Debates ongoing over lesbian kiss scene in JTBC drama

Article: "We're in love too"... controversy over the portrayal of homosexual love in dramas

Source: Kyunghyang via Naver

Article is a continuation/follow-up of an earlier debate by the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) on whether a scene involving a kiss between two women on 'Sunam Girls High School' was 'fit for broadcast'.

At the meeting, a KCSC member (and former Daejun MBC CEO), argued, "I believe that dramas should protect the freedom of expression but there is still an issue with the portrayal of homosexual love, especially between teens, on TV. I don't think it's necessary. Is it okay to portray homosexual love like this?"

Another member (a lawyer), argued, "I don't intend to infringe on the rights of sexual minorities but I personally believe that they are suffering from a psychological disability. They are citizens, however, and have the right for their decisions to be protected but I am adamantly against homosexual love. We are debating whether a minute long kiss scene between two female high school students is considered beautiful, disgusting, or sexually provocative, but I personally felt disgusted. Many organizations found the portrayal of homosexual love between two high school students to be immoral and thus submitted this complaint. I also find it immoral."

Article then goes into a history of recent dramas who also touched on the gay topic and the repercussions they had to suffer at the hands of organizations who fought to take the drama down. "Life is Beautiful", despite being written by esteemed scriptwriter Kim Soo Hyun, received criticism for the 'acceptance of gay love', leading a mother's organization to put out an ad in the newspaper saying, "SBS needs to take responsibility if my son dies from aids after becoming gay from watching 'Life is Beautiful'!"

KBS drama special 'Daughters of Club Bilitis' which is about stories of lesbian love from all age groups, was not only under heated criticism but also forced to even stop allowing re-run services to prevent the drama from being watched.

SBS's "It's Okay It's Love" didn't have a character outright confirm that he was gay but it was heavily implied and "depicted in a positive manner", also leading to heavy criticism and leading to one-man protests in front of the SBS building. Members of an anti-gay broadcast 'KHTV 7000' argued, "The drama used the premise of a male transgender being abused by his family and forced into mental hospitals to depict gays as oppressed, weak people needing of the viewer's sympathy. They purposely manipulated the emotions of the viewers so that they cannot be helped but to accept the gay character under the circumstances. And with the psychologist character accepting gay characters as simply a matter of preference, the drama is also forcing viewers to accept it that way as well. In a 2013 nationwide survey, 8 out of 10 Koreans were said to have been against gay love."

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1. [+5,755, -236] Instead of focusing on dramas about gay love, how about we talk about Im Sung Han's dramas. They're more makjang and can have a more negative affect. How about keeping those dramas off of broadcast?

2. [+4,358, -317] They're not even going to live in place of the gays so who are they to tell them what they can and can't do ㅋ

3. [+4,099, -464] Who cares, they like each other and that's that

4. [+3,791, -520] Where is even the evidence that being gay isn't normal?

5. [+3,552, -369] I don't get why it's our business that gays like each other

6. [+538, -59] Anyone who turns gay after watching a drama didn't simply turn gay because of the drama ㅋㅋ They were probably already bi or gay to begin with

7. [+548, -81] I don't hate or like gays but I really don't get people who feel the need to go as far as holding protests

8. [+438, -77] Why should anyone care who someone likes

9. [+414, -72] As long as they don't affect our lives, what's the problem? They're suffering enough as it is, we shouldn't view them so negatively. It's bias and stereotypes that are the problem.

10. [+363, -61] I don't support gays but I don't put it down either. It's not my business if they like each other.

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