Over at Ehwa's Byunnal Blog, there are a lot of coming out stories posted. One of them was particularly heartwarming to me, so I decided to translate it for my lovely readers. It shows a human face to the LGBT experience in Korea and also demonstrates how everyone's coming out experience is not completely negative in Korea. If you spot any errors in my translation, let me know.
안녕하세요 케일이에요.
오랜만!
Hello! This is Kale. It's been a while.
분명 대학교 들어오기 전에는
변날 블로그를 자주 재미있게 봐왔으니까,
내가 변날에 들어가면 글을 많이많이 써야지!
Since I often read the Byunnal Blog before entering collegeI should now write a lot when I log on.
하고 다짐했었는데 그게 역시 생각보단 쉽지 않네요ㅋㅋ
However, this isn't as easy as it sounds. Haha.
ㅠㅠㅠㅠ진짜 이런저런 얘기를 많이 풀고 싶었는데.
Truly there are a bunch of things here and there that I want to express,
근데.. 왠지 제 게시판은 커밍아웃 카테고리가 된 것 같고..
Well, it feels like my board became part of the coming out category.
Well, it feels like my board became part of the coming out category.
뭐만하면 커밍아웃이야 정말.
Whatever you do it always is coming out.
뭐 하여튼
저는 오늘 엄마한테 커밍아웃 했어요.
Anyway, today I came out to my mother.
그냥 왠지 오늘 엄마 기분이 좋아보여서?
I just somehow felt that it was the right moment?
같이 먹는 떡볶이가 맛있어서?
Since the ddeokbokki we were eating together was delicious?
왜인지는 모르겠는데 그냥 말해도 괜찮을 것 같았거든요
For whatever reason, I just felt like it would be fine to say it.
그래서 그냥 툭 던졌는데 반응이 생각보다 괜찮네요.
So I just threw it out there and my mom's response was better than I thought it was going to be.
쫓겨나면 어떡하지.. 하고 생각했었는데.
I had been thinking 'what will I do if I get kicked out?'
엄마 난 남자보다 여자가 좋아
Mom, I like girls more than guys.
중학교 1학년때부터 그랬어
It's been like this since first grad of middle school
내가 좋아하고 사귄 사람들 다 여자야
The people I've connected with have all been girls.
그러니까 엄마는
So mom replied
그렇다고 해도 넌 아직 어리니까 잘 모르지
Even if it is so, you are still young so you might not no yet
그래도 사람은 많이 만나봐
Even if it is this way, try meeting many peopl
요샌 무슨 그게 유행인것 같다
These days it's a bit of a fad
이런 식으로 대답했어요.
She replied in this way
그러면서 몇마디 더 하다가
So we said some more words
괜히 엄마한테 짐을 지워준 것 같고 할 말도 없고 해서 일찍 일어났어요.
I woke up early because it felt like I had given my burden to my mom
그렇게 생각하니까 내 마음의 짐을 덜고 새로운 짐을 진 기분..ㅠㅠㅠㅠ
So since I've thought about it my spirit's burden has left but replaced with a new one.
당연한 얘기인데 죄인이 된 것 같네요
We had a fair conversation but it feels like it has turned into a crim.
그래도 터놓을 사람이 한 명 더 생긴 건 다행인 것 같아요
Even so, it's lucky that I have spoken frankly with one more person.
후후 오늘은 정말 푹 쉬어야지 푹푹
I need to head straight to bed today.