Queering <i>Romeo and Juliet</i> in South Korea: Homonormativity as Gay Utopian Fantasy

This article examines two recent queer adaptations of Romeo and Juliet in Seoul, attending to their opposite receptions relation the gap between theory gay reality. It focuses on LAS's , hailed as ‘female theatre’ despite being conservative gay, while discussing briefly comparison Yohangza's decried ‘anti-queer’ for all its queerness. Although dream a happy married life appears similar much-critiqued homonormativity, I defend it ‘gay utopian fantasy’ rooted predicament Korean queers under ideology familism. Questioning adequacy Western-centric explain reality, call need develop alternative concepts positive vocabularies give voice lived experience aspiration sexual minorities countries like Korea, whom post-gay era has not yet arrived.