Most of you have probably heard that South Korea has produced its first queer program and are probably contemplating whether or not to watch it. Well, to let you know, I’ve seen the pilot episode of South Korea’s first reality Queer show, “Me(a)rry Queer,” and it’s truly remarkable and is breaking barriers. This variety show follows the romance of 3 queer couples: a gay couple, a transgender couple, and a lesbian couple.
It stars Shin Dong Yeob (“Immortal Songs“), EXID Hani (“XX“), and the most prominent openly gay celebrity in South Korea, Hong Seok Cheon (“Oops! We Forgot Your Order 2“), as the hosts! When the show was first announced last month, it gained a lot of support from international fans because this is a huge, huge step for a country like South Korea!
Episode 1 Recap
The central concept of this show is to learn more about queer couples through their daily lives, and the hosts provide commentary and insights into their lives.
The pilot episode began with a prologue that introduced us to different queer couples and explained how difficult it is for them to come out. Even though they cast members were surprised to be cast on the show, the hosts said it was good to see society’s, slowly but surely, acceptance of these differences, which is a significant accomplishment for the LGBTQ community in South Korea.
“I thought that the world was finally ready to see this kind of courage. I was excited and looked forward to it.”
EXID Hani
The Queer Couples of “Me(a)rry Queer“
1. Bo Sung and Min Jun – Gay Couple
The first couple of the program is Bo Sung and Min Jun, who have been in a relationship for 590 days and have been living together for a year now! Through this program, we witness their life as a live-in couple and their lovey-dovey nature to each other.
Bo Sung and Min Jun hosted a small party for their friends and discussed the experience of coming out. According to Min Jun, he received encouraging feedback, whereas Bo Sung stated that some individuals had distanced themselves from him.
2. Min Ju & Ji Hae – Bisexual x Transgender couple
The second couple is Min Ju and Ji Hae! A bisexual and FTM (Female to Male) transgender couple. The two planned to go to a public swimming pool but experienced difficulty when the pool staff didn’t know what bathroom Ji Hae should use a FTM transgender. Watching them struggle to fit in because the world isn’t ready for them is heartbreaking.
The two also talked about the time when Min Ju introduced Ji Hae to her parents. She said her parents acknowledged her relationship with Ji Hae but didn’t like it. A sad reality for many queer couples is that their parents do not support them with things that make them happy.
Ji Hae talked about her worry to Min Ju, and I really loved this conversation between the two. Min Ju is very supportive of all Ji Hae’s decisions, and this is what you call love.
3. Ka Ram and Seung Eun – Lesbian Couple
The third couple is Ka Ram and Seung Eun, a lesbian couple who are finding a wedding planner for their wedding. The two talked about how worried they were because they were unsure whether they could find a wedding planner.
The Hosts Making The Show Entertaining and Educational
In the opening episode, the hosts discussed how this new program differs from anything we’ve seen previously. The fact that they said LGBTQ couples are lovely to each other and how it is natural, and how viewers should not find it uncomfortable is something I appreciated.
The hosts also had a discussion about how it is difficult to come out and change one’s sexual orientation. Many older people assume that being queer is only a phase in your life, but Dong Yeob noted that “older people might think that it something you can fix, but in actuality, that’s not the case.”
In addition, they discussed the difficulty of coming out and becoming a member of the community as well as how the lack of legal same-sex marriage in South Korea is impeding the happiness of the couple. The hosts are the finest at making the show both entertaining and educational.
“Me(a)rry Queer” is opening everyone’s perception that queer couples experience more inconveniences and a lot more difficulties compared to straight couples. I really hope that this show can open more opportunities for queer couples to be understood more and not experience any prejudice.
And here is Shin Dong Yeob perfectly ending the pilot episode! “This is something where we can say we support a beautiful love in our head, but in reality, there are so many obstacles.”
The first queer South Korean variety show is now streaming on KOCOWA! Subscribe now and get 14-days free trial!
1 Comment
I think you misgendered Ji Hae in your review. I assume Ji Hae uses He/Him pronouns: Ji Hae talked about her worry to Min Ju, and I really loved this conversation between the two. Min Ju is very supportive of all Ji Hae’s decisions, and this is what you call love.