Hong Seok-cheon (홍석천)

'Coming Out Changed My Life'

2008/07/06 | Source | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

Actor Hong Seok-cheon is a strong man. He is strong not only because he "came out of the closet" eight years ago when there was nobody to support him, let alone understand, but because he has lived his life to the fullest ever since.

"There were times when it was so hard that I just wanted to give up everything. Living as the only one (to come out) in this business is hard. Harder than you can ever imagine", he told The Korea Times during an interview at his restaurant "Our Place".

Hong, 37, recently finished hosting a cable television program "Coming Out". Hong worked as a mentor, giving advice and supporting young homosexuals. Despite worries, "Coming Out" proved to be a success, opening a small, yet promising door. Six participants appeared in the show and openly declared they were gay and were happy about it.

"When we first prepared the program, the producers wanted the show to be touching and mostly sad. But I wanted it to be happy and ...| More

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Actor Hong Seok-Cheon to Host 'Coming Out'

2008/04/13 | Source | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

Hong Seok-Cheon, the first Korean actor to publicly "come out of the closet", is hosting his own television talk show, "Coming Out", a program that features the lives of homosexuals.

Hong will be hosting the program with actress Jeong Kyeong-soon on cable channel tvN. He stirred the nation when he came out in 2000 and suddenly stopped appearing on television for a while.

At a press conference for the show, which was swarmed with reporters and photographers eager to get a glimpse of the now successful owner of three restaurants, Hong said that he was not initially thrilled about hosting the program.

"When I first saw the synopsis of the program, I thought it was crazy. There are people around me who once thought of coming out, but there were always problems with family and work. This program is not just coming out to your friends or family, but to all of Korean society", he said.

The program will show mini dramas of guests' lives as homose...| More

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Dining With The Stars

2008/03/27 | Source | Permalink |

A Taste of Celebrity-Owned Restaurants in Seoul

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia, Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporters

In celebrity-crazed Korea, stars can hawk everything from ramyeon to cell phones to vitamin drinks. So it is no wonder that some celebrities have started their own businesses such as clothing brands and restaurants, using "star power" for their own benefit.

Hallyu superstar Bae Yong-joon, K-pop group Shinhwa, singer Kim Jong-min and actors Lee Jeong-jae and Hong Seok-cheon are some of the celebrities who have entered the restaurant business.

Some of these stars generate hype for their restaurants by placing their names and photos prominently inside the restaurant. Others play down the star factor and concentrate on the quality of the food and service.

The Korea Times takes a look at some of the celebrity-owned restaurants.

Actors Turned Restaurateurs

If you are a big fan of Bae Yong-joon (star of "Winter Sonata" and recent hit epic drama, "Taewangsasingi" ('The Fo...| More

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Here and queer in a changing society

2008/01/17 | Source | Permalink |

Attitudes to gay people are changing, but conservative forces in Korea still hold sway

When an actor came out publicly seven years ago to say he was gay, the news hit Korean society with the force of a bombshell. It was unacceptable for someone to make such an announcement in a country deeply rooted in gender roles defined by Confucian values.
But things have changed since then, said Hong Seok-cheon with a grin. "I feel very comfortable now walking the streets".
The changes that the 38-year-old actor is referring to are not necessarily tangible, but they are undeniable. They've penetrated the most conservative elements of society, even the military.
The main theme in last year's MBC TV drama "Coffee Prince Branch No. 1" was homosexuality and the show earned high ratings; KBS aired a TV drama about bisexuality earlier this month.
Nowadays finding online or offline communities for gays in Korea is easy. Even Seoul National University, whose graduates dominate influential positio...| More

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Lessons in love from celebrity scandal

2007/11/07 | Source | Permalink |

Love grows when touched by beauty but withers when exposed to slander. At least that's what happened when the 11-year marriage between the celebrity couple Park Cheol and Ok So-ri ground to a halt. My curiosity got the better of me and I guiltily tuned in to "The Park Cheol Show".
To be honest, I wasn't interested in the show's content that night. I just wanted to be a voyeur and see Park in action. When he filed for divorce, he quickly became hot news around town. Everyone has been talking about him and his marriage. Airing Fridays at 11 p.m. with several reruns on the cable channel, Story On, the talk show is usually far down my to-watch list. But that was before the scandal broke.
Adding fuel to the flames is speculation that the breakup involves Ok So-ri's alleged extramarital affair with an Italian chef at a posh Seoul hotel. She flatly denied in her recent press conference any improper relations with the aforementioned cook, but, unfortunately for Ok, the Internet is awash wit...| More

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