phenomenon, not a foreign one. When the BBC posted a vio about the make-up route of a 16-year-old YouTuber Seoul on Facebook, the reactns ranged om trigued to downright assumed this meant he was gay, while others admonished him for his choice sayg "real men don't wear make-up".

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

He says he's been lled gay by some Koreans onle for as long as he's been dog make-up ptn, A YouTube vlogger talks about why he wears make-upWhen asked about whether he thought he looked feme after he put on make-up, he was nfed by the qutn as if he had never even thought about . 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 what's the state of LGBT equaly South Korea?

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 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 therapy.

And Christian groups like Seoul's Anti-Homosexualy Christian Solidary fuel mpaigns toutg marriage as strictly between one man and one woman. "While Korea is still eply nservative, there is a trend toward equaly and openns, " says a televised bate last year, Print Moon Jae- said he opposed homosexualy.

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

Earlier this month, openly gay K-Pop star Holland released "Neverland, " his but mic clip, which featur a same-sex romance and kiss, has garnered more than 4 ln views on YouTube. “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. 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. After Hong me out publicly as gay 2000, he was fired om his hostg job and lost other work – and thor Kwon believ that harsh rponse has disuraged others om followg su.

In the absence of nfirmatn, mentators have ed small, clive clu to speculate on their stance, for example, the time the band’s lear RM tweeted Macklemore’s song “Same Love, ” which promot equal rights for gay people.

THE COMPLITED LIV OF GAY MEN SOUTH KOREA

)Acrdg to anthropologist John Cho, sgle gay men South Korea retreated om gay life the wake of the 1997 Asian bankg crisis and began to ncentrate on makg money, while married gay men beme much more active the gay muny.

The ma issue of beg a gay man South Korea, said Cho, is how to fd a boyiend and a gay muny, the two thgs that create the basis for a gay life. Internatnal Instute, UCLA, April 2, 2013 — After a of sexual eedom as homosexuals the 1990s, said anthropologist John Cho, sgle gay men South Korea beme nsumed by fancial worri followg the 1997 Asian bankg crisis (also known as the “IMF crisis”). Cho, who spoke at a lecture anized by the Center for Korean Studi, noted after this crisis, sgle gay men their thirti and forti retreated om gay life to ncentrate on makg money, while married gay men began to play a much more active role the gay muny.

In the absence of the “fence” of the fay (an exclive group of belongg that helps people navigate the adversi of life), sgle gay men began to regret the time they had spent on love their youth, said Cho, feelg they uld no longer afford “the luxury of love. ” The speaker, who nducted his rearch South Korea between 2007 and 2009, explaed that many sgle gay men then curred big risks, eher by changg reers or by takg signifint gambl their pursu of higher e. In the 1990s, he explaed, the media began to ver gay issu and TV shows began to clu gay characters—exposg South Koreans to more rmatn about homosexualy.

GAY LIFE SOUTH KOREA

In fact, many married men realized at this time that they were gay, a notn that they had prevly risted or had been unable to articulate.

In a untry where many people still believe that homosexualy is a foreign phenomenon, the speaker explaed that the chang enuraged sgle gay men to exprs their sexual inti and pursue love relatnships.