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]

Contents

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

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)

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)

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)

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

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

Film

FilmYearDescription
Yok mang (Desire)2002A 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 Island2005This 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 2005The 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 2006The 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 2006The 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 2008Based 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 2008This 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 2008This 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 Love2009Ten 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? 2009This 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 2010This 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 2010This 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 2014This film is about a character that wants to go through gender-affirming surgery and is also an infamous crime detective. [23] [24]
The Handmaiden 2016Set 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

ShowYear(s)Description
Ireland 2004A 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 2005The 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 2010A 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 2010The 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 Fever2015Web series about a lesbian relationship.
Cheese in the Trap 2016The 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 2017The 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 2019The 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 2020A 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. HeartMr. Heart is a web series showcasing the relationship between a rising marathon star and pacemaker.
Wish YouA series about a singer songwriter named Kang In Soo and keyboardist Yoon Sang Yi.
Color Rush2020–2021Based 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 2021Woo 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 WeddingIt 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 YouA 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 Star2021- 2022A 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 2022Series 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]

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