Seoul Queer Festival 2025 Sparks Change

Seoul Queer Festival Draws Thousands as New Liberal President Sparks Hope

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics Asia

SEOUL, KR — (June 14, 2025) — More than 30,000 people gathered in the heart of Seoul for the 26th annual Seoul Queer Culture Festival on Saturday, marking a powerful show of pride and resilience just weeks after South Korea elected liberal President Lee Jae-myung in a historic snap election.

Waving rainbow flags and marching under clear blue skies, LGBTQ+ citizens and allies filled central Seoul to celebrate identity, push for equality, and demand human rights protections that remain absent in the country’s legal framework.

The festival’s theme this year — “We Never Stop” — carried poignant weight. “During the last administration, hate against LGBTQ+ people became normalized. Policies ignored us,” said chief organizer Hwang Chae-yoo. “We will never give up until our rights are recognized.”

Lee Jae-myung’s election — following the impeachment of conservative former President Yoon Suk Yeol — has stirred optimism, even though the new president has yet to publicly commit to any LGBTQ+ legislation. Still, his liberal platform offers a stark contrast to the anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments that defined his predecessor’s tenure.

City officials had previously blocked permits for the 2024 festival, but this year’s event saw cooperation from municipal authorities, allowing booths from LGBTQ+ organizations, student clubs, and foreign embassies to line the streets.

By late afternoon, thousands marched in solidarity, chanting for dignity, visibility, and equal rights. Police estimated the crowd at around 7,000, though organizers claimed over 30,000 attended.

In stark contrast, conservative protesters staged a counter-demonstration nearby, holding signs that read “Homosexuality Stop” and “Destroys Families.” Despite the rhetoric, no clashes occurred between the groups.

Drag performer and attendee Hong Il-pyo, 44, reflected on the shifting tide: “In the past, people said ‘we know you exist, just stay quiet.’ Now, we want to move toward ‘you exist, let’s live well together.’”

With a new administration in power, LGBTQ+ activists and supporters are daring to hope — and pushing harder than ever for concrete legal protections in South Korea.

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