South Korea’s Supreme Court has deemed a gay romance film fit for people 15-and-over, overturning a Korea Media Rating Board decision that it was not fit for teenagers of any age to watch
South Korean filmmaker Kim Jho Kwang-soo has won a four year battle with the Korea Media Rating Board to have an adults-only rating downgraded on his gay romantic comedy Just Friends?
The 30 minute film portrays the love life of a young gay couple in their 20s leading up to their compulsory 2 years of military service and Kim Jho recut the film three times to try to make it acceptable for the Korea Media Rating Board in seeking a 15-and-over rating for the film, but the board would not relent.
Production company Generation Blue Films then filed an administrative litigation against the board for an ‘unfair ruling due to tackling homosexuality.’
‘It is difficult to discern direct or detailed portrayals of elements that are provocative or dangerously prone to mimicking, compared to other films rated teenagers restricted,’ the Supreme Court said of Just Friends? in a statement, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
‘Considering homosexuality as a hazard, and thereby making restrictions, imposes serious limitations on the human rights, rights to purse happiness, and other rights of sexual minorities.’
Kim Jho was buoyed by the court’s decision but did not expect more consistency from the classification body in future.
‘I don’t think the board’s conservative decision-making inclinations will change, but I expect them to take the court ruling into account when they review my film,’ he told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kim Jho married partner Kim Seung-hwan in a non-legally binding ceremony in early September and they plan to challenge South Korea’s non-recognition of same-sex couples in the courts.
by Andrew Potts
Source – Gay Star News
