Seo Jang-hoon offered comfort to a participant who wished to come out as gay to his parents.
On the January 12th episode of KBS Joy’s ‘Ask Anything’, a man in his 30s working as a bartender shared his story.
The participant, who wished to inform his parents about his sexual identity, confessed, “I just want to tell them that liking men isn’t different from anyone else. Only my mother knows.”
Upon hearing the shocking confession, the hosts inquired, “Does your father not know? Hasn’t your mother told him?”, to which the participant replied, “My mother told me ‘never to tell your father.'”
Seo Jang-hoon initially expressed discomfort, stating, “I apologize, but why are you discussing such a monumental family issue here? It makes us uncomfortable too,” while Lee Su-geun encouraged him, “Many people like you have come here. Didn’t that give you courage?”
Lee Su-geun continued, “The younger generation is more open these days, but older people might wonder ‘what’s that about?'” The participant revealed, “I wanted to explain here that it’s not a bad thing. I’m living happily, but I sense they might be shocked, which is why I wanted to tell them.”
The participant admitted, “When I courageously confessed to my mother, she cried for the first time. She said she couldn’t pray honestly to God anymore, and our relationship deteriorated quickly.”
He continued, “Living without talking, I realized one day how much my mother had aged. I felt I would regret it if time passed in vain, so I tried to tell her my story, for better or worse.”
Listening to the story, Seo Jang-hoon shared, “Given the strong Confucian values in our country, it’s understandably difficult. But what’s unfortunate is that it’s not a choice. I hope the parents and family understand that it’s not a decision they can make. If even the family turns away, the participant’s life will be so hard.”
Seo Jang-hoon further stated, “Times are changing. When we were young, people used derogatory terms, but as times change, so do perspectives. No one is at fault; calling it wrong is outdated. I hope the family listens to the participant’s story and becomes a source of support.”
Image source: KBS Joy ‘Ask Anything'”
