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Hong Seok-cheon
'현지에서 먹힐까' 제작 발표회 홍석천.jpg
Hong in 2018
Born (1971-02-03) 3 February 1971 (age 53)
Cheongyang County, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea
Nationality South Korean
Alma mater Hanyang University – Theater and Film (1989)
Occupation Actor, television personality, restaurateur
Years active 1994–present
Agent Foresta Company
Children 2 (adopted)
Korean name
Hangul
Hanja
Revised Romanization Hong Seok-cheon
McCune–Reischauer Hong Sŏkch'ŏn

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.

..... Though the show's producers initially edited out the exchange, a journalist got wind of the story and pressed Hong to confirm his admission. 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 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 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.

In 2015, Hong announced that he plans to run for district head of the Yongsan District Office in the 2018 local elections. 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

Television shows

Year Title 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,
episode 7
Please Take Care of My Refrigerator Cast member
A Meal's Dignity
Hello Counselor Guest
2016 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 Ref.
2021 Berry Store Mentor
2022 Mary Queer Host
If you like it, it will ring!

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 70's
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 Ref.
2022 Free
Fantasy Spot Shim

Films

Year Title Role
1997 Do the Right Thing Henchman
No. 3 ... 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 ... DJ
2006 Good Luck Skinhead Hong
Puzzle Noh
2008 The Accidental Gangster and the Mistaken ... Tailor shop owner (cameo)
2009 Sky and Sea Hair designer (cameo)
2011 Dream the Good Dream (short film) Russian mafia Kalashnikov
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)

Theater

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

Books

Year Title Publisher ISBN
2000 My Heart Still Throbs for Forgotten Love J-pub ISBN: 9788983755315
2008 Design Your Own Restaurant M-Books ISBN: 9788996048459

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
Blue Dragon Series Awards 2023 Best Male Entertainer Merry Queer Nominated

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Hong Seok-cheon para niños

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