Have you ever wondered about the sexual orientation of your favorite idols?
In fact, there are many celebrities in showbiz who are hiding their true sexuality because they want to be able to do activities in the industry peacefully. Clearly, the entertainment industry is not an ideal environment for LBGT artists to live as their true selves. Especially in Korea, public opinion is still very harsh toward LGBT artists, particularly in the case of Hong Suk Chun.
In 2000, this multi-talented artist decided to publicly reveal that he were gay. At the time, he was only 30 years old and was in an important stage of his career. However, contrary to the wishes of Hong Suk Chun, Korean netizens aggressively attacked him. The actor was forced to halt his activities and shift to the restaurant business because he was not welcomed. Fortunately, his restaurant has been doing well, and allowed its owner to have a decent life.
Recalling that difficult time, Hong Suk Chun said he used to face death due to stress:
“After I came out, I lost everything. Not even family understood me. I didn’t even want to hear people ask, ‘It’s hard, right?’. I am the icon of optimism, so I tried to go on for years saying I could win. But I couldn’t, and I went to the Han River early in the morning. But before I left the world, I wanted to talk to someone. I couldn’t talk to family in that situation, so I talked to my ex, who knew a lot about me. As the phone was ringing, I thought to myself, if it rings 10 times, I’ll just go. But he picked up in 3. He was surprised because I’m not the type to call that late at night. He asked me right away, ‘Are you at Han River right now?’ and cursed me out. I laughed because he knew me so well. I woke up then and told him that I was going home.“
He added, “After that, if someone tells me that they want to die, I respond roughly. I tell them, ‘If you’re gonna die, sign an organ donation form’. Later, they tell me that they lived thanks to me.“
Later, when he has overcome the nightmare, Hong Suk Chun has often become the emotional support for those who are desperate with life. Many people have escaped death thanks to his advice. Therefore, the actor has lots of close relationships with the artists, especially idols.
Sources: tinnhac
