Tens of thousands of individuals attended South Korea’s annual Seoul Queer Culture Festival, the country’s largest LGBT event, in a powerful display of solidarity and determination for gay rights. The festival, held outside the Seoul city hall, has been a longstanding tradition since 2015, with this year’s edition standing out due to a controversial decision by the city government. Denying the prime spot to the LGBT festival, the city instead granted permission for an anti-LGBT Christian youth concert, sparking outrage among the LGBTQ community.
The Seoul Queer Culture Festival has served as a significant platform for the LGBTQ community to assert their rights and advocate for equality. However, this year’s event was relocated nearby after the permit for the prime location was awarded to the Christian youth concert. Despite the setback, the festival participants, numbering approximately 35,000, marched with conviction, surrounded by both onlookers and anti-LGBT protesters.
Yang Sun-woo, chief organizer of the Seoul Queer Culture Festival, highlighted the contrasting displays of support and hate, remarking, “You can see a lot of hateful banners behind me as well as those that support us on our right.” This juxtaposition underscores the ongoing struggle for LGBT rights in South Korea, a country experiencing a rise in global prominence while its treatment of LGBT individuals remains a matter of concern.
In recent years, public opinion regarding same-sex marriage in South Korea has shown a gradual shift. A Gallup poll conducted in May revealed that four in 10 South Koreans support legalizing same-sex marriage, indicating a narrowing gap between supporters and those who disapprove. The presence of Kim Kyu Jin and Kim Saeyeon, a lesbian couple who married abroad and recently announced their pregnancy, further emphasized the importance of the festival. As one of the first openly LGBT South Korean couples to take these steps, they serve as a source of inspiration for others in the community.
For Nicole Kim, a 23-year-old individual identifying as asexual, the Pride event holds immense significance as a rare occasion for queer people to openly celebrate themselves in South Korea. Kim expressed, “Some ask why we need this queer festival, but it is the only time a year where we can all enjoy ourselves out in the open.” The festival serves as a crucial platform for visibility, acceptance, and the collective empowerment of the LGBTQ community in the country.
While progress has been made, challenges persist. Last month, police officers were dispatched to a smaller Pride parade in the city of Daegu, despite Mayor Hong Joon-pyo declaring the event illegal. These instances highlight the complex landscape surrounding LGBTQ rights in South Korea, emphasizing the need for continued advocacy and efforts to foster inclusivity and equality for all.