LGBT representation in South Korean film and television

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Portrayals of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (i.e., LGBT) characters or themes within South Korean film and television make up a relatively small part of the overall body of South Korean motion picture media. The topic has consistently generated discussions both in academia and in the public LGBT movements. As the South Korean LGBT rights movement emerged in the 1990s, film portrayals of queer characters and non-heterosexual relationships grew more common.[1] South Korea has historically not been an LGBT-affirming country, which bleeds into the culture, justice system and general public sense.[2] However, recent study conducted in Chonnam National University states that the attitudes toward homosexuality are becoming increasingly positive.[3]

With the increase of social media, the public media plays one of many active players in the cultural creation and consumption as well as the way narratives are created and shared.[4] The cinema and dramas in South Korea especially in regards to LGBT representation has steadily increased over the years.[5] It has also been documented that the queer movement activism and the queer cinema had close connection.[1] One of the examples of this is the Korean Queer Film Festival that began its efforts in the mid-1990s with its first opening in 1998.[1]

Beginning in 1945, around the time of the Korean War, up until the present day, LGBT representation in the media has changed and has also created discourses both within academia and everyday lives.[5]

History of LGBT Media in South Korea[edit]

The LGBT representation in South Korean media has evolved and changed throughout time. Efforts from groups such as the Rainbow Foundation or Chingusai, not only changed the atmosphere and attitudes from the public, but also changed the media industry in South Korea.[3] According to Pil Ho Kim and C.Colin Singer, the history and progression of the LGBT representation in South Korean films and dramas can be divided into three separate waves. The first period is the Invisible Age (1945 to 1997) that is followed by the Camouflage Age (1998 to 2004) and the last period is known as the Blockbuster Age (2005 to 2010).[5] Pil Ho Kim is currently an assistant professor at Ohio State University who specializes in Korean society and culture.[6] C. Colin Singer was an academic at Ewha Womans University during the process of this literature.

Invisible Age (1945–1997)[edit]

Kim and Singer describe the period between 1945 and 1997 as the Invisible Age.[5] The word invisible does not necessary translate to the lack of queer films; there were a few films that incorporated LGBT themes to varying levels. The films that were released during this time period are The Pollen of Flowers (1972), Ascetic: Women and Women (1976), Sabangji (1988) and Broken Branches (1995).

These films used different approaches and displayed various levels of LGBT representation, but they all fall under the Invisible Age because of their lack of publicity and fame.[5] For example, The Pollen of Flowers is composed of many unprecedented elements such as violence, which steered the conversation away from homosexuality themes in the films.[5] In a different light, Ascetic: Women and Women showcased erotic and sexual elements that featured lesbian storyline under a more simplistic or basic narratives.[5] A Korean LGBT magazine named Buddy later categorized Ascetic: Women and Women as the first lesbian film, but this effort was still "invisible" to the larger public sphere due to the fact that Ascetic was seen as an erotic film.[5] Around this time, "Ero" has evolved to a prominent genre where films that embraced sexuality and intimacy fell under this genre that was associated with words like underground or unofficial.

Sabangji is another example of the genre of "ero" powerfully overshadowing or masking the LGBT themes in films.[5] Lastly, Broken Branches was the first out of these films to gather some fame out of the invisibility.[5] However, this film was denied from the main activists of the LGBT movement due to its overarching narrative of portraying queerness a consequential result of patriarchy and Confucianism.[5] For all these reasons above, these films were invisiblized by South Korean society as a whole and therefore symbolized the Invisible Age of LGBT representation in South Korean media.

