I was reviewing text for an upcoming article about Seoul today and was surprised to learn that there’s still some judgment of gay and lesbian travelers — and residents for that matter — in the capital of South Korea.

I was in Seoul for the first time last August, and I didn’t see any signs of discrimination. Now that I think about it, though, I don’t recall seeing
any obvious same-sex couples, either.

So I did a bit of online research, and much to my surprise, reports do bear out the possibility that 21st-century Seoul may be less than
gay-friendly. Although times are changing as the city’s annual Korea Queer Culture Festival kicks off its 13th year in late May, at least one
news report on last year’s event shows festival-goers with their faces blurred beyond recognition. The article bears a disclaimer stating, “In
compliance with the requirements to photograph the event, all faces have been blurred to an unrecognizable level . . .”

While I understand cultural norms vary from country to country and region to region, I’m troubled by this apparent acceptance of discrimination. I could go on to cite examples of the loving and committed gay couples who are part of my life, but none of that really matters. The bottom line is, gay or straight, we all share similar values based on respect for one another.

— Lisa Matte, editor in chief