Paradise revisits South Korea’s era of authoritarian development (1970s-1980s) through the lens of queer livelihood. Despite the harsh realities of successive dictatorships, compulsory military service, and expectations of marriage and childbirth, six elderly gay men reveal how they converted second-run theaters and nearby bars into popular sites of erotic liberation, same-sex friendships, and romantic encounters. Using rare footage of Seoul’s only extant second-run movie house, visual archives, and historical animation, “Paradise” documents South Korea’s vibrant gay underground before the solidification of democracy and the introduction of the internet in the 1990s. Along the way, it follows the pain and joy of queer citizens, whose stories appear for the first time in this empowering film of self-discovery and community building.

The GW Institute for Korean Studies invites you to join us for a special screening of this important film. Prior to the screening of “Paradise”, Dr. Todd A. Henry, the producer of the film will give a lecture on the background of the film. The film will be followed by a Q&A session and discussion led by Dr. Henry and moderated by Dr. Jisoo M. Kim, Director of the GW Institute for Korean Studies.