Camouflage Age (1998–2004)[edit]

Continuing with Kim and Singer's categorizing, the time period between 1998 and 2004 is referred to as the Camouflage Age. During this time period, the cinematic representation of LGBT communities increased in general. The films of this era mostly portrayed queerness in the background while main themes overshadowed queerness of the film. This was used as a strategy to strike a balance between making the film enticing while not entirely controversial. Some examples of these successful films include Memento Mori (1999) and Bungee Jumping of Their Own (2001).[5]

Memento Mori is a horror movie about a lesbian couple in an all-girl high school. The plot continues with the couple enduring terrible bullying which results in one of the girls committing suicide. After the tragic incident, horror element begins to surface as the ghost appears and haunts the school. Not only does the horror genre along with the revenge trope successfully mask the lesbian theme within the film but also creates an avenue that allows for the audience to empathize with the lesbian couple.[5]

Bungee Jumping of Their Own shows a man who lost his girlfriend in a tragic accident. Later in the film, the main character begins noticing his lost girlfriend's soul reincarnated in one of his male students. The homosexuality is only pursued because of the pre-existing heterosexual love that the main character treasures and longs for. This film raised a lot of voices both in favor and against the message of the film. Putting this sexuality politic aside, this film is the embodiment of the Camouflage Age in its masking of the queerness under elements that justifies and/or tolerates the themes.[5]

The conversation of the Camouflage Age becomes more complex with the voices of Korean gay activists in Korea under organizations such as Chingusai or Handonghyop.[5] During this era, some activists have called out against the masking and promoted the message that a gay man is no different than a straight man. These activists have stated that these masking perpetuates a message that deems heterosexuality as the "normal" while any deviance would be seen evil.[5] These activists partnered with smaller film companies to produce films that portrayed LGBT relationships just like any other relationships that are portrayed in genres of romance comedy. Others voiced more in favor of the masking strategy under the Camouflage Age stating that this act of "masking" allowed queerness to become depoliticized and therefore allowed in the public sphere.[5] Just like this, the Camouflage Age was a time when films were at the center of these crucial conversations among the LGBT movement in South Korea. Some other films during this time period included Bongja (2000), Flower Island (2001), Desire (2002), Wanee and Junah (2002) and Road Movie (2002).[5]

It is also worthwhile to note the coming-out of a Korean celebrity, Hong Suk Chon, on September 9, 2000, under this Camouflage Era. Harisu also appeared on March, 2001 with her famous commercial where she openly shared her experience as a trans woman.[7] These two figures symbolized and sparked conversations of LGBT themes within the media industry.

Blockbuster Age (2005 – early 2010s)[edit]

Considering the passage of a historic anti-discrimination bill that includes sexual orientation, the general atmosphere and the media was shifting.[8] This age can also easily be described by the sheer amount of opposition against the LGBT community in the public space. The Blockbuster Age was the era were LGBT representation as well as sexuality in general was more explicitly adopted and this remains salient to this day.[5]

One of the most notable shifts during this era was the use of LGBT themes in more mainstream Korean dramas. LGBT themes began surfacing within dramas such as The First Shop of Coffee Prince (2007) and Personal Taste (2008), but really surfaced fully in Life is Beautiful (2010).[5]

Besides these dramas, the most well known LGBT film in the mainstream Korean media was the King and the Clown (2005). This movie sold more than twelve million tickets, which was marked as one of the great successes in the Korean film industry.[9] This film sparked a new narrative of the "flower boy" that showcased the visually attractive notion of a gay man.[5] Jungmin Kwon, a film professor in Portland State University, talks about the phenomenon of straight women fantasizing over gay bodies for these reasons and attributes The King and the Clown as one of the factors.[10] Films such as Antique (2008) and A Frozen Flower (2008) also played on the similar element of "pretty boys" within a gay context.

Examples of South Korean queer cinema[edit]

Below is a list of some of the films and television series that have had LGBT themes:

Film[edit]

