With South Korea’s predominantly conservative views, it is difficult for drag performers and LGBTQ people to operate in mainstream life. Any kind of drag outside of the usual bars and nightclubs is a rare sight as the lifestyle and any likes of LGBTQ culture is a taboo subject for most native Koreans. Despite this, in recent years the Korean drag community has been finding ways to combat conservative attitudes and call for more acceptance from their country.
With the long history of homophobia ingrained in not only the government but also the culture, it is no wonder why the Korean drag community struggles to grow. Any kind of LGBTQ topic is rarely talked about amongst the public, especially in families who are driven by religious beliefs. The government also tends to ignore the rights of LGBTQ people as there are no constitutional protections for discrimination against sexual orientation. Same-sex marriage is still illegal, and there is no legal recognition of civil unions. In 2014, the National Institute of Korean Language changed its decision to make the word ‘love’ gender-neutral due to protests from religious groups. The word is now back to its original meaning of “affection between a man and a woman”. Some South Koreans go as far as to say that LGBTQ people are pro-North Koreans because they are “traitors of their nation”. This abuse and injustice can create an unsafe environment for the LGBTQ community, which is why the drag subculture in Korea has been slow to grow. Like most drag communities around the world, many Koreans find seek an escape from life and find a safe place to share their true selves.
For the past two to three years, South Korea has shown a significant increase in the drag community as they are finding ways to fight against the conservative attitudes and bring forth their talents to the outside world. In May of 2018, the first Seoul Drag Parade was held in the streets of Seoul’s Itaewon district, which is known for being the central living area for LGBTQ people. The area is affectionally nicknamed “homo hill” by its residents. The annual event was founded by famed drag queen Hurricane Kimchi who says that the purpose of the parade is to “encourage both queer and non-queer people to use drag to find their identity and express their true feelings, thoughts, and style.” Drag also came into the public eye when Netflix was brought to South Korea in 2016 and with it access to RuPaul’s Drag Race, exposing drag to many people for the first time. Since the majority of drag performances in Korea take place hidden in nightclubs, it is hard for performers to build an audience and/or to network with other artists. Many are relying on the internet and social media to share their drag art, focusing more on sharing their drag makeup looks and fashion rather than doing performances.
Despite having a limited audience within the Korean drag community, two notable drag queens have found great success with drag. Nana Youngrong Kim has 14 years of experience performing drag, exploring numerous concepts and styles. He is known as a singer, model, and actor as a drag artist. Nana has worked alongside another notable drag queen, Bambi. With only two years of experience doing drag, Bambi has performed many times at Trance, a popular nightclub in Itaewon, and he founded the LGBTQ brand Neon Milk. He has worked multiple years in the entertainment industry hosting shows for foreign artists and has even worked the stage for Hurricane Kimchi on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Nana and Bambi set a milestone for the Korean drag community when they were featured in music videos for the popular Kpop girl group Brown Eyed Girls and MAMAMOO.
The South Korean drag community continues to grow, especially with the help of social media being a great platform for artists to share their passion and talents with the rest of the world. The youth in Korea, especially those who are college-aged, and those who are active in the art scene tend to be more accepting of the LGBTQ community and are more willing to learn more about drag culture. Perhaps they will be the driving force that pushes society to see the drag community in a better light and to push governmental leaders to establish better protections for all people. The drag community is starting to see worldwide acceptance and appreciation of their art form, which provides hope for current and aspiring Korean drag performers.
Sources:
Seoul's drag queens confront conservative attitudes - CNN
South Korea's First Drag Parade Was a Win for Queer Visibility | them.
Seoul’s Drag Scene Is Growing Despite Persistent Homophobia In South Korea | by Tori Otten | Medium
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