LGBT in Korea
- will.liace4
- Nov 24, 2018
- 2 min read
(Episodes range from 16 all the way to 20)
Through this discussion, I will be talking more about LGBT. Even though LGBT isn’t shown excessively through this drama at all, this topic is still important as in the depth of understanding how LGBT is viewed in Korea. Many dramas and other social media sometimes do show either two man doing gay stuff together or something similar to that. While it may be shown not very obvious to people, it is still on there. The only problem is that some people find it bothering and view this as a problem, even dramas like Life is Beautiful show LGBT content and yet there are people claiming people gay a “monster” (Gitzen, 2012). Through social media and online talk, many people are “coming out of the closet”, becoming more active and a big discussion online (Chase, 2012).
In Chief Kim, there are signs showing some gayness, even though the drama depicts in a funny way for us to see. In episode 15, Kim Sung Ryong is seen talking with Seo Yool and after the talk, Kim Sung Ryong later gives a peck/ kiss on Seo Yool cheek and seen fleeing. While this action could be seen playful, funny, and weird at the same time, it is still noticed as something two men (non family) will never really consider to do thus showing this some gay content. The drama did a good job of just making it funny and by this covering the gayness it shows to its audience.
Throughout the episodes of many, Kim Sung Ryong is always seen with Seo Yool with funny gay content such as giving out many heart signs to him as affection. While this probably may have been seen as a minor thing to do, in episode 19, there was a sleeping scene where Seo Yool wakes up to find him sleeping next to Kim Sung Ryong on the same floor/ bed, facing in his direction. Because of how Kim Sung Ryong was the one who arranged it, he doesn’t seem to mind, but for Seo Yool to wake up to this scene and shocked, it was very weird for him.
There was a line in this clip above saying, “I just lay close to you, so we could share body heat…”.
While this clip does seem funny to see two grown man sleeping together, it seems there the drama director may have notice that Korea is open to LGBT and probably added that into this drama. LGBT through dramas may have not been seen very obvious, but it is there and can be sometimes shown in many different ways.
Word Count: 433
Questions:
1. In many dramas, as shown does put LGBT content in their dramas, do you think they putted there for the entertainment or for serious deep meaning?
2. How hard is it for LGBT people in Korea to face this challenge of their life? What are the differences between Korea and other countries?
Bibliography:
Chase, Thomas. "Problems of publicity: Online activism and discussion of same-sex sexuality in South Korea and China." Asian Studies Review 36, no. 2 (2012): 151-170.
Gitzen, Timothy. "The Promise of Gayness: Queers and Kin in South Korea." (2012).
(All images/screenshots were taken from KissAsian and no copyright or infringement intended)
Hey everyone,
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