[KS] Public awareness of homosexuality in South Korea

k u s h i b o jdh95 at hitel.net
Mon Oct 2 20:13:15 EDT 2000


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By now, those list members who either live in Korea or regularly read
the Korean papers on-line, know about the "coming out of the closet" by
actor/comedian Hong S=C3=B4kch=C3=B4n, the cueball-headed (his own
description) actor with thick glasses who appeared on a variety of TV
and stage productions, including Korea's answer to Sesame Street, "Ppo
Ppo Ppo!"

Last week, he came out of the closet in a tearful and emotional
appearance on a popular live television show. According to the Korea
Herald, he asked for mercy and that he not be made an outcast for his
sexual orientation.  Apparently, though, his career is already
suffering. Our network, in fact, was probably the first to cancel a
contract with him, and the producer of the program made clear to me the
reason: "I hate people like that." ("=EB=82=9C =EA==B7=B8=EB=9F=B0
=EC=82=AC=EB=9E=8C =EC=8B=AB=EC=96=B4.")

This brings up a number of issues, some social and others academic. 
Apparently, Hong is the first celebrity to publicly come out of the
closet.  That, in and of itself, makes this an issue of interest to some
in the fields of sociology or psychology, or even communications.

And that leads to my primary question: does anyone know of some relevant
resources on homosexuality in Korea, either currently or historically? I
know someone who is thinking of doing her research in this field, in the
wake of Hong's coming out, but also I want a little "ammunition" against
some of the outrageous claims made by our producers who are
rationalizing the decision to give Hong the axe. Claims that
homosexuality didn't exist before Korea's "westernization" or even that
AIDS in Korea is primarily a problem among gays here. Things like that.
I may be able to find some myself, but the more the better, especially
for the research.

Thanks in advance, and I hope this will be seen as a topic of both
social and academic interest on this list.  If the list managers are
presented with opinions to the contrary, though, I shan't discuss it
anymore.

K U S H I B O






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