Test 2

Please select your preferred language.

請選擇你慣用的語言。

请选择你惯用的语言。

English
中文简体
台灣繁體
香港繁體

登入

记住我

初到 Fridae?

Fridae Mobile

Advertisement
Highlights

More About Us

新闻&特写

« 较新的 | 较旧的 »
9 Sep 2013

Gay South Korean film director marries his partner in public ceremony

Gay South Korean film director Kim Jho Gwang-soo and his partner Kim Seung-hwan symbolically married in public ceremony in central Seoul on Saturday although same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Korea.


Director Kim Jho Kwang-Soo (left) and his partner Kim Seung-Hwan.
Photo: Yonhap News Agency via XinMSN

Hundreds in Seoul attended the marriage ceremony of the country's best-known gay couple, film director Kim Jho Gwang-soo and his partner of nine years Kim Seung-hwan on Saturday, according to media reports.

The couple say they plan to formally apply to get their marriage legally recognised after the ceremony but regardless of their legal status, they want to be regarded as a "married couple". If the registry is denied, the couple said they will take their case to the constitutional court.

"Now people cannot but call us as a married couple as we have had a wedding," Kim, 49, was said to have told a news conference, reported Reuters. "It is important whether or not we become a legally bound couple. But more importantly, we want to let people know that gays can marry too in our society."

"Same sex marriage is not something shocking in many other countries. I hope South Korea will also join them in the near future", he added. Same-sex marriage is currently not legally recognised in Korea.


Photo of the couple on their fundraising campaign site. 
The couple said they would use the traditional wedding money gifts 
they received to launch a centre for LGBT issues and 
have set up a fundraising initiative on socialfunch.org.

A recent attempt by South Korean lawmakers to propose an anti-discrimination law that would prohibit discrimination based on based on religion, political ideology, or sexual orientation floundered due to opposition by conservative Christian legislators. Christians make up about a third of the country's population of 50 million people.

The couple's ceremony was disrupted briefly when an unidentified man rushed onto the stage and tossed food onto members of the choir. Korea's Yonhap news agency later identified the man as an elder in a Christian church. He was detained by police.

The AFP reported that hours before the ceremony, a handful of Christians had briefly occupied the site in an attempt to stop the marriage ceremony by engaging in shoving matches with the couple's supporters.

The two-hour ceremony eventually took place next to the Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul and was open to the public, with hundreds of people offering congratulations and support.

The couple said they would use the traditional wedding money gifts they received to launch a centre for LGBT issues and have set up a fundraising initiative on socialfunch.org.

Korea (South)

读者回应

1. 2013-09-09 20:09  
Wish them ALL THE BEST !
2. 2013-09-09 20:10  
Wish them ALL THE BEST !
3. 2013-09-09 21:35  
A big first step...! ;D
4. 2013-09-10 01:10  
Congrats, felicitations to the newlyweds! Leading the way for marriage equality in South Korea! Good for them! :)
5. 2013-09-10 01:29  
All my Best to Kim Jho Kwang-Soo and Kim Seung-Hwan !!!!!

I wish I could have attended your Wedding :))

To the Fridae 'News Editor': Is this all you can do? Just write this story based on Reuters and AFP Wire Reports? Don't you guys have any contact to some good South Korean Freelance Writers, who could provide with a little more background? Or how about inviting the couple to write a first-hand experience report themselves?
I met Kim Jho Kwang-Soo and his partner Kim Seung-Hwan a few weeks ago, at the Frameline LGBT Filmfest in San Francisco, where they screened their film 'Two Weddings and a Funeral'. At the Festival they announced their plan for this wedding, just as thousands of Californians married in San Francisco the days before, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Proposition 8 and the 'Defense of Marriage Act'.
Same Sex Marriage, Cultural and Religious Issues for LGBT people in South Korea are the main focus of their film, which is a very well done 'Dramedy', with a first rate Korean cast. Here's a link, for those Fridae Users who may like to take a look at the film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g6p8SnCPc8

