BIPOC drag artists to celebrate Juneteenth in Seoul

Sh'Needza Woman / Courtesy of Warda @wardiwardsz

By Chantal Terblanche

Drag and queer culture is deeply rooted in African American communities, and although many people do not know this, Black queer and trans people have led the charge for gay rights since the beginning, according to Sh'Needza Woman, a drag performer based in Seoul.

Crash Landed Seoul, a queer community organization producing drag events, will host a Juneteenth Drag Brunch, showcasing some of the diversity and richness of the Black, Indigenous and people of color within the Seoul drag community. There are no white performers, as the organizers decided it didn't feel appropriate to give the stage to white performers on Juneteenth.

"Our drag brunch will be taking place on Sunday, June 19, a holiday known as Juneteenth, " Sh'Needza Woman told The Korea Times. "This is a very special day in Black history and is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It's a day of freedom and a day celebrated across America but also in several other countries, to recognize the end of slavery and to honor the culture and achievements of African Americans."

The holiday's name is a combination of "June" and "nineteenth" in honor of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. It is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day and Emancipation Day. The day was occasionally celebrated until it was revived during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The New York Times describes it as such, "On June 19, 1865, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. A century and a half later, people in cities and towns across the U.S. continue to celebrate the occasion."

But Sh'Needza Woman feels the LGBTQ community has a way to go to eradicate racism. "Racism still exists in our community and honoring and showcasing Black talent on a day that is so important to Black culture is one way we can do this," she said. "Queer Black people still face erasure in LGBTQ culture and this event hopes to shine a light on that while also respecting and recognizing the importance of the holiday."

Fatiddielicious Blaque, one of the performers, added that they are holding this event because they as a community want to use their talents and gifts to be part of the global community. They define this as being aware of the struggles of other communities and supporting them in the best ways they can. "Though it may be small," Fatiddielicious Blaque said, "the queer community in Korea can do great things and make an impact on the world, and that is what we're doing every day."

In addition to the show, they will also be hosting a raffle, with prizes donated by businesses and artists throughout the community. All raffle proceeds, as well as all tips given during the performances, will be donated to the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. Named after a Black trans drag queen whose activism made her a prominent figure in the Stonewall Uprising which kick-started the gay rights movement in America, this institute was "created to elevate, support, and nourish the voices of BLACK trans people." As its mission states, it was "founded both as a response to the murders of BLACK trans women and women of color and how that is connected to our exclusion from social justice issues, namely racial, gender and reproductive justice, as well as gun violence."

A portion of the ticket sales will also be donated after having covered administrative costs. Crash Landed Seoul will not be profiting from this charity event.

Sh'Needza Woman is an unapologetically lesbian drag queen. As one of the very few Black performers in the Seoul drag scene, she encompasses the very true adage that drag is for everyone, regardless of race, gender and sexuality. "The Seoul drag community has welcomed me with open arms and given me a stage and a space where I can express my gender and sexuality in complete safety. The love and support I've received from the community is what makes Seoul's drag, particularly HBC drag, a place for everyone to be authentically themselves."

Fatiddielicious Blaque came to Korea from New York, where she earned two bachelor's degrees in English and government & politics, as well as a master's degree in English with specialties in critical race theory and education. She is currently a debate specialist and English instructor working in Seoul. Fatiddie started performing in drag as a way to explore and better understand the intersectionality of her identities, interests, goals and situation living in Korea.

"I'm really excited and honored to participate in this event because it means a lot to me as a Black woman from America who is also queer. Being fat, Black, woman and queer, I've had no choice but to realize and understand the intersectionality of my identities and the work that needs to be done for the liberation of each. There's a lot of work to do in the world, and that requires work from everyone in all different communities, marginalized and non, to understand each other and work together to achieve our goals," she said.

"Events like this give me hope that Black people are being seen, understood and that others stand with us. This event represents the way that communities come together to achieve something that actually works in reality, and that is why I am throwing myself into it."

Duncan Solaire is a nonbinary pro wrestler who uses they/them pronouns. When they were invited to perform by Sh'Needza, they jumped on the opportunity while also feeling overwhelmed in part because doing drag was always so intimidating to them. The Juneteenth show, Solaire believes, is an opportunity for them to use what they've gathered; friendships, connections, performance skills and charisma. "This is an opportunity for me to perform which I love to do, but also fundraising to help others which I used to do in America. It's a chance to be my femme self without fear and to help others. Not just to walk in my truth, but to perform in it fully," Solaire said.

Maddyn Love has been living in South Korea since 2018. Originally from Los Angeles, she studied art history, literature and linguistics at UCLA, where she received her bachelor's degree in English. An avid fan of art and expression, she hopes to utilize opportunities to perform in drag as a means to explore these interests and her own identity.

Saffron Reign is an Iranian American drag king and co-organizer of Crash Landed Seoul. Having started in drag in Korea in 2018, Saffron feels honored to have performed on such stages as the Seoul Pride mainstage and as part of the opening act for the Werk the World tour in Seoul. Saffron uses drag to craft and tell stories to the audience, whether they are humorous, somber or sexy. But what's most important to Saffron is creating a community, to provide spaces for queer people in Seoul where they can feel comfortable, accepted and free to explore their queer identity on and offstage.

Drag king Saffron Reign / Courtesy of Amy Katzenmayer @chingudmf

The event will be happening this Sunday at The Workshop in Haebangchon, Seoul. Doors open at 11:30 p.m. and the show runs from noon to 2 p.m. Entry costs 30,000 won, which includes one brunch menu item and one drink, and reservations must be made in advance. Two hours of unlimited mimosas or house cocktails are also available for an additional 20,000 won. Tickets appear to have sold out, but the organizers are offering signups for a waitlist. Visit fb.com/crashlandedseoul for more information.

Chantal Terblanche, from South Africa, lives here with her dog, Samsung. She runs the blog ClumsyinKorea.com and the Korea Events group on Facebook.