Film Year Description
Yok mang (Desire) 2002 A middle class husband begins a gay affair with a male prostitute. In the process of uncovering the affair the wife also enters into an affair with the same prostitute.[11]
Camellia Project: Three Queer Stories at Bogil Island 2005 This movie features three separate stories of gay relationships. The first story is titled Kim Chu-ja and it details two men who were in a relationship in the past life who meet again in the present. The second story is titled Drifting Island and it is about a gay couple that is on the verge of breaking up. The last story is titled La Traviata and it centers a wife who finds out about her husband's homosexuality.[12]
The King and the Clown 2005 The film is credited as popularizing and coining the phenomenon of "pretty boy or flower boy" and raised questions of gendered consumption and/or commodification of a certain type of LGBT community and the role of media within these processes. Shin has raised concerns on the role of King and the Clown in capitalizing on this hybrid notion of homosexuality for success while not truly giving the platform for the LGBT communities.[9]
No Regret 2006 The film has been credited as "the first 'real' Korean gay feature",[13] (although earlier South Korean films, such as Road Movie, released in 2002, have dealt with gay relationships), and is also the first South Korean feature to be directed by an openly gay Korean filmmaker.[14]
Like a Virgin 2006 The film focuses on a trans teenager who is determined to save money for the transitioning surgery. She is approached by a ssireum coach who determines her to be perfect for the sport. The main character refuses until she learns about the potential to win a large cash prize.[15]
Antique 2008 Based on Fumi Yoshinaga's manga Antique Bakery, the film focuses on four men working at a bakery, one of whom is gay and has had a long-term crush on the bakery owner.[16]
Boy Meets Boy 2008 This short film portrays a relationship between two guys who are just beginning to fall in love. It is set on a bus where the two characters meet and exchanges various eye contacts.[17]
A Frozen Flower 2008 This film takes place in the Goryeo dynasty. With the pressure to continue the lineage through a son, the King instructs his military commander to impregnate the Queen. The military commander is surprised by this request especially because he has been in a relationship with the King. The commander and the Queen finally accept the request, but their relationship develops into more than just the dutiful relationship for reproduction. The plot is complicated when King finds out about their secret relationship and jealousy and betrayal take over him.
Hello My Love 2009 Ten years into their relationship a boyfriend leaves to study abroad, promising that he will marry his girlfriend upon his return. Once he returns he brings with him a man he claims is only a friend, only for the girlfriend to discover that the two of them are lovers.[18]
Just Friends? 2009 This short film features two characters who are in love. In the short duration of the film, it portrays their love, their struggle with coming out to one of the character's mom and their undeterred love to each other.[19]
Lady Daddy 2010 This film presents a transgender woman who receives a surprise visit from someone claiming that he is her son. The son reveals that the main character is his father.[20]
Ashamed 2010 This film features a lesbian art director who searches for a nude model for her next project. That is how she meets Yoon Ji-woo, who also happens to share the same name as the art director, whose name is Jung Ji-woo. As they spend time together to finish the project, Yoon Ji-woo shares her past of her ex-girlfriend who also shares their name Ji-woo. This film revolves around these three women as they share this connection through their name and love.[21][22]
Two Weddings and a Funeral 2012 Gay romantic comedy film that explores the taboos and intolerance in Korean society in the story of a gay man and lesbian who enter into a sham marriage.
Man on High Heels 2014 This film is about a character that wants to go through gender-affirming surgery and is also an infamous crime detective.[23][24]
The Handmaiden 2016 Set during the 1930s, the film is inspired by the novel Fingersmith by Welsh writer Sarah Waters and features a lesbian couple from different backgrounds.[25]

Television[edit]

