Yun Hyon-seok (; August 7, 1984 – April 26, 2003) was a South Korean

LGBT ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

poet, writer, and activist. He wrote under the pen names Yook Woo Dang (육우당, , ''home of six friends'') and Seolheon (), and was also known by his nickname Midong (, beautiful boy) or Donghwa (, Boy flower). Yun spent most of his life being excluded, bullied, and discriminated against for being gay. He used writing as an escape, something he carried with him after he dropped out of high school and moved to

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...

Dongdaemun District Dongdaemun District (, "Great Eastern Gate") is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. Dongdaemun has a population of 346,770 (2010) and has a geographic area of 14.22 km2 (5.49 sq mi), and is divided into 14 '' dong'' (administrative ne ...

. He became an active member and staff member of

Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea (; SLRK) is an LGBT rights and counselling organization created on September 9, 1997 in Seoul, South Korea. The current representative of the organization is Kwak Yi-kyong. Former representatives of the g ...

. Yun participated in the

LGBT rights movement Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movements are social movements that advocate for LGBT people in society. Some focus on equal rights, such as the ongoing movement for same-sex marriage, while others focus on liberation, as in the ...

, as well as movements in support of

disability rights The disability rights movement is a global social movement that seeks to secure equal opportunities and equal rights for all people with disabilities. It is made up of organizations of disability activists, also known as disability advocat ...

and

sex worker rights Sex workers' rights encompass a variety of aims being pursued globally by individuals and organizations that specifically involve the human, health, and labor rights of sex workers and their clients. The goals of these movements are diverse, but ...

and in opposition of mandatory conscription. A devout Catholic, Yun struggled immensely with the Church's rejection of homosexuality and spent much of his time arguing against misconceptions and cruelty. Yun died by suicide on August 26, 2003.

Early life

Yun was born in 1984 in Bupyong,

Incheon Incheon (; ; or Inch'ŏn; literally "kind river"), formerly Jemulpo or Chemulp'o (제물포) until the period after 1910, officially the Incheon Metropolitan City (인천광역시, 仁川廣域市), is a city located in northwestern South Kore ...

to two teachers, both of whom were devout

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

s. He was baptised with the name "Antonio". Yun began to question his sexuality during middle school and was bullied because of it. He faced homophobia and racism in all parts of his life, including on the internet, and became increasingly isolated, something he documented in his journal. He began self-medicating with

tranquiliser A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are CNS depressants and interact with brain activity causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives can be distinguished, but th ...

s, sleeping pills, alcohol, and cigarettes. Yun was dependent on

green tea Green tea is a type of tea that is made from '' Camellia sinensis'' leaves and buds that have not undergone the same withering and oxidation process which is used to make oolong teas and black teas. Green tea originated in China, and since the ...

rosary beads The Rosary (; la, , in the sense of "crown of roses" or "garland of roses"), also known as the Dominican Rosary, or simply the Rosary, refers to a set of prayers used primarily in the Catholic Church, and to the physical string of knots or ...

, tobacco, alcohol,

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

, and sleeping pills, which became known metaphorically as his "six friends." This inspired one of his pen names, Yook Woo-dang, which also means "six friends." It became his most-used pseudonym. Despite facing constant homophobia, including from his family, who attempted to pressure him into being heterosexual, he wrote in October 2002: "I do not think I'm abnormal... This road exists as also another road exists. Most persons use the well-worn path, but I have to go on a lone desolate path." He attended Seil High School and eventually transferred to Incheon High School, though he dropped out entirely in December 2002. On October 8, 2002, he was sent to a psychiatric hospital, as his family believed theories about homosexuals being psychopaths.

Later life

After leaving school, he moved to the

, where he became involved in the literary and LGBT activist scenes. He was deeply upset with political figures' assertions that his work violated traditional Korean social mores due to the conservative attitudes prevalent in South Korean society. Though he wanted to write using his name, he decided to use a pseudonym, as his writing contained homosexual themes. He also used the name Seolheon in honor of the pre-modern Korean poet

Heo Nanseolheon Heo Nanseolheon (1563 – 19 March 1589), was a Korean painter and poet of the mid-Joseon dynasty. She was the younger sister of Heo Bong, a politician and political writer, and elder to Heo Gyun, a prominent writer of the time and credited as th ...

. Yun began writing during his adolescence to work through his pain. He often used

satire Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of shaming ...

in his poems and prose and wrote at length about

censorship in South Korea Censorship in South Korea is implemented by various laws that were included in the constitution as well as acts passed by the National Assembly over the decades since 1948. These include the National Security Act, whereby the government may limit ...

, prejudice, disappointment,

conservatism Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

, and outdated

social norms Social norms are shared standards of acceptable behavior by groups. Social norms can both be informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of a society, as well as be codified into rules and laws. Social normative influences or soci ...

