Confession of Korea's First Transgender Celebrity

Harisu appeared on the YouTube web variety show 'Pajama Party' and revealed experiences of sexual harassment and discrimination during her early career in the entertainment industry. Making her official debut in 2001 through a cosmetics commercial, she became Korea's first transgender celebrity in the entertainment industry, providing detailed testimony about inappropriate proposals and sexual harassment she faced at the time.

On the show, Harisu stated, "I frequently received requests for sexual relations or to undress, with people saying 'I need to confirm if you're really a woman. Let me verify if you're actually female.'" She explained that her transgender identity led to canceled advertising contracts and lost opportunities, and even film offers were exploitative in nature, such as "a transgender person has sexual relations and absorbs a man's energy to transform into him."

The Reality of the 1990s Entertainment Industry

Harisu began working as an extra in 1991 while still identifying as male. She recalled having to explain her identity during contract negotiations, which resulted in many missed opportunities. Her 2001 cosmetics commercial appearance was considered "the dream of female celebrities," but discrimination existed beneath the surface.

"Some people were kind to my face but gossiped behind my back. They would whisper things like 'Does she use the women's restroom?'" Harisu shared that although she felt she had completed her life as a woman through gender reassignment surgery, society still only defined her as 'transgender.'

The Significance of This 20-Year-Old Testimony

Fellow guest Monica expressed respect for Harisu, calling her "the person who took the first step in making the unfamiliar familiar." Harisu released her first album 'Temptation' in 2001, working as a singer, and also appeared in films such as 'Yellow Hair 2' and 'Emergency Act 19,' establishing herself as an actress.

This confession is evaluated as historic testimony revealing the reality of LGBTQ+ discrimination in Korea's entertainment industry in the early 2000s. The sexual harassment and exploitative proposals directed at transgender celebrities at the time reveal structural problems throughout the industry that went beyond individual victimization.