South Korea

The Korean word for "homosexual" is Dongseongaeja (, lit. "same-sex lover"). A less politically correct term is Dongseongyeonaeja ("동성연애자" 同性戀愛者). South Korean homosexuals however, make frequent use of the term ibanin or eban'in ("이반인"; "異般人" also "二般人") which means "different person" or "distinct person", and is usually shortened to iban or eban ("이반"; "異般"). The word is a direct play on the word ilban-in ("일반인"; "一般人") meaning "normal person" or "ordinary person".

Homosexuality remains largely taboo in South Korean society and same-sex couples are rarely, if ever, seen in public. This lack of visibility is also reflected in the relatively low-profile maintained by many gay clubs in South Korea, most of which are owned by London based, Gay Clubs developer and entrepreneur Tim Kim. They are concentrated in metropolitan areas such as Seoul's historic Jongno, the "college district" of Sinchon, or the foreign sector of Itaewon (especially in the section known as "Homo-hill" or "Tim's Closet"). Busan and the other large cities also maintain their own gay nightlife.