The South Korean district Homo Hill, near the U.S. Army Garrison-Yongsan base in Itaewon, which has a large gay community, carries on the tradition of gay bars with terrible pun names. Like the bars Always Homme and Eat Me. Homo Hill is about a 10 minute walk from the military base, which makes it a popular spot for gay soldiers looking to grab a drink, or a drag show, after work. And it’s as if the stupid Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law doesn’t even exist here.
Well, kind of. In between sips from appletinis, gay soldiers are peering out of the corner of their eye.
U.S. troops are not banned from visiting gay bars, though the military’s embattled “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy prohibits gay soldiers from openly declaring their sexual orientation. The 17-year-old policy, which President Barack Obama wants to overturn, is under review by the Pentagon this year. The scene on the Hill is an example of how the military lives uneasily with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Joint patrols of uniformed American military police and South Korean police, as well as “courtesy patrols” of U.S. officers and enlisted soldiers, regularly walk through the district, but they rarely question anyone there, according to gay servicemembers.
“They walk past and keep their eyes straight ahead,” said a 25-year-old inactive Individual Ready Reserve Army sergeant who recently left South Korea and now lives in the U.S. “It’s kind of like asking,” he said — something forbidden under military’s policy on gay troops. Yongsan Garrison officials said the patrols can’t enforce U.S. laws or military regulations off-post in South Korea.
So is Homo Hill just a free-for-all, where gay soldiers feel like they’re in Boystown or West Hollywood or Hell’s Kitchen?
On several occasions, a reporter observed American soldiers holding hands, hugging and kissing in the gay district, which also draws straight customers. But some troops said they were reluctant to show affection in case their straight co-workers accidentally wandered into a bar and saw them.
Several people interviewed said they were concerned that a Stars and Stripes story about the Hill might encourage U.S. Forces Korea to put the area off limits, or prompt straight soldiers to hang out at the bars in order “out” their gay colleagues. But the Yongsan Garrison commander, Col. David Hall, said in a written statement that an area would not be placed off-limits solely because it is a gay bar district.
And if they did, there’s always Grindr.
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ben doverr
I was in Seoul about four years ago for a few days. (The gay district in Seoul is still in its infancy, a few blocks square, but growing.)
In my experience, a fully armed soldier actually walked through a gay bar I was visiting while conducting his neighborhood night patrol. I understood this to be the vestiges of post-Korean War security checks.
The Korean draggy bartender looked up, and with a friendly familiarity, called out to him, “Hey you!” The MP waved in a customary fashion, checked the rest of the bar, and left.
Turns out Kim Jong-il was not lurking in one of the stalls, after all.
I also dined at Eat Me, but as the name infers it is more of a restaurant than a bar, and a very pleasant place for visiting gays and the more fashionable local set.
The reports of gay U.S. soldiers openly hugging and kissing in that hood are either a very recent development or a wee bit of wishful thinking.
Still, I did manage a three-way involving the bar owner and (blind item alert, lol) a major South Korean actor from their TV soaps.
YOUTH IN REVOLT
When I was visiting my brother who worked for our embassy in Seoul about 8ish years ago I visited Why Not. I soon found myself picked up by a very hot and muscular black GI who sadly turned out to have a very small cock.
Don’t get me wrong, he was great, his cock however was not. I likened it to throwing a frankfurter down a hallway………this boy needs to feel it ya know.
Anyway………the area was crawling with military fags and although the foot patrols happened, no one seemed bothered and didn’t do anything to not be seen.
Also that night I did get to see a true hermaphrodite with all parts intact….very interesting.
romeo
@ Youthinrevolt: “I likened it to throwing a frankfurter down a hallway……” Cold, man, cold. LMAO!
sal(the original)
@ben doverr: shut up WHO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??
Justin
Proud to say that I have lived in Seoul for two years and have been on “The Hill” as its called far too many times to count… it’s always a good time, and there, for once, the GIs aren’t being the obnoxious stereotype you associate with military guys overseas at the local GI magnet bars.
I’ve met a good share of gay GIs in Korea on the Hill and the conversation almost invariably goes to “yeah, DADT… sucks doesn’t it?” They’re very much aware that on the hill it doesn’t matter too much if you’re closeted up or flaming… it’s just a party. But being overseas and in Korea, which is very culturally conservative and “gay” is barely even mentioned let alone understood, all of them have told me they don’t worry too much.. but there is always that doubt.
In anyway, the Hill’s a good time. Korea is a great time, even for gays! Never stopped me from holding my boyfriend’s hand anywhere in the country. (In fact, the one time I got gay bashed was a GI sticking his head out the window and screaming “GAY!” And we weren’t even dressed up for the evening. Hmm.)
ben doverr
@sal(the original): I guess enough time has passed to let the cat out of the bag.
You may not be too excited, though, because I’m not dragging a teenybopper out of the closet. Rather, he was the first South Korean actor to come out and his story is quite impressive.
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/01/world/korean-actor-s-reality-drama-coming-out-as-gay.html?pagewanted=1
He has had the shaved head for some time and it’s a good look:
http://kpculture.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/hongseokchun.jpg
I have photos from our dinner for four and, er, dessert for three, but I would not post these to preserve the editorial integrity that is Queerty(!).
Actually, gay visitors to Seoul do owe these guys a bit of credit (both are bar owners), because without their risk-taking and venture capital, the Hill might have blossomed at a slower pace.
Stephen
I hear the same from military in Okinawa,Japan. There is an open gay community of military men, as well as military staff (physicians, educators, etc.).