‘The conversation just dies’: LGBTQ+ students reflect on life on Korean campuses

For most international students, arriving in Korea means navigating a familiar set of challenges: keeping up with classes, making friends and adjusting to a new culture.

For LGBTQ+ students, however, another question often lingers beneath those concerns: How welcoming will this country be?

Miko Fusco, from the United States, arrived in Korea expecting the worst.

"Before coming here, I thought it would feel like a prison in that regard," Fusco, who is now studying business at Korea University, said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily. "The impression came from social media because that's where we see inflated stories of people's bad experiences, which can spread misinformation and lead to broad generalizations."

"I was surprised when I realized that Koreans are not hostile to LGBTQ+ people. If anything, I feel more liberated here," Fusco added.

Argentinian student Rocio Alvarez, who is studying Healthcare Management and Policy at Seoul National University (SNU), expressed a somewhat different view from Fusco's, sharing her experience of being disappointed in people’s attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community in Korea.

“I got to know about Korea because of K-pop and Korean movies, and K-pop is often perceived as being open to LGBTQ+ people, mainly because of how male K-pop artists dress and wear makeup,” Alvarez said. “People back in my country would even make fun of me because of that aspect, but I was pretty shocked to find out that Koreans are almost ignorant when it comes to LGBTQ+ issues.”

“I always had to explain what I am, and I gave up and stopped telling Koreans about my identity,” the SNU student added.

Fusco and Alvarez's experiences reflect the varied realities LGBTQ+ international students encounter on Korean campuses, where experiences often depend on factors such as campus culture, social circles and housing arrangements.

To better understand those experiences, the Korea JoongAng Daily spoke with four international students from different corners of the globe and three leaders of LGBTQ+ campus organizations about issues ranging from classroom discussions and dormitory life to perceptions of LGBTQ+ identities in Korea.

Not hostility but silence

While some of the students interviewed said they had experienced discrimination off campus, none reported encountering overt homophobia on campus. What stood out instead was how rarely LGBTQ+ issues entered everyday conversations or classroom discussions.

“Actually, I have never experienced discrimination here, but maybe it’s because people don’t really talk about it in the first place, not because Koreans are more woke,” a Ukrainian design student at Hongik University said on the condition of anonymity, an experience echoed by all but one of the students interviewed.

“Even in discussion-based lectures, I don't really get the opportunity to talk about it,” the Ukrainian student said. “In Europe, we would talk about it very often and very casually.”

Bice, an Italian student who asked to be identified by a nickname, agreed. Bice recalled enrolling in a gender-related course at Yonsei University expecting broader discussions of sexuality and gender diversity, only to find those expectations largely unmet.

“The curriculum focused primarily on the social roles of men and women, family structures and gender-related social issues, but there was no dedicated section on LGBTQ+ identities or communities,” Bice said, expressing surprise at the gap between the course title and its content.

Bice added that the biggest challenge was not outright hostility but how quickly conversations seemed to stall whenever topics related to LGBTQ+ emerged, referring to another elective class she attended recently.

“During one classroom presentation on marriage, a group focused exclusively on heterosexual relationships,” Bice said. “When someone asked about same-sex marriage, the presenters laughed and basically said, ‘It has nothing to do with us, so we don’t really care about it.’”

“From that experience, I realized discussing LGBTQ+ issues in class here can be surprisingly difficult, not because people want to attack us, but because the conversation often just dies,” Bice added.

Dorm selection issues

For some LGBTQ+ students, concerns about campus life extend beyond classrooms and into living arrangements.

Several students interviewed said housing policies can present challenges, particularly when dormitory assignments are made without consideration for sexual orientation or gender identity.

“Back in the United States, I was able to do co-ed dorming,” Fusco said. “It was an easy system. On the housing application, everyone could choose whether they were okay with co-ed housing.”

“However, in Korea, we didn’t really have any options, so I just had to share a room with a man,” Fusco said, adding he was “lucky enough” to room with a fellow U.S. national with whom he could discuss his identity.

