Out Spotlight XCVI

Today's Out Spotlight is Hong Seok-cheon, South Korean male model,actor and restauranter.

Born February 3, 1971, Hong shocked Korean society to the core and created controversy when he came out as gay in 2000. He was the first celebrity in Korea to come out and the most prominent Korean celebrity to do.

Hong Seok-cheon had appeared on South Korean television programs marketed to children as well as variety shows. He also appeared in the thriller films Ggotcheul deun namja (English release titled Man Holding Flowers) in 1997, and the 2001 film Hera Purple as well as a 1998 romantic release entitled Tie a Yellow Ribbon.

Since coming out, his career has been like a roller-coaster ride. First, the phone stopped ringing no one willing to offer him work. He went into hiding, living in a small rented room and contemplated suicide.

He did find those who in the acting community who supported his decision. "When I first confessed that I would come out to my [drama] professor [Choi Hyung-in], she warmly hugged me. I could live in her encouragement. Without Choi's supports, there are not many actors who go their own way",

He turned to the restaurant business, when his future when he saw his acting career become uncertain after coming out , giving him a new start and purpose. "To me, my restaurants are people. After I came out, I had to endure so much hostility. I missed seeing my friends and my supporters so much at the time. I thought if I open a restaurant, they could come and visit me. That is how I came to open my first restaurant, 'Our Place'." First came Italian restaurant "Our Place", then Thai restaurant "My Thai", then Thai-Chinese fusion restaurant "My China" and then karaoke and wine place "My Song Bar". Hong now has 5 successful restaurants worth over 4 billion South Korean Won.

In 2005 he appeared with his parents on the Korean talk show Lee Honglyol, Park Ju-mi's Yoyumanman to discuss his life after coming out of the closet. And in 2008, he published his first book,"Design Your Own Restaurant" saying "I wanted to publish a book like this to celebrate 10th anniversary of my coming out, but it came a bit earlier than expected",

The book, celebrates his successful transformation form suddenly-out-of-work actor to financially independent restaurateur. but his journey as an out gay man in Korean society as well. "I tried to write about how to make fewer mistakes rather than how to succeed. Because people had misconceptions about me, I endured the tough years with sheer determination".

Despite the ups and downs, acting was never completely out of the picture. With time and acceptance, parts start to come his way, and soon he was back doing his first love, acting. Showing up in various projects, not always in the biggest roles, he has become admired for his courage and resilience not only in the actor community but by South Koreans as well.

Recently Hong adopted his two nephews, sons of his older sister, who divorced last year, officially starting his own family. Furthermore, last February, he filled out a form requesting for their last names to be changed to “Hong”, and the application was accepted and his wish granted. This means that he has become the third Korean celebrity to ever successfully change the last names of his children.

Today, Hong has returned to acting, oversees his restaurant ventures, published, and has a family of his own and is comfortable with who he is.

"It's not that people are crazy about anyone being homosexual, but the idea is out and being accepted that you can be different"

"After I set my foot in the entertainment business, I only thought about popularity, money and fame. But I changed a lot after I came out in 2000. I still think it was the right thing to do. I had many difficulties since then, but because I'm an optimistic person, I didn't run away but squarely faced the world. If I had run away at the time, I don't think I'd be as happy as I am right now".