Participant Kwak Sun-hee (29, female) of 'Steel Troops W' announced that she plans to make a marriage vow with her same-sex partner in the United States this November.
'Steel Troops W' is a military survival program in which elite female reservists team up to compete for the honor of their respective units.
Kwak Sun-hee appeared on a YouTube channel on the 26th with her same-sex partner and said, "My girlfriend works at an F&B company in Seoul," adding, "There was a bakery we used to frequent, and when we visited after a long time, my girlfriend was at the counter. When I saw her making coffee, I fell for her then and there. As we were buying bread and leaving, I flirted first by saying, 'Sister, please DM me.'"
During a Q&A with fans, when asked, "When did you realize your sexual identity? Were you happy surrounded by women during Steel Troops W?" Kwak Sun-hee responded, "I did not go there to meet women. Until the filming last year and when the broadcast was aired, I thought I was heterosexual. I appeared as a soldier, not to meet women. I really hope there's no misunderstanding."
Regarding her marriage plans with her partner, Kwak Sun-hee said, "We are currently living together. I tried to register as a spouse during the move-in notification, but the local office said, 'Since both are women, registering as spouses is difficult,' so we registered as cohabitants," and added, "I will be going to New York for the New York Marathon in November, and there is a place where we can make marriage vows, so if the opportunity arises, we plan to do that. At the end of November, we also plan to do a wedding shoot in Jeju Island."
Kwak Sun-hee said, "My friends around me said, 'Isn't it too early to think about marriage since you've just started dating?' and 'Are you okay since you aren't ready yet?' a lot, but I think there are many cases in Korea where male-female couples get married after 3 months or 6 months. I think we're no different."
Kwak Sun-hee stated, "I had no thoughts of marriage, but meeting my girlfriend made me naturally think of the word marriage. I want to live together, and I hope we can have children that resemble us," adding, "When I naturally imagine us in wedding dresses and tuxedos, I feel it is indeed my desire to want to get married."
Meanwhile, Kwak Sun-hee gained recognition for her role as the head of the army team on 'Steel Troops W,' which ended in December last year. She is a former second lieutenant of the 53rd Infantry Division, and after her discharge, she has been active as a model and marathon runner.