Some may argue that students uncomfortable with dormitory arrangements can simply choose to live off campus. However, that is not always a realistic option, as some universities strongly encourage or effectively require students to live in dormitories due to housing availability and administrative procedures.

Yonsei University is one such institution, requiring all its first-year students to spend at least one year in campus housing.

“It’s almost inevitable for us. I even know some transgender students who are forced to hide their identity,” Bice said, calling for improvement in the system.

“During the housing application process, students already answer questions about sleeping habits and lifestyle preferences. It wouldn't be difficult to include questions about gender-inclusive housing preferences as well,” Bice claimed, adding this experience contrasted with what she was accustomed to in Italy and other countries.

“It’s not only Italy. I've seen examples in other countries where students can choose mixed-gender or gender-inclusive housing if they feel comfortable doing so,” Bice said.

Safe zones, but limited reach

While LGBTQ+ topics are often absent from classrooms and housing problems have always been a bugbear, student organization meetings frequently serve as some of the few spaces where those discussions can take place openly.

Many students say that at student clubs for queers, they can meet others with similar experiences, exchange advice and participate in activities without fear of judgment.

“Just by being with them and spending time together, I feel much safer and more welcomed,” Bice said, referring to the organizers and members of the university's queer club, Come Together.

“I think both Korean and international students need at least one place where they can feel comfortable and at ease.”

Leaders of LGBTQ+ campus organizations, Yonsei University's Come Together and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' Outer Planet, said their roles extend beyond social gatherings.

“We often organize discussions, film screenings, educational events and participation in Seoul's annual Queer Culture Festival,” organizers of Come Together said. “We can’t say we are doing exceptionally impressive things, but I can definitely say we are trying to stay as active as possible to raise awareness of our community.”

However, students and organizers said expanding such safe spaces remains a challenge.

“There are two or three more LGBTQ+ clubs on campus, but none of them have succeeded in obtaining official university recognition, mainly due to opposition from other student organizations,” organizers of Come Together explained. “We’ve heard that many other clubs at other universities have been in the same situation.”

Outer Planet is one such club that has repeatedly sought recognition as a central club but has yet to receive official approval.

“Because we are not a central club, we receive minimal, if any, support from the university,” a former organizer of Outer Planet said.

“If more clubs receive official recognition, more LGBTQ+ students will be able to have spaces where they can come together and promote greater understanding.”

Institutional support

While LGBTQ+ clubs primarily provide social support and raise awareness, students and organizers said a separate question remains: Where can LGBTQ+ students turn when they face discrimination or need formal assistance?

Students noted that universities generally direct such cases to campus human rights centers. The four universities attended by the interviewees — SNU, Yonsei University, Korea University and Hongik University — all run human rights offices that can provide support when students encounter discrimination or harassment.

However, several interviewees said there remains a sense of distance, as those offices are not specifically geared toward LGBTQ+ issues, making it difficult for students to view them as a natural place to seek help.

“As far as I know, students can go to the human rights center with LGBTQ+-related issues,” said Alvarez, an Argentine student. “But because it is not an organization specifically for LGBTQ+ people, I’ve never personally seen anyone around me go there and receive support for those kinds of issues.”

In line with discussions on the lack of systematic support, interviewees said more visible and tangible forms of support are needed, while acknowledging that Korean universities generally maintain anti-discrimination policies.

“I haven't actually seen anything tangible that shows support,” said Miko Fusco, a Korea University student. “Universities could have a designated department or office where queer people can go confidentially, rather than relying solely on a general code of conduct.”

Others stressed the need for mandatory lectures to improve students’ understanding and awareness of the LGBTQ+ community in general.

“I think the biggest problem is a lack of related education, and the following lack of understanding leads to [social stigma],” Alvarez said. “Just as such education is mandatory in many other countries, including Argentina, it would be great if Korea mandated this too.”

“Efforts to improve Korean society’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues could eventually help create an environment where LGBTQ+ people feel more comfortable coming forward and are recognized as part of society,” Alvarez added.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]