Held over 15 days, various events including a public forum, an art exhibition, a film festival, parties, and a street parade will be held in the Jongro, Sinchon (near Hongik University), and Itaewon districts of Seoul.
The only queer culture festival nationwide, the Korea Queer Culture Festival (KQCF) has grown from a modest event put together by a handful of Korean LGBT rights activists with little money to an increasingly visible and welcomed public festival sponsored by governmental or public organs such as the Arts Council Korea, Korean Film Council, and Korea Association of Film Art and Industry.
Open Forum: Express Yourself! Bravo, Queer Life!
Time/date: May 30 (Tues) - Jun 7, 2006 (Fri)
Venues: Jongro and Sincheon (near Hongik University)
Aimed at generating and combining private and public discourse in an open arena to enhance public awareness and participation, the open forum will address diverse topics including gay men's lifestyles and sex, lesbians' healthy and stress-free lives, and transgenders' stories.
At "Let Your Hair Down ― Gay Talk," gay men will get to chat and hear about concerns and conflicts in everyday life and their representative life patterns.
At "The Night You Turn into a Sex Bomb," gay men will have a chance to discuss anything and everything about sex including their views of sex, sex problems, and misconceptions about sex.
At "Skin-Deep Beauty and Beauty Sleep," gay men will talk about and get tips on skin care and cosmetics.
For lesbians, "No More Weakling Sisters!" will provide a stage for discussions on health issues such as dieting, quitting smoking/drinking, and safe sex. Most female sexual minorities suffer from tremendous stress in a heterosexist and patriarchal society.
To help them to live free of care and anxiety, "Who ARE You?" will provide an opportunity for a group discussion on lesbians' problems and daily lives, with the help of a professional counselor.
"Health 101 for Trannies" will be a chat session on medical measures for various types of transgenders. Happiness starts from the moment we take pride in our lives. Join the open forum for hours of laughter and helpful information!
Event 1: Professor Douglas Sanders' Lecture - "LGBT Rights: Fights at the UN and in Asian Courts"
Time/date: 7pm, Jun 2, 2006 (Fri)
Venue: iSHAP (in Jongro)
Event 2: Condom Cafe with HIV+ Queers
Time/date: 8pm -midnight, Jun 7 (Wed) and Jun 8, 2006 (Thu)
Venue: Bar Friends (in Jongro)
Street Parade: Happy Together!
Time/date: Noon - 6pm, Jun 10, 2006 (Sat)
Venues: Preliminary events - Jongmyo (Royal Ancestral Shrines) Park in Jongro4-ga
Parade: Jongmyo Part → Jongro Tower in Jongro2-ga → CitiBank in Gongpyeong-dong
Unlike most other events of the KQCF, the preliminary events and the street parade itself are held in the open air so as to heighten participants' pride, to provide an arena for the public to rethink diversity, and to make natural and happy communication possible through the medium of a festival.
Parties: Queer Paradise in Seoul!
Time/date: 8pm onwards, June 10, 2006 (Sat)
Venues: Jongro, Itaewon, and Sincheon (near Hongik University)
* With one ticket, you can go to any participating queer establishments, including dance clubs, in Itaewon, Sincheon (near Hongik University), and Jongro. It' a club day for queers!
* Participating establishments: 10 queer establishments in Jongro (Bar Friends, Bar Code, Gemini, Mino, The Box), Itaewon (Del Disco, Beyond, Why Not?), and Sincheon (Lesbos, W)