[KS] homosexuality in South Korea

Tue Oct 10 16:05:56 EDT 2000

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>From: Kevin.P.Parks.Adv97 at alum.dartmouth.org (Kevin P. Parks Adv97)
>Meanwhile i happened to be called "oppa" once by some boys in the train
>station and was surprised at how brash they were considering how massive 
>the
>homophobia
>is here.

>-kp--
>
>Seoul Institute of the Arts
>
>kevin at raven.dartmouth.edu
>

thanks for your interesting anecdote.  You encouraged me to finally
respond 
to this wonderful thread.  I had a very similar experience while living
in 
the so called backwaters of kwangju in 1998.  the underground shopping
area 
under geumnamno had more than its fair share of budding young queens to
be. 
their degree of "flamingness" (to use such an unscholarly phrase) was 
astounding (and rather stylish and cute, if i may add).  they certainly 
would have been pummeled in my midwestern late 80s suburban high school,
had 
they looked like that, with stylish yet modest purses, flowering
scarves, 
eyeliner.   they asked me funny questions and also, like you mentioned, 
played with the gender based words (calling each other unni... for
example.  
something you sometimes see in america too, where gay/bi men  may call
each 
other sister or girlfriend).  if this behavior isn't at lease a kind of  
"°Å¹Ö¾Æ¿ô..." i don't know what is. i also rode the bus with two or
three 
middle aged gender benders, in these cases both male, looking quite the 
sultry ajuma.  as you can imagine, they were roundly ignored, except for
a 
few younger people in the back of the bus (myself included), catching 
glimpses, displaying in their eyes and faces obvious consternation, 
confusion and ultimately, at least it seemed so, a certain spark of 
recognition and the uncouncious sly smile and giggle that comes with 
symbolically "joining in the act."

staking social positions, through dress or language is also a means of 
public proclamation.  while not literal (or commercial) as in the case
of 
Hong Suk chon, they were involved in an act of identity creation based,
at 
least partly, on their sense of sexual/gender "difference."  so, while
the 
language is borrowed, i think the act itself of "°Å¹Ö¾Æ¿ô..." is rooted 
firmly in the daily life of Korean people in Korea.  while the subject 
matter "same sex love" is certainly radical to insert into the public 
literary arena, the idea of staking out a particular and possibly
radical 
identity, is not.  Self-conscious subject formation is an ongoing
project of 
the Korean people.  therefore,   "°Å¹Ö¾Æ¿ô..." can in some way be seen
as 
"Korean" not "Western."  it is not simply mimicry.

thank you everybody who is contributing to this thread.  i am in the
process 
of formulating a paper on this exact topic.  what i would like to ask is
if 
anyone has any good ideas to share about the presentation of same sex
love 
in Korean film?  I have heard much good about "Broken Branches" but of 
course, have not had an opportunity to see it.  Any other movies that 
explore/expose this topic?

Also, wondering if anyone has any information about two institutions, 
ancient and traditional, chock full of randy lads close in proximity to
one 
another 24/7: the military and the sangha.  Does anyone have any
information 
about accounts of samesex love, love letters, poetry, etc. amongst
soldiers, 
sailors, or monks?  I met one monk who was quite open about his 
homosexuality.  He had his own little
am-ja (all by himself) in Cholla-nam do.  He had a number of students
and 
continual visitors, including monks, local ajumas and at least one young
gay 
couple from the city.  I don't know much more about his story: his 
certification, his master, his relationship to which jong. But his
physical 
presence spoke to a very interesting phenomenon.  that is, a person 
representing a role for which sexuality is prohibited, self-identifying
as 
gay!  and in a country that is often monolithically described as "so 
conservative."

so many already have expressed the idea that because of the lack of 
representation of, not only the topic "same sex love/homosexuality", but 
more importantly the human beings who are the creators of this
activity.  
since the concept "gay life" did not exist at one time, it is of course 
correct to say that this concept is new.  but, gay life itself, the
social 
activity of the men and women who have, do and will lust, fantasize,
discuss 
and participate in samesex love is not, can not be new.  the particular 
brand is new,no doubt; modern Korea2000 style - with web sites and 
koreanized English terms to boot.   being "out" and being korean, at
least 
to gay koreans, is certainly not a new issue to suddenly engage.
I hate to admit that a digitally filmed, cheap, neo-guerilla style 
documentary of "gay life" in seoul or korea in general (puson, taejon, 
kwangju µî all have much to discover for the gay person) would be 
entertaining, fun and informative to the nines.  The reason i hate to
admit 
that is that it would also be harmful and destabilizing to many people.  
herein lies a rather critical and specific question for western
scholarship 
in Asia, especially vis a vis Orientalism:  How much of what westerners 
research and write about homosexuality/same sex love in Korea will cause 
real harm to real people?  maybe it's a more personal or rhetorical 
question, but i share it anyhow.

warmly,

matty wegehaupt (please accept in advance my apologies for any lack of 
spelling, idea formulation, academicalness, transliteration, etc. etc.)

ucberkley
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