Hong Seok-cheon

Hong Seok-cheon (born February 3, 1971) is a South Korean actor, television personality, restaurateur and member of the dissolved Democratic Labor Party. He caused considerable controversy in his home country when he came out as gay in 2000, and remains the most prominent openly gay celebrity in Korea.

Career Hong Seok-cheon was born in Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province. He began his entertainment career as a male model, and made his screen debut in 1994 as a reporter for Live TV Information Center. In 1995, he won the bronze prize at the KBS Comedian Festival (for college students). Due to his versatility and comic timing, Hong went on to a prolific career on South Korean television, appearing in children's programs and variety shows, as well as sitcoms and dramas. After Hong revealed his homosexuality, he was fired from his network television programs and advertisements amidst public uproar, and no longer landed any major acting roles. He faced massive stigma after becoming the country's first openly gay celebrity, and later said he experienced such shunning, verbal abuse and discrimination that he rarely stepped out of his social circle. He then wrote his memoir My Heart Still Throbs for Forgotten Love, in which he recounted his failed romance with a Dutch man named Tony.

Forced out of the entertainment business, Hong wanted to leave the country to study in New York, but he said he decided to stay in Korea to prove to his detractors that he could be a success. He started his first restaurant Our Place in 2002, two years after he came out. He now owns and runs nine high-end restaurants in Itaewon, home to a large expat community in Seoul. Hong's restaurants are all characterized by the prefix "My," namely: My Hong, My Chi chi*s, My Thai, My Thai China, My X, My Chelsea, My Noodle, and My Suji.

In 2004, he joined the Democratic Labor Party and was selected by Time magazine as the year's Asian Hero. Hong also continued appearing regularly on talk shows, notably Yeo Yoo Man Man, on which he guested with his parents and discussed his life since coming out. Acting-wise, Hong starred in the thriller Puzzle (2006) and the stage play A Midsummer Night's Dream (2009). He also founded the internet shopping mall Ne2Nom in 2007, and became a professor at Korea National University of Arts (teaching Broadcast Content Production in 2010 and Fashion Arts in 2011).

After his sister's divorce, Hong adopted her two children and changed their last names to his. In 2008, he hosted his own talk show Coming Out, which featured gay issues. Despite Korean society's continuing conservatism, Hong overcame initial public disapproval and gradually gained more mainstream acceptance, especially among the younger generation, in part because of his activism in fighting for LGBT rights. From bit parts and cameos, he now emcees shows on cable television and has a sizeable following on social media. Having lived in Yongsan District for ten years, he said he aims to promote cultural spaces for young artists and small businesses, while providing welfare for sexual minorities. If elected, he will become the first openly gay person to become a publicly elected official in Korea. In 2016, he participated in the program Law of the Jungle.

In 2018, he revealed that he is third cousins with Taeyong of NCT.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1997 Do the Right Thing Henchman No. 3 Adulterous man Man with Flowers Lee Joo-il 1998 Rub Love Stop Bar bartender Tie a Yellow Ribbon Dong-gyu 1999 Ghost in Love Subway passenger 2001 Last Present Cheong-chun A Tearful Story Cameo Hera Purple Min-seok 2003 Dying or Live Charlie Choi 2005 The Art of Seduction DJ 2006 Good Luck Skinhead Hong Puzzle Noh 2008 The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken Courtesan Tailor shop owner Cameo 2009 Sky and Sea Hair designer Cameo 2011 Dream the Good Dream Russian mafia Kalashnikov Short film 2012 Runway Cop Show director 2014 Fashion King MC Seok-cheon Cameo 2015 Love Forecast My Thai China restaurant owner Cameo Mongolian Princess Movie actor Cameo Love Clinic Psychiatrist Cameo

