Mobility and Experiences of Korean Gay Men in Japanese Gay Community

• In Event: East Asian Queer Cultures Part I: Inter-Referencing the Trans/Local Communities of Hong Kong and South Korea

Abstract

This paper distinguishes three different historical trajectories of the gay men’s mobility between South Korea and Japan, and focuses on the everyday experiences of Korean gay men who currently live in Japan. Since the 2000, gay men’s inter-Asian mobility has been rapidly increased. In the case of South Korea, despite of the nations’ conflicts over historical issues, many gay men have migrated to Japan for various reasons since the liberalization of overseas travel in 1989.

Historically, Japanese gay culture and pink industry have been the most powerful source in the formations of Korean gay men’s culture and desire. By analyzing literary materials and interviews with Korean gay men living in Japan, this paper identifies three features of mobility of gay men and their implication to Korean and Japanese gay community. These include 1) tourism of Japanese gay men and changes of Korean gay consumer spaces and desires; 2) Korean gay men’s migration to Japan and changes of Japanese gay community; and 3) the recent phenomenon of symmetrical relationship among younger generations. By focusing on the experiences of Korean gay men in Tokyo, this paper also investigates how they encounter with Japanese gay community and how their national, intimate, and social boundaries and imaginations are negotiated.

Author

• Wonkeun Chun, Seoul National University