KOREA QUEER FESTIVAL 2013

PHOTO FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS

Yesterday I was riveted to a photo of two, mature Asian men kissing whilst thumbing through the main broadsheet of the South China Morning Post. It was of South Korean filmmaker Kim Jho Gwang-soo and his partner of nine years, announcing plans to marry. It's a bid to pry the closet open in this super conservative country where homosexuality is still taboo and hate crimes against gays are commonplace. (I was stunned to hear some of the awful stories my brother-in-law, Ronnie, shared from his days in the military.)

I was captivated by the pic because older Asian gay couples have grown so used to discrimination, any display of public affection would be considered dangerous - even irresponsible. The only other Korean celebrity to have come out was actor Hong Seok-Cheon, way back in 2000 - 13 long years ago! He now says he regrets his decision because work promptly dried up. But, hello - he has since turned his fate around by founding a restaurant empire! I got to try two of his places out - fab, as you would expect from an A-List gay entrepreneur-slash-taste maker.

So anyway, the LGBT movement in Korea seems to be at a turning point. The Korea Queer Festival, which takes place over a 16-day (!!) period,  is ongoing and includes performances, parties and a parade. One of the parties takes place at Condom Cafe (!!!). For that alone, I want to go back to Seoul NOW.

It'd be nice to have a Mr Gay Korea competition be part of the KQF, too. But I don't really have the bandwidth for that. Duh - as if it's not hard enough to mount a Mr Gay HK competition yearly! I must content myself with visiting my nephew, Robin, for now, in the hopes that Korean LGBTs emulate Kim Jho Gwang-soo en masse soon. Only after Korean LGBTs realize that coming out can be a cool thing could a Mr Gay competition finally fly.

Brava to Kim Jho Gwang-soo and his gentleman-love. Hopefully this grand gesture leads to an easing up of homophobic views not just in Korea, but throughout the rest of the world. I think it was John Lennon who once questioned why we conduct violent warfare openly but we make love in secret - how the hell does that make sense?? Or something to that effect.

More PDA, please!

HONGDAE GUESTHOUSE, SEOUL

NOT EXACTLY THE RITZ-CARLTON,
BUT PRETTY DARN CLOSE.

DUNKIN DONUTS,
SITUATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE SAME BUILDING AS HONGDAE GUESTHOUSE,
HAS STRONG WiFi AND EVEN STRONGER COFFEE. 

FEELING LIKE A HONGIK HIPPIE ALREADY!

My sister, Teri, booked me into Hongdae Guesthouse. It's a little B&B that's just half an hour away by metro from Incheon Airport. I got off at the Hongik University Station Exit 1, turned around to see Dunkin Donuts, entered the building, and took the lift to the third floor. Voila. I was in Hongdae, which marked the beginning of my  very short Seoul sojourn.

My bed (number 3, on the lower deck) cost only USD38 for 2 nights. Shared bathroom (bring your own toiletries), desktop, and water dispenser. All good. Only complaint: there was no curtain in front of my bed. It had disappeared and clearly hadn't been replaced. Light from street lamps spilled into the room in the evenings, mostly onto my bed. But I was only staying for 2 nights, so whatever. All part of the cheap and cheerful experience!

Being within the vicinity of a university known for art and architecture, the area is dotted with quaint design shops, cafes, book stores, fast food eateries, and even a bustling night market (more on that on another entry - my solo Seoul bender!)

If you're doing Seoul on a shoestring, Hongdae Guesthouse is perfect. Great district, centrally located, very convenient and accessible. Just be wary of the design shops - quaint establishments that defy description. They're hipster hangouts that also sell books, DVDs, perfume, cake, paintings, calendars, watches, whatever. Always check prices before you head over to the cash register. I decided to have a beer in one such place and ended up paying USD12. I could have paid USD3 in the pub just across.

I saved money on accommodations but blew my budget on just the one beer. Classic.

WINTER BABY

 

My nephew, Robin, was born in Seoul on the 3rd of December 2012, in sub-zero conditions. We're tickled of course, since, except for my mom who's Chinese and Robin's dad, who's Korean, we're all proud, tropical creatures. We've only ever known Cagayan Valley, where the sun's glorious heat is forever trapped between the Cordillera and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. It's like living in a greenhouse all year round. Robin, in contrast, is a winter baby - our family's first and only.

I can't even explain the joy I felt when Robin was born. His mother - my sister, Teri -  documented Robin's birth every step of the way. She must have had her smartphone on her side whilst she was in labor. The entire family was on mobile group chat, volleying excited text messages, photos, videos, prayers...

Chris' pic used to be my iPhone wallpaper. Now, it's Robin. I kiss Robin's pic every day.

I'm unlikely to have kids of my own. I'm much too scared that I'll have to raise someone exactly like me. It's not that I turned out horrible. I know I didn't. I just... don't know how my parents managed to put up with all my shit whilst I was growing up. Hell, they still put up with my shit from time to time - up to this day!

"Isn't it wonderful," I texted my mom, "that the child you raised now has a child of her own? Doesn't this validate all the values we treasure as a family?"

Robin may not be my child. But he's every inch my baby.

My winter baby.