Kim Jho Gwang-soo, one of South Korea’s few openly gay movie directors, announced Monday that he is tying the knot with his long-time boyfriend.

“Movie director and producer Kim Jho Gwang-soo will hold a press conference to announce his wedding plans on Wednesday,” said Kim Jho’s production company Rainbow Factory. Kim Jho and his fiancé, reportedly 19 years his junior, are co-presidents of the production company.

The 48-year-old director is reportedly considering having the ceremony in September.

Kim Jho’s marriage, however, will not be formally recognized under South Korean law, as the country has yet to approve same-sex marriage. Only 14 countries worldwide have legalized gay marriages.

Kim Jho, who came out of the closet in 2006, has directed several films with homosexual themes, including “Boy Meets Boy” in 2008 and “Just Friends” in 2009.

Homosexual celebrities are rare in South Korea where prejudice against them still remains strong. Hong Seok-cheon, one of the most well-known gay celebrities in Korea, said in an SBS talk show earlier this year that he regretted coming out because of all the prejudice against him.



By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)