Show Year(s) Description
Ireland 2004 A minor character reveals that he was in love with the main character's father, and because of this he has taken care of the main character for years. The main character is shocked by this revelation.
Beating Heart 2005 The show consists of six different story lines that focus on the topic of love and relationships, one of which is dedicated to LGBT relationships.
Life Is Beautiful 2010 A drama series that revolves around multiple generations of a single family and their everyday lives, struggles, and loves. The series has received praise for its portrayal of a loving, openly gay couple in a Korean drama on primetime network television.[26][27]
Personal Taste 2010 The plot revolves around a man who pretends to be gay. His boss, who actually is gay, propositions him, and is tactfully turned down.
Secret Garden A secondary character is gay. He has a crush on the second male lead, which sets up a love triangle.
Sungkyunkwan Scandal One of the four main characters is gay. He has a crush on his best friend. It is not reciprocated. Meanwhile, the main male lead falls in love with a person he believes is a man, but is actually a woman in disguise. He struggles with what he believes to be a homosexual attraction.
Lily Fever 2015 Web series about a lesbian relationship.
Cheese in the Trap 2016 The main character discovers her boss and her neighbor are in a gay relationship with each other. They are attempting to keep their relationship a secret.
Prison Playbook 2017 The show is about a baseball player who is sent to jail for a year. One of the characters who share the jail space is gay.
Be Melodramatic 2019 The series features three best friends who all carry their own traumas and burdens. They end up living together with one of the character's gay brother. The series focus on their daily lives of friendship and love.
Where Your Eyes Linger 2020 A web series about two high school students who are best friends named Tae Joo and Gang Gook. However, they don't have a typical friendship as Gang Gook also serves as an unofficial bodyguard for the other school boy who is the sole heir of a chaebol family. As the web series progresses, both school boys begin to realise their suppressed feelings for each other.
Mr. Heart Mr. Heart is a web series showcasing the relationship between a rising marathon star and pacemaker.
Wish You A series about a singer songwriter named Kang In Soo and keyboardist Yoon Sang Yi.
Color Rush 2020–2021 Based on Se Sang's web novel with the same title, Color Rush tells the story of school boy Yeon Woo who can only see the world in varying tones of grey. That is until he crosses paths with Yoo Han, who causes him to see sudden rushes of color every time he walks past.
Light on Me 2021 Woo Tae-kyung is a 18-year-old Korean average boy who has no friends. One day, his teacher approached him in order to suggest him to join the school's student council. Tae-kyung proceeds to enjoy his new social life and starts questioning if he may or may not like one of his fellow council members.
Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding It occurs during the Joseon dynasty, the wedding of Ryu Ho Seon and the beautiful bride Choi Hwa Jin begins. But on the first night, the bride he expected is suspicious. It's not a woman, but a man!
Tinted With You A series about a high school student name Jung Eun Ho who falls through a magical painting and gets transported back to the Joseon dynasty, where he falls in love with the crown prince Lee Heon.
To My Star 2021- 2022 A follow up project of the web series Where Your Eyes Linger, a series about a famous celebrity who goes into hiding after he's public scandal reveals. In his hideout, he gets acquainted with his new roommate, an ordinary man who leads a modest, unassuming life. As they spend time together, a romance blossoms between these two roommates from very different walks of life.
Mine 2022 Series about three women tied to a chaebol family whose lives are transformed as they seek to find their true 'mine'. The series features the first lesbian lead character in a K-drama.[28][29][30][31][32]

References[edit]

