This year the folks behind the Korean Queer Culture Festival (KQCF) came out swinging with a brand new attitude and theme. Viva! Queer captures the carefree spirit and dynamism of the LGBT community in Korea as they forge ahead in an inhospitable and often intolerant climate. Beginning on May 28th and running until June 6th the festival has been improved from previous years’ seemingly cobbled together event into a full fledged extravaganza.
The festival moved from Berlin Square to Hanbit Media Park. It was just a block further up along Cheongyecheon but it proved to be much better suited for the festival. The space was larger and able to accommodate a bigger stage and a number of booths while still having room for the hundreds who showed up to participate. The outreach organizations and services on hand included a video mail camera booth to declare your self and receive the video in your email, an archive exhibition of Queer history in Korea, condom cafe dispensing free condoms, a cartoonist booth, and a booth for the Seoul LGBT Film Festival (SELFF).
The Queer Pride Parade was the highlight of the day. Several vehicles, glamorized for the occasion, transported a handful of revelers. The most enthusiastic happened to be a pair of lesbians who entertained the followers with a sexy bondage dance number. Interspersed between each float the parade goers marched along to the blaring music cheering and dancing.
The main festival stage for the festival boasted some colorful talent. Dance group Momento bopped along with choreographed numbers. Catspot rocked out on electric guitars. Then came the penultimate musical highlight of 붉은나비합창단 AKA The Crimson Butterfly Ensemble. They shreiked and cavorted on stage generating waves of sonic violence that sent me fleeing from the stage. Not exactly my musical cup of tea, next time I’ll bring ear plugs, but Rock on CBE, rock on!
I ran into fellow blogger Chris. You can read his account of the day over at his blog CISK. My friends and I ended up near Cheongyecheon kicking back and whiling the rest of the daylight hours away with conversation and beer. Not a bad way to end an awesome afternoon of community and celebration. If you missed it, you still have time to catch the film fest otherwise see you next year!
It was just a block further up along Cheongyecheon but it proved to be much better suited for the festival.
This year it was in a far better spot! It keeps improving each year!