Embedded Files
22nd May 2024, 1PM - 2PM | NMH112
Queer Korea: Pride and Progress Panel
Panelist
Panelist
Panelist
Moderator
Heezy Yang (they/them)
Hurricane Kimchi is a Seoul-based Korean drag queen who has been active as a performer, event organiser, and activist, since the early 2010s. She performs as a singer, dancer, and MC, and she has organised and presented numerous shows and events in the LGBTQ+ scene and the art scene. In 2018, she co-founded an organisation/annual event called Seoul Drag Parade, and became a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 Artist.
June Green (they/it/he)
June Green is a non-binary/trans singer-songwriter, performer, artist and composer.
Candy Yun (she/her)
Candy is a South Korean bisexual feminist LGBTI+ activist. She works as the Executive Director of the Korean Sexual-minority Culture & Rights Center and Bisexual Representative at ILGA ASIA. She began to engage in the queer movement from 2006. Her current main interests are bisexual, aging, intersectionality, and the Asian LGBTQ+ movement.
Emma Dai (she/they)
Emma is a British-Chinese designer, photographer, artist and founder of conscious storytelling platform The DAI˚ALOGUE. Emma's work aims to use creative and intersectional frameworks to examine how we can create a fairer society and amplify marginalised voices.
1:00 - 1:05PM
Opening remarks from President of the HRH
Jinhee Ha
1:05 - 1:15PM
Panelist introduction
Emma Dai
1:15 - 1:45PM
Panel discussion on LGBTQIA+ experiences in South Korea
Heezy Yang (Hurricane Kimchi), June Green, Candy Yun
1:45 - 2:00PM
Q&A and Closing Remarks
Heezy Yang (Hurricane Kimchi), June Green, Candy Yun and HRH
Reflection
Yonsei University's first panel discussion on LGBTQIA+ rights in Korea
On 22 May 2024, Yonsei GSIS Human Rights Hub hosted the university's first-ever panel discussing LGBTQIA+ issues in South Korea. Three prominent activists working in South Korea—Heezy Yang aka Hurricane Kimchi, June Green and Candy Yun—were gracious enough to give their time and come to New Millennium Hall, discussing their experiences and a part of society still considered highly controversial within wider Korean culture.
Throughout the discussion, the panelists talked about their personal struggles as queer Koreans, their hopes for the future and action items that allies can take to support the LGBTQIA+ community. One point that particularly resonated with our audience was the issue of safety, insofar as mental health issues were a bigger danger to queer lives in South Korea than the threat of physical violence.
Although addressing serious and deeply moving topics, there were also many moments of light and laughter which ultimately brought home the message of the panel: to be proud of your identity, to accept everyone for who they are, and to feel hopeful about the future of queer rights in South Korea. It was not lost on anyone how momentous even being able to host such a panel at one of the country's most prestigious, and notably conservative, universities was; and this was expressed through a highly-engaged audience Q&A and the amazing feedback we received from them afterwards.
For more information and resources on how to support the LGBTQIA+ Korean community and Pride celebrations happening over the next month, you can read our post on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
Finally, as the primary organiser and moderator of this panel, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our panelists—they truly inspire me, for their courage and openness to advocate for something that inherently puts them at risk of discrimination and harassment; as well as my fellow Human Rights Hub members who all stood with me to make this happen (it almost didn't!); and finally, everyone who came or watched online, for showing their support and for making it all worthwhile. Thank you—I can only hope this is just the beginning of bigger discussions and events around these important and sensitive issues, and sets a precedent for human rights advocacy at the university and beyond.
L-R: Emma Dai (moderator), Candy Yun, June Green, Heezy Yang
HRH Executive Officers Daniela, Jinhee, Emma and Julie with panelists Candy Yun, June Green and Heezy Yang
About the Panelists
Heezy Yang/Hurricane Kimchi
Hurricane Kimchi is a Seoul-based Korean drag queen who has been active as a performer, event organiser, and activist, since the early 2010s. She performs as a singer, dancer, and MC, and she has organised and presented numerous shows and events in the LGBTQ+ scene and the art scene. In 2018, she co-founded an organisation/annual event called Seoul Drag Parade, and became a Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 Artist.
June Green
June is a non-binary/trans singer-songwriter, composer, performer and artist
Candy Yun
Candy is a South Korean Bisexual feminist LGBTI+ activist. She works as the Executive Director of the Korean Sexual-minority Culture & Rights Center and Bisexual Representative at ILGA ASIA. She began to engage in the queer movement from 2006. Her current main interests are bisexual, aging, intersectionality and asian lgbti+ movement.
Written by Emma Dai for Yonsei GSIS Human Rights Hub
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