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  2. ^ Thoreson, Ryan R. (1 November 2014), "LGBT Human Rights Advocacy and the Partnership Principle", Transnational LGBT Activism, University of Minnesota Press, pp. 122–152, doi:10.5749/minnesota/9780816692712.003.0005, ISBN 978-0-8166-9271-2
  3. ^ a b Youn, Gahyun (23 March 2017). "Attitudinal Changes Toward Homosexuality During the Past Two Decades (1994–2014) in Korea". Journal of Homosexuality. 65 (1): 100–116. doi:10.1080/00918369.2017.1310512. ISSN 0091-8369. PMID 28332928. S2CID 26790960.
  4. ^ Jeong, Kelly Y. (1970- ) (2011). Crisis of gender and the nation in Korean literature and cinema : modernity arrives again. Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-2451-2. OCLC 951416838.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u 김필호; C. COLIN SINGER (June 2011). "Three Periods of Korean Queer Cinema: Invisible, Camouflage, and Blockbuster". Acta Koreana. 14 (1): 117–136. doi:10.18399/acta.2011.14.1.005. ISSN 1520-7412.
  6. ^ "Pil Ho Kim (김필호)". Department of East Asian Languages and Literature. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  7. ^ Ahn, Ji-Hyun (3 December 2017), "Televising the Making of the Neoliberal Multicultural Family", Mixed-Race Politics and Neoliberal Multiculturalism in South Korean Media, Springer International Publishing, pp. 131–157, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-65774-5_5, ISBN 978-3-319-65773-8
  8. ^ "South Korea: Fight to Restore Sexual Orientation in Anti Discrimination Bill". Outright Action International. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  9. ^ a b Shin, Jeeyoung (2013). "Male Homosexuality in The King and the Clown: Hybrid Construction and Contested Meanings". Journal of Korean Studies. 18 (1): 89–114. doi:10.1353/jks.2013.0006. ISSN 2158-1665. S2CID 143374035.
  10. ^ Kwon, Jungmin (15 February 2019). Straight Korean female fans and their gay fantasies. ISBN 978-1-60938-621-4. OCLC 1077575300.
  11. ^ Gateward, Frances (1 February 2012). Seoul Searching: Culture and Identity in Contemporary Korean Cinema. SUNY Press. pp. 10, 284. ISBN 978-0-7914-7933-9.
  12. ^ Howland, Douglas; Lillehoj, Elizabeth; Mayer, Maximilian (1 December 2016). Art and Sovereignty in Global Politics. Springer. p. 228. ISBN 978-1-349-95016-4.
  13. ^ Bertolin, Paolo. "Korean Presence Strong at 57th Berlin Film Festival". Hancinema, 6 February 2007; originally published by The Korea Times. Retrieved on 3 December 2008.
  14. ^ Hartzell, Adam. "No Regrets". Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved on 3 December 2008.
  15. ^ Lee Min-a, Sylvia Kim (21 August 2006). "Tender wrestler fights for a sex change in film". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  16. ^ "Antique: This light souffle has a few too many ingredients to achieve a satisfactory balance". Variety. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  17. ^ Choi, Hui-jin. "남자를 안는다는 건 상상도 못했는데, 머쓱했어요" Archived 24 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Sonyeon, Sonnyeoneul Mannada. 12 November 2010. Daum. Retrieved on 9 December 2010.
  18. ^ Hyo-won, Lee (October 2009). "Hello My Love Sugarcoats Sensitive Subject". Korea Times. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  19. ^ "영화 [친구사이?] 가 제14회 부산국제영화제에 공식 초청되었습니다." Archived 2011-10-02 at the Wayback Machine. Chingusai. Chingusai, 6 Oct. 2009. Web. 6 Dec. 2010.
  20. ^ Lee, Hyo-won. "Actress Lee Shows Off 'Handsome' Look", The Korea Times, January 1, 2010, accessed January 14, 2011.
  21. ^ Sung, So-young (25 November 2011). "Breaking a taboo, first major film about the L-word opens in Korea". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. ^ Lee, Claire (17 November 2011). "Two different gay films to arrive on K-film scene". The Korea Herald.
  23. ^ Ji, Yong-jin (25 April 2013). "Charming and Addictive Korean Films: Action drama in a unique style - High Heel (working title)". Korean Cinema Today. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  24. ^ Conran, Pierce (2 May 2014). "Man on High Heels". Korean Cinema Today. Retrieved 29 May 2014.
  25. ^ Shin, Chi-Yun (19 September 2018). "In another time and place: The Handmaiden as an adaptation". Journal of Japanese and Korean Cinema. 11 (1): 1–13. doi:10.1080/17564905.2018.1520781. ISSN 1756-4905.
  26. ^ Yang, Sung-hee (20 May 2010). "Writer pushing buttons on TV, again". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 25 June 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  27. ^ Lee, Sooin; Nahm, Sooyeon (13 September 2010). "Drama reveals changing attitudes about homosexuality". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  28. ^ Hong, C (28 June 2021). "Kim Seo Hyung Talks About Playing A Lesbian Character In "Mine," Admiration For Lee Bo Young, And More". Soompi. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  29. ^ Valley, Alicia (28 June 2021). ""Mine" Star Kim Seo Hyung Opens Up About Choosing The Lesbian Role". Koreaboo.com. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  30. ^ Park, Soo-in (28 June 2021). "'마인' 김서형 "성소수자 멜로 원했다‥한국판 '캐롤'도 만났으면"[EN:인터뷰]" ['Mine' Kim Seo-hyung: "I wanted an LGBT melodrama..I also wanted the Korean version of 'Carol'" [EN: Interview]]. Naver (in Korean). Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  31. ^ Nitura, Jam; Caoile, Jhanine (30 June 2021). "Kim Seo Hyung Reveals She Chose "Mine" for the K-Drama's LGBT Love Story". Preview. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  32. ^ "LGBTQ Characters in 2021 K-dramas". GwenchaNoona. 30 January 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
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