. Yun joined the D

Sijo ''Sijo'' () is a Korean traditional poetic form that emerged in the Goryeo period, flourished during the Joseon Dynasty, and is still written today. Bucolic, metaphysical, and cosmological themes are often explored. The three lines average 14� ...

and W

poetry clubs with the rank of student member. He contributed many writings, including poetry, to the groups over two years. In January 2003, he worked at a gay bar in

Gangnam-gu Gangnam District ( ; , ) is one of the 25 local government districts which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Gangnam translates to "South of the (Han) River". Gangnam District is the third largest district in Seoul, with an area of . A ...

but left after a brief period due to his anxiety. He worked several part-time jobs and dedicated his free time to activism. In late March, he became a full-time employee of the organisation

after more than two years of volunteer work and participation.

Activism

He participated in media censorship-opposition movements, particularly those that argued that exposure to homosexuality was harmful to children. He also attended anti-war and pro-peace rallies in the

Jongno District Bosingak bell pavilion Jongno District () is a district () in central Seoul, South Korea. It takes its name from a major local street, Jongno, which means "Bell Road". Characteristics Jongno District has been the center of the city for 600 yea ...

, including in opposition to Korean troops being sent overseas to serve in the

Iraq War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...

. In April 2003, he became a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...

to military service, refusing to abide by the country's mandatory conscription. His dedication eventually saw him become a leader and speaker in these movements. He was also a participant in

and

movements. He was outspoken against the theory that homosexual people were vectors of HIV/AIDS, dismissing it as a groundless assumption. He also worked against homophobia on the internet. As a Catholic, Yun worked to emphasise that denying acceptance to homosexual Christians, who are "children of God", goes against the Bible's teachings, and that homosexuality is not a

mental illness A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...

. On April 2, 2003, the

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

National Human Rights Commission of Korea The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (abbreviated to NHRCK) () is the independent commission for protecting, advocating and promoting human rights. This commission, by law, is guaranteed the independent status regarding all human rights ...

made a formal announcement that the country's LGBT and LGBT-related media censorship was a

human rights abuse Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hum ...

. Some conservative Christians groups demanded that the Commission withdraw the statement. Yun publicly criticized the church's stance in an article in ''Hangyeorye'' on April 13, using his real name, before deciding to withdraw from Catholic society entirely. He rescinded this decision within two days and returned to praying daily for the discrimination against homosexual people to end.

Death and legacy

On April 24, 2003, Yun wrote a six-page

suicide note A suicide note or death note is a message left behind by a person who dies or intends to die by suicide. A study examining Japanese suicide notes estimated that 25–30% of suicides are accompanied by a note. However, incidence rates may depe ...

that described the discrimination he had faced, his contempt for homophobic Christians, and the cruelty of homophobia. The letter concluded with: '"I believe My Father God will accept me!" He bequeathed

₩ The won sign , is a currency symbol. It represents the South Korean won, the North Korean won and, unofficially, the old Korean won. Appearance Its appearance is "W" (the first letter of "Won") with a horizontal strike going through the cent ...

340,000 and his rosary beads to Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea. He died by

suicide by hanging Suicide by hanging is the intentional killing of oneself (suicide) via suspension from an anchor-point such as an overhead beam or hook, by a rope or cord or by jumping from a height with a noose around the neck. Hanging is often considered t ...

on April 26, 2003 at the

Dongdaemun Heunginjimun, literally "Gate of Rising Benevolence" or more commonly known as Dongdaemun, is one of The Eight Gates of Seoul in the Fortress Wall of Seoul, a prominent landmark in central Seoul, South Korea. The Korean name "Dongdaemun" means "Gr ...

. Two bottles of distilled Korean spirits were found near his body. He was discovered by a member of the Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea the following day. Following his death, the South Korean government began the process to reverse their decision to censor gay media. To commemorate the third anniversary of Yun's death, a book of his poems and prose was published. The Solidarity for LGBT Human Rights of Korea also established the Yookwoodang Literary Award in his honor.

Books

* Yook Woo Dang: 《Let My Spirit Rain Down as Flower Petals》(육우당: 내 혼은 꽃비 되어) (2013) * 《Diary of Yook Woo Dang》(육우당일기 六友堂日記, unpublished)

References

Sources

* Lee Kyong-hwa, 《나》 (바람의 아이들, 2005) * Han Chae-yun, 《하느님과 만난 동성애》 (차별없는 세상을 위한 기독인연대, 2010) * Chi Seung-ho, 《후천성 인권 결핍 사회를 아웃팅하다:두려움에서 걸어 나온 동성애자 이야기》 (시대의창, 2011) * Chung Yeol. ''Bravo Gay life'' (Nareumbooks, 2011) * Korean Homosexual Rights Association, 《작은무지개들의 비밀일기》 (Korean Homosexual Rights Association, 2011)
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