Another thing missing from this 'News Editor' compiled 'report' are links to video and more information about the ceremony and how it was seen in South Korea.. All we got so far is the short video link of the PRE-Wedding TV Interview.. I know you guys can do better and as a Perks User, I expect you guys to do a better and more thorough job, especially when it comes to reporting on the Asian LGBT Communities. Please update your write-up accordingly.. Thanks :))



修改於2013-09-10 01:35:09
6. 2013-09-10 05:41  
To Euromango, as a native S.Korean monitoring community websites and newpapers sometimes I could tell you about atmosphere in Korea a bit. It seems Koreans are not really interested in that event as far as I can see. Of course for those who have got any type of interest in LGBT this is obviously big issue though it is still a bit not really a type of issue people like to share in public. There has been enormous changes lately with LGBT in the society but still long way to go to reach somewhere you guys are just now.
One thing I really concern what really happening in S.K is the way Korean church see this issue, Gay rights in general. Not sure whether you guys seen or this has been even reported to major medias though there were small group of religious people, i.e. Korean protestant, holding pickets saying "Homosexual is a sin"!! and this anti LGBT movement seem growing bigger and bigger among those believers and since our government arguably showed off their religious preferences from ex. president MB Lee, those conservative korean church has no fear to express their idea.
On the other hand, I see s.korean are breaking their prejudice little by little, thanks to popular korean dramas covering gay marriages and etc, and I saw small news article this morning that city council where director Kim Joh kwangsoo submitted their report of marriage found there is no articles in korean law refusing the marriage certificate report which means gay marriage could be legal in S.K.!! Of course this must be the first case they ever received thus this would be brought up to the high court asking whether their interpretation of law sentence is correct or not, at least, this would drop and bring big attention from many people in korea and good chance to debate whats to be done for gay rights as I personally worrying more about people without any interests in this issue than anti gay.

I hope not just in S,K but everywhere in asia where gay rights are not ensured to achieve real democratic in our world. Peace!!! Yeah..! :)
7. 2013-09-10 09:30  
best wishes 2 the couple! what a milestone!
8. 2013-09-10 09:46  
What were Korean attitudes to same-sex relationships like before western Christianity pervaded Korean mores?
9. 2013-09-12 05:03  
I'm wondering.. does the Fridae 'News Editor' or any other staff ever check and actually communicate with posters that actively ask or raise questions directed towards them here?
It does not seem so.. What a shame.. No update on the report either.. Double shame.. I will most likely not continue paying for my membership here in the future, as I did for more than 10 years, as 'Perks' member.. To be 'ignored' and faced with 'sloppy' staff at Fridae is not worth paying a penny for.. Or will there be someone from Fridae's ediorial/management team getting back to me here or in a direct email?

I'm here, available and waiting.. ;)
修改於2013-09-12 05:04:00
10. 2013-09-12 05:05  
I'm wondering.. does the Fridae 'News Editor' or any other staff ever check and actually communicate with posters that actively ask or raise questions directed towards them here?
It does not seem so.. What a shame.. No update on the report either.. Double shame.. I will most likely not continue paying for my membership here in the future, as I did for more than 10 years, as 'Perks' member.. To be 'ignored' and faced with 'sloppy' staff at Fridae is not worth paying a penny for.. Or will there be someone from Fridae's ediorial/management team getting back to me here or in a direct email?

I'm here, available and waiting.. ;)
11. 2013-11-30 08:35  
http://cafe.naver.com/ivan12

请先登入再使用此功能。

请选择新闻及专栏版本

精选个人档案

Now ALL members can view unlimited profiles!

Languages

View this page in a different language:

赞好

合作伙伴

 ILGA Asia - Fridae partner for LGBT rights in Asia IGLHRC - Fridae Partner for LGBT rights in Asia

Advertisement