Rumours were started in the dormitory where the 24 year old male student was staying because of his feminine appearance.  Other men in the dormitory complained to the faculty and the Filipino student was asked to withdraw from the institution, but is now in the process of fighting it.  CHeck out this informative article on the issue at Asian Correspondent.Here is the original article in Korean at the Hankyoreh 



 
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"Life is Beautiful", a South Korean drama airing on SBS that portrayals the life of a gay couple in one of it's storyline, has recently come under fire from a group of homophobic ajjummas.

In protest against the show, a group of Christian women bought advertising space in the Chosun Journal on September 29th in a deplorable attempt to have the show cancelled in fear that people might catch AIDS from watching the show.  "
If my son becomes gay and dies from AIDs after watching ‘Life Is Beautiful’, SBS must take responsibility!” an excerpt from the ad read.  


The women also claim that the popular drama "has glamorized the culture of gays against what is realistically, healthy and proper for the citizens of Korea.”

Bloggers like Allkpop and even PerezHilton have brought it to the publics attention.  Hong Suk Cheon Tweeted about a response to the ad, stating:

“‘Take responsibility for my son becoming gay because of the drama?’ What a funny ad, but also quite disappointing. Soon they will be putting out an ad saying don’t hang out with Hong Seok Cheon if you don’t want to be gay. This was the exact reason I was fired from ‘BboBboBbo‘ 10 years ago when I first came out. All of those calls made to the broadcast company asking to take me off the show. If such logic was true, all of those children that were on a part of the show with me should be gay by now, but they aren’t."

“The gay couple that is shown on ‘Life Is Beautiful’ is so beautifully and realistically drawn. If there really is a son out there that becomes gay after watching the drama, it is not because he became gay but because he actually was gay and finally earned enough confidence to come out. It could be the drama that gave him that strength to come out to his parents and ask for understanding. How unfortunate for the children that live under the parents that put out such a trashy advertisement. Aids is not a disease specific to gays. How is it that I found out that I was gay 25 years before I saw the drama ‘Life Is Beautiful?’ What kind of dramas did the gays in the 50s, 60s, and 70s watch in order to become gay? Being gay is not a contagious disease, you fools.

The people that put out this ad not only demolished the human rights of gays but of Aids patients as well. This is such an amazing country, allowing such ads to be put out. This ad being released is a more severe problem than the fact that gays are shown on a public broadcast drama. Anything can be released as long as money is involved, I suppose.

I thank everyone that has sent me support mail. Compared to the hate mail I received 10 years ago, there is so much support that has made me cry and feel endlessly thankful. I feel as if my loneliness and sorrow during the past 10 years has finally been delivered. I’ve now earned the confidence to live on even harder for the next 10 years. I’ll become a Hong Seok Cheon that satisfies everyone not only as a businessman but as an actor as well. Thank you.
 

Get out your bells and whistles, the Korean Queer Revolution is here, loud and clear! It seems these days that Korea is going gay.  Recently, Korean mainstream cinema has been embracing gay films with open arms, with Korean blockbusters like "The King and the Clown, Antique, and most recently and anticipated, A Frozen Flower, a historical drama with a predominantly gay element and a $10 million budget, being hugely popular within the nation and abroad.  Brokeback mountain was a breakthrough for America, but Hollywood's got nothin' on Korea's New Gay Wave!  Brace yourselves.  It's the year of the Korean Queer. 

JIFF Films

Director Kim Aaron looks for answers to serious questions about sexual identity and marriage in his latest thought-provoking film 'Hello My Love'.  Min Kyu-dong brings a refreshing new attitute to mainstrean Korean cinema with 'Antique.'


Overview: 'Hello My Love'
Ho-jung is a script writer and DJ for the hit radio station. She becomes shocked and confused when Won-jae, her boyfriend of 10 years comes out of the closet. What would it be like if suddenly your friend or family member tells you that they are gay? Hello My Love is a romantic comedy that gleefully exhibits this complicated issue.  

Overview: 'Antique'
The story is about 4 characters - a Bakery owner who hates sweets, a fiendish and genius gay pastry chef, an ex-boxing champion kitchen assistant, and a troublemaking bodyguard of the owner. Based on the cartoon by Yoshinaga Fumi, this film talks about the bittersweet life stories of these unique and somewhat mysterious four men. Vigorously approaching the subject of homosexuality, this film attracts audiences through its cartoon-like imagination, gorgeous and delicious looking cakes, rhythmic and witty editing, and its well placed musical numbers.
 
Hello My Love screens Friday, May 1st at 8:00pm and Sunday, May 5th at 5:00pm.

Antique screens Friday, May 1st at 5:00pm and Sunday, May 5th at 8:30pm(With director & cast!)


For ticket info visit the JIFF site HERE

 

Actor Hong Suk-Chun will co-host 'Coming Out', a Korean T.V. program documenting the lives of openly gay people living in Korea.  For more information click HERE

 

American indie film 'Sortbus' has made history in South Korea after a court ruling has allowed the R-rated film to screen at theatres.  Group sex, sadism, and homosexual themes were some of the reasons why 'Shortbus' was initially restricted from theatres in South Korea.




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