Broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon expressed his heartfelt feelings regarding actress Youn Yuh-jung's confession about her son's same-sex marriage.
On the 29th, Hong Seok-cheon uploaded a photo taken with his parents to his social account. He said, "I made a surprise visit to my parents' country home in Cheongyang, Chungcheongnam-do, because I missed them. The two, in their 90s, are cooking and having fun together, and I'm so grateful that they are still healthy enough to be active.
He continued, "Both of my parents have dentures, hearing aids, readjusting glasses, and their backs have bent quite a bit, but they still smile brightly when they see my face, which brings me joy," and recalled the time when he came out as a homosexual, saying, "Thinking about it, I wonder how much of a burden I placed on them."
Hong Seok-cheon noted, "It's been 25 years since I came out. At the age of 30, during my youthful days, I selfishly thought only of my happiness and life and came out, which almost caused my parents to collapse," he expressed his guilt, saying, "How worried, pitiful, and upset they must have been that their son, once successful, suddenly became a national enemy and a target for harassment, indicating that I had to die to relieve the anger aimed at me."
He added, "My parents quietly endured their embarrassment in the neighborhood and church, and now they've aged, become frail, and smaller, but I want to boast that they are endlessly lovely to me."
In particular, he expressed, "Recently, I was surprised, touched, and comforted by the news of Youn Yuh-jung revealing that her son is a homosexual. My mother asked, 'Is he doing okay?' It seems that my mother has not been well for a long time." He added, "Anyway, I have to live better. I don't know how long they will be by my side, but I need to express my love more. I love you, Mom and Dad; please be by my side longer, and I will live well."
Earlier, on the 18th (local time), Youn Yuh-jung revealed in an interview with a U.S. entertainment outlet that her eldest son came out as a homosexual. She said, "My eldest son came out as a homosexual in 2000. When same-sex marriage was legalized in New York, we held his wedding there. Since it was still a secret in Korea, the whole family went to New York."
She also said, "I still do not know how the hometown people will react. They might throw books at me," but expressed solid support for her son and daughter-in-law, stating, "Now I love my son-in-law more than my son."
Upon hearing such news, Hong Seok-cheon conveyed his feelings through a media outlet, stating, "It feels somewhat comforting that my lonely struggle over the past 25 years is being acknowledged." Hong Seok-cheon debuted in the entertainment industry in 1995 through the 4th KBS College Comedy Contest as part of the 12th recruitment class. In 2000, he openly identified as a homosexual, becoming Korea's first 'coming out entertainer.' Given the strong negative perception of homosexuality at that time, many people have been offering support and encouragement to Hong Seok-cheon, who endured numerous hardships and challenges.
Below is the full post by Hong Seok-cheon.
I made a surprise visit to my parents' country home in Cheongyang, Chungcheongnam-do, because I missed them. The two, in their 90s, are cooking and having fun together, and I'm so grateful that they are still healthy enough to be active.
Both of my parents have dentures, hearing aids, readjusting glasses, and their backs have bent quite a bit, but they still smile brightly when they see my face, which brings me joy.
Thinking about it, I wonder how much of a burden I placed on them. It's been 25 years since I came out; at the age of 30, during my youthful days, I selfishly thought only of my happiness and life and came out, which almost caused my parents to collapse.
How worried, pitiful, and upset they must have been that their son, once successful, suddenly became a national enemy and a target for harassment, indicating that I had to die to relieve the anger aimed at me.
My parents quietly endured their embarrassment in the neighborhood and church, and now they've aged, become frail, and smaller, but I want to boast that they are endlessly lovely to me.
Recently, I was surprised, touched, and comforted by the news of Youn Yuh-jung revealing that her son is a homosexual. My mother asked, 'Is he doing okay?' It seems that my mother has not been well for a long time.
Anyway, I have to live better. I don't know how long they will be by my side, but I need to express my love more. I love you, Mom and Dad; please be by my side longer, and I will live well.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]