The above pictures are from the Twitter account of Hong Seok-cheon, the first openly gay Korean celebrity who revealed his sexuality on a TV show in the early 2000s. Hong’s career was ruined when he admitted to being gay but a slow shift in attitudes, arguably attributed largely to him, means he is slowly being accepted again.
After tweeting the snaps, news articles with his half-naked photos immediately became a top news story and attracted masses of comments. Although Korea is not particularly known for gay rights or openly accepting various sexual orientations, netizens comments were actually more preoccupied with arguing over whether to celebrate ‘foreign holidays’, in this case Halloween, rather than calling into question his sexual orientation.
From TVDaily:
Pictures of half-naked Hong Seok-cheon at Halloween party in Itaewon
TV personality Hong Seok-cheon disclosed his Halloween party pictures.
On 28th October, Hong tweeted ‘Did you have fun last night at Halloween Party in Itaewon? I know I did. It could be slightly embarrassing, but it brings me new energy by breaking out of a rut,’ ‘[photos of] my employees and acquaintances. Today is about shaking off fermented stress accumulated over the last year,’ posting many photos.
These photos are Hong Seok-cheon’s Halloween Party pictures: his half-naked body and funny accessories seem so perfect for the occasion, standing out from the crowd. His acquaintances also seem to have fun in their costume: leopard, traditional Japanese dress Yukata, and Indian. Hong’s cellulite-free body particularly attracted quite a lot of attention.
Comments from Nate:
김성우:
Thank god his business seems successful. I feel so sorry for that he got ousted from the entertainment industry, just because of his sexual orientation. There are idol bands that are tainted with ugly scandals yet still have thriving careers: plagiarism, wearing the rising sun flag inspired or R-rate costumes, car-accidents, one night stand, bullying and god knows what. The industry seems to go backwards every day.
정치영:
Why should we go crazy over this Western holiday? If your life is that comfortable, then wash your hair in the water simmered with iris on Dano. [referring to traditional practices on Dano] Oh, he’s bald. Sorry…
황인주:
The inconvenient truth: there are only men in the photos.
정은경:
Halloween Day or whatever, it’s up to him whether to celebrate the day or not. Who are you to judge him? It’s the reporter who disseminated these photos, not Hong Seok-cheon. And Pepero Day, White Day are useless as well. Mind your own business!
조승민:
This is one of those occasions that riles up the patriotism within Koreans with no integrity. ㅡㅡ
정영원:
It’s not like they’re gonna bow in front of the national flag of America. They’re just having fun at a party. If you’d like to play with them, go ahead; and if you hate it, then go home. It’s none of your business whether they have a Halloween party or not.
노영섭:
I first didn’t like the idea of celebrating Halloween, but come to think of it, we shouldn’t criticise that. Why is Christmas a national holiday and celebrated by not only Christians but Buddhists and atheists? BTW one of the most up-voted comments says ‘celebrate Dano instead,’ but isn’t the day derived from China? When there’s common ground to feel comfortable, it’s not wrong to share different cultures. Bitching on them having fun on Halloween for ‘celebrating a foreign holiday’ seems too petty.
송은지:
Yeah, who would celebrate a foreign holiday like South Koreans do?
윤재원:
Those photos are a bit disgusting.. Look at their clothes (or lack thereof)
강승주:
Is he supposed to be Gandhi?
강석진:
Halloween Day my ass!
최규환:
You may ridicule enjoying Halloween for having foreign origins, but on that day, Itaewon was full of people in costumes fooling around. Isn’t it too narrow-minded to talk down such festivals as ‘foreign,’ even though it has become part of our culture? With such mentality, it’s equally absurd to have Christmas as a national holiday.
장선우:
If you have enough time to celebrate such foreign holidays, then give a little attention on Hangul Day, Korean Independence Day, and March 1st Day. Those incidents have formed Korea today.
양동천:
They’re a bunch of wannabes, following American culture. Korea is a global push-over already; celebrating Halloween will make us look even more pathetic.
노을:
Can’t we enjoy whatever festivals as we please? With some of your logic, non-Christian Koreans must not celebrate Christmas! Whatever the origins of the holiday might be, it’s up to YOU to celebrate it or not. It’s not like they are protesting to abolish the Korean culture, stop overreacting!
이성민:
I’m not fond of those photos. -_- ;;
남영수:
Doesn’t it look kinda wrong running around naked on Halloween..?? huh huh Some of you are defending such a trivial matter here.
구승모:
Halloween seems like becoming like Christmas. Christmas is the birthday of a Western god; I wonder why it’s a national holiday in Korea, even though Christianity is not the national religion. BTW, Hong Seok-cheon was just having fun and tweeted about it. The reporter is the one who created this mess and controversy.
정광안:
Let’s be honest ke ke Don’t they celebrate Halloween due to those clubs in Itaewon? We’re not accustomed to Halloween parties! ke ke ke
이유현:
So this is how they have fun at Halloween party in Itaewon, thanks to its multicultural atmosphere! It’s so cool, Mr Hong! Some people might have preconceptions about you due to your sexual orientation, but I think that’s what makes you unique. Cheer up, and BTW, you’ve got great body ♥
