Gay Pride in Korea

Though you’d never know it from their near-total absence in public and the insistence of some Koreans that they don’t even exist, there is actually a growing movement for the acceptance of Korean gays and lesbians. One of the nation’s most well-known, if not exactly most popular, singers is one Ha Ri-su, who was born as a man but, ahem, isn’t one anymore. Anyone who’s been to Itaewon is certainly aware of the delicately-named Homo Hill, and that’s far from the only place to find a gay or lesbian bar or nightclub — the number of such in Seoul climbs to somewhere south of 300. There are several gay rights organizations, and perhaps the largest of them is chingusai.

As a still quite conservative society, though, most Korean gays remain firmly closeted and discrimination against those out of it is said to be fierce. And for the next week, as Yonhap News notes, Seoul is host to the 8th annual incarnation of the Queer Culture Festival. It’s our pleasure to bring you our first reader-requested translation.

On the second in the Berlin Grounds at the Cheonggyecheon-2 district of Seoul’s Jung-gu, the “8th Annual Queer Culture Festival” opened to celebrate sexual minorities.

‘Queer’, meaning strange or odd, is a term for calling homosexuals, transgenders, and other sexual minorities.

While flags with rainbows, the symbol of sexual minorities, were being hung at the periphery of the festival grounds, appeals were made for citizens to join together for the human rights of homosexuals and AIDS patients.

Before sings songs and so on at the festival in the Berlin Grounds, a parade led by a festival vehicle traveled 1.8 kilometers along the Cheonggyecheon.

Transgender Han Mu-ji (pseudonym, 28 years old) said “We hope this festival raises awareness of the suffering of sexual minorities and finds a solution to the misunderstandings and prejudices that people have about them.”

Movies, parties, and other diverse events will follow until the 10th.