Korean Job Discussion Forums

ptewkesb · Joined: 09 Dec 2004

I'm assuming that Seoul has the largest gay scene (such as it might be) in Korea, but I wonder if there are other Korean cities that have sizeable gay communities. I'm not a real big mover and shaker in the gay scene at home, and I don't think that that will change when I move to Korea, but still . . . it would be nice to know that there are options on a Saturday night. A gay-friendly beach town would be great.

If anyone has any suggestions for picking a town to work/live in, I would love to hear them.

buddy bradley · Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Location: The Beyond

My vote goes for Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok. Huge scenes in both those cities.

tommynomad · Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Location: on the move

Even a city as small as ChungJu (140 000) has a gay club or two. But that doesn't mean life will be easy.

Seoul is the only remotely cosmopolitain city (by western standards) for a gay man to live in happily, methinks.

RobotTeacher · Joined: 16 Mar 2005 Location: I'm a Seoul Man

*chuckles*

Good luck, man. I went in the closet when I got here. I'll come out when I leave. *shrugs*

The things I do for money.

eamo · Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

Find and PM the poster noelinkorea He can fill you in on the gay scene.

Harin · Joined: 03 May 2004 Location: Garden of Eden

for some reason, 'gay' is not in vogue in korea. well, at least NOT YET.

your motto should be 'don't ask, don't tell'.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

There's a lot more gays here than they'd like themselves or you to believe. Damn I got hit on a few times! I had to say, "Well, no, sorry, not into that..."

rawiri · Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Location: Lovely day for a fire drill.

To what extent do you mean "gay friendly", i.e expecting to be ignored whilst strolling down the beach arm in arm on a sunny sunday afternoon ?. This is probably the least gay people from the west expect back in their home country's right (i don't know as i'm not). well dude...

THIS WOULD BE REGARDED AS HIGHLY FREAKISH BEHAVIOUR ANYWHERE OUTSIDE OF SEOUL AND IN MANY PLACES AROUND SEOUL.

sad i know but hey, this is the country where a presumably university educated, everyday, korean, 20 something girl proclaimed upon seeing a picture i had taken with some black gi's in the background "monster monster!".

Most gay people i know have developed a fairly thick skin by way of a self defense mechanism, but this is a whole different kettle of fish your dealing with here man (or woman). For starters Korea is a Confucian based society, essentially meaning that there is a regimented order to life here pertaining to, well... everything....to date homosexuals haven't mangaged to make any sort of a headway into the structure of society, I don't know of any legislature passed pertaining to gays in korean society, but maybe a little research along those lines may fill you in on how this society views homosexuality, and if it turns out to be hard to find, then it could well be because there is none.

I asked a korean guy i worked with last year if he had ever met any gays, he blushed and chortled no...so i asked why not and his reply was because "there are no gays in korea"... this was coming from a regular 29 year old guy, in the fourth biggest city in korea.

All i'm saying is it's important to realise that although korea is a rapidly advancing culture in many ways...also it's not....a rapidly blah blah blah.

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

To summarize rawiri:

It's a close-minded society with rigid thinking. It's very conservative. Yes, it is 2005, but it is still very conservative.
(Nice word "conservative" ---- read "euphemism for scared")

sillywilly · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Canada.

Then again, many straight korean men have fewer social bounderies when it comes to touching and personal space. They arent hung up on looking gay, like most men are in the west. Half the time, assuming you find a partner, tender behaviour might be taken as friendly behaviour. Also, lets not forget how many things are written off as the inexplicable act of a crazy waygook. I don't know, gays are not accepted in Korea but you could probably live comfortably most places without monitoring and considering all your actions. Never heard of gay-bashing there..

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

True. Out of friendship same sex people hold hands and touch each other a lot more than in Can-america. But gayness is denied heavily. The same as alcoholism is denied heavily. And mental illness. Ditto Aids.

As one Korean middle-aged guy put it: " Koreans rarely drink alone, so there are few alcoholics in Korea."

As another Korean said to me: "We don't need those"
(when I mentioned something about drugs for mental illnesses like depression or whatever)

As a nurse and doctor reacted to a foreigner trying to give blood: "Foreigner blood, no!" (most foreigners have AIDS... we all know that.. only Korean blood is pure )

paperbag princess · Joined: 07 Mar 2004 Location: veggie hell

i think that seoul is the most queer positive area, but i'm not sure. there's a "village" which consists of half the hooker hill in itaewon. according to many koreans there are no homosexuals here (nor are there abortions or the mentally challenged).

seoulunitarian · Joined: 06 Jul 2004

I'm a gay man living in Suwon, about 45 minutes from Seoul. As stated before, Seoul is definitely to most open (if that word can be used in the Korean context concerning gays), and has the most gay venues, mostly in Itaewon, Jongno, Sinchon, and Hongdae. I've heard that Busan also has a sizeable gay population. Every medium sized town will have a few well-hidden gay bars, but they're mostly karaoke (sp?), and cater to middle-aged married men who don't have the courage to confront their wives and tell the truth.

On a sidenote, I'm from the south in the US, a small town. If you get into any kind of relationship with a Korean in Korea, do not expect it to be open, and do not expect them to come out. I've gotten a little sick of the excuse "this is Korea - I can't come out because it's so conservative." It couldn't be any more conservative than where I'm from, and just like many Koreans who have come out, I lost my family and nearly every friend in America when I came out. Anyway, just expect a lot of closed minds. But lots of pretty boys:)

Peace,
Daniel

seoulunitarian · Joined: 06 Jul 2004

I'm a gay man living in Suwon, about 45 minutes from Seoul. As stated before, Seoul is definitely to most open (if that word can be used in the Korean context concerning gays), and has the most gay venues, mostly in Itaewon, Jongno, Sinchon, and Hongdae. I've heard that Busan also has a sizeable gay population. Every medium sized town will have a few well-hidden gay bars, but they're mostly karaoke (sp?), and cater to middle-aged married men who don't have the courage to confront their wives and tell the truth.

On a sidenote, I'm from the south in the US, a small town. If you get into any kind of relationship with a Korean in Korea, do not expect it to be open, and do not expect them to come out. I've gotten a little sick of the excuse "this is Korea - I can't come out because it's so conservative." It couldn't be any more conservative than where I'm from, and just like many Koreans who have come out, I lost my family and nearly every friend in America when I came out. Anyway, just expect a lot of closed minds. But lots of pretty boys:)

Peace,
Daniel

Captain Corea · Joined: 28 Feb 2005 Location: Seoul

i think seoulunitarian said it quite well.

The one "gay" westerner I know that came over here had a very difficult time. Not just with the social system in Korea but also in dealing with any romantic interests here.