Television series Year Title Role Notes 1995 LA Arirang 1996 Three Guys and Three Girls Hong Seok-cheon 2000 Paradise 2001 Why Can't We Stop Them 2003 Perfect Love Hong Seung-jo 2005 Sad Love Story Charlie 18 vs. 29 Fashion 70s 2006 Hyena 2007 Kid Gang Golden Bride 2008 Life Special Investigation Team Aeja's Older Sister, Minja Heo Goo-hyung The Secret of Coocoo Island Professor of Korean language and literature 2009 Can't Stop Now The Accidental Couple Movie director Cameo Swallow the Sun Jimmy Assorted Gems Director Hong Joseon Mystery Detective Jeong Yak-yong Cheol-du 2011 Baby Faced Beauty Bravo, My Love! Julien Cameo Ojakgyo Family Saving Mrs. Go Bong-shil Seok-cheon 2012 Dummy Mommy Hairdresser Cameo Vampire Prosecutor 2 Gabriel Jang Cameo; episode 6 2013 Blue Tower Platoon first lieutenant Hong A Tale of Two Sisters Cameo Reply 1994 ROTC cadet Cameo; episode 2 2014 Triangle Man-kang Everybody Say Kimchi Wedding dress shop owner Cameo My Secret Hotel Chef Andre Hong 2015 The Man in the Mask Pi Sung-ho Sense8 Referee The Time We Were Not in Love Airplane passenger Cameo; episode 1 Yumi's Room 2016 My Horrible Boss Photographer Cameo 2017 Saimdang, Memoir of Colors Suspicious Partner Monk 2018 Player Cameo Lovely Horribly Kang Hyun-seok 2019 My Absolute Boyfriend 2020 Touch Kim Dong-min Itaewon Class Himself Cameo; episodes 2, 4, 9 & 16 Missing: The Other Side Mr. Hong Cameo; episode 9 2021 Dali & Cocky Prince Chef Hong Seok-cheon Cameo; episode 1 Young Lady and Gentleman Real estate president Cameo; episode 2 2022 The Driver Cameo Jinxed at First Hong President 2023 Perfect Marriage Revenge Clothing store owner Cameo; episode 5

Web series Year Title Role 2022 Free Fantasy Spot Shim

Television shows Year Title Role Notes 1994 Live TV Information Center Reporter 1999 Laughter Festival Music Champ Sisa Touch! Comedy File Field Experience of Life 2000 Ppo Ppo Ppo (Kiss Kiss Kiss) TV Star Festival 2001 Challenge, Ajumma Goes Host 2008 Coming Out Host 2009 We Got Married Immutable Law of Loving Bad Boys – Season 7 2011–2012 Rebirth Variety: Havana 2012 Queen of Beauty – Season 2 Talk Show Shocking XY Her 2013 Golden Fishery Chef's Midnight Snacks Host Splash Millionaire Game: My Turn I Live Alone Guest Witch Hunt Cast member 2014 Shopper Man Host Cook King Korea Host Roommate – Season 2 Guest Running Man Guest Flying Fox in New York 2015 Saturday Night Live Korea – Season 6 Cast member King of Mask Singer Contestant (Hardware Store Boss Kim) Episode 7 Please Take Care of My Refrigerator Cast member A Meal's Dignity Hello CounselorGuest2016 Vocal War: God's Voice Panelist Pilot episode, episodes 1–2, 9–10 Battle Trip Contestant with Bong Man-dae; episodes 5-6 Law of the Jungle: New Caledonia Cast member Golden Tambourine Guest 2017 Battle Trip Contestant with Yoon Park; episodes 54-55 2018 4 Wheeled Restaurant Cast member 2020 Radio Star Guest MC 2022 Restaurant Forgotten 2 Cast Member Angel Island Regular Member with Park Jin-hee

Web shows Year Title Role Notes 2021 Berry Store Mentor 2022 Mary Queer Host If you like it, it will ring! 2024– 2025Hong Seok-Cheon's Jewel Box Host

Stage Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1994 Save the Last Dance for Me 1995; 2009 A Midsummer Night's Dream Francis Flute 1999 A Chorus Line 2002 Godspell 2006 Footloose Willard Hewitt 2010 The Rocky Horror Show Narrator 2013–2014 Nunsense A-Men Sister Mary Leo