South Korea is having a moment in the global spotlight with the success of K-pop, K-drama, and even K-reality shows, with Netflix announcing a $2.5 billion investment in new K-content. However, the country’s deep-seated social conservatism and gender norms mean there is still a lack of representation for the LGBTQ+ community in Korean media, and anti-LGBTQ+ hate remains rampant.
Activist Heezy Yang is drawing attention to this issue through his K-Queer Diaries, a series of colorful comics. While primarily designed for English speakers, Yang’s Korean friends appreciate his efforts to share their story with the outside world.
Despite some progress, there is still much work to be done. South Korea lacks a national law protecting LGBTQ+ people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and same-sex marriage and civil unions remain illegal. LGBTQ+ students face severe bullying and harassment in schools, while consensual same-sex intercourse among soldiers in the military is criminalized.
The LGBTQ+ community in South Korea also faces high rates of suicide and mental health issues, and the country’s political halls of power have not been immune to anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric. President Yoon Suk Yeol appointed Kim Seong-hoi, who had previously called being LGBTQ+ a “mental illness” that could be “treated”, to a top advisory role. Kim later resigned after backlash.
South Korea does have a burgeoning Pride movement, with Yang among the 13,000 attendees at Seoul Pride in 2022. While drag is not as common in Korea as it is in the US or UK, Yang has noticed more young people joining in with the art form. He believes that progress is being made, but more needs to be done to protect the LGBTQ+ community from discrimination.
Yang’s request to those enamored with Korean culture is to be aware of the discrimination faced by the country’s LGBTQ+ community and to call for change. By shining a light on these issues, activists like Yang hope to effect change and improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in South Korea.