Published in 2009 in Anthropological Quarterly Vol. 82, No. 2, The Wedding Banquet Revisited: "Contract Marriages" Between Korean Gays and Lesbians is now available on JSTOR. The abstract:
This paper examines how Korean gays and lesbians negotiate South Korea's heteronormative system anchored in the heterosexual and patriarchal family through marriages of convenience ("contract marriages"). Korean gays and lesbians pursued contract marriages in order to fulfill their filial duties to marry, while maintaining their gay and lesbian lifestyles. Yet, in pursuing contract marriages as individuals but in the service of conforming to the family, they both reinscribe and transform the heteronormatie values of marriage, family, and children. They also challenge the Westernized model of the "out and proud" gay or lesbian.
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This paper examines how Korean gays and lesbians negotiate South Korea's heteronormative system anchored in the heterosexual and patriarchal family through marriages of convenience ("contract marriages"). Korean gays and lesbians pursued contract marriages in order to fulfill their filial duties to marry, while maintaining their gay and lesbian lifestyles. Yet, in pursuing contract marriages as individuals but in the service of conforming to the family, they both reinscribe and transform the heteronormatie values of marriage, family, and children. They also challenge the Westernized model of the "out and proud" gay or lesbian.
Author John (Song Pae) Cho examined three couples to determine how they negotiate the conditions of a contract marriage, what are the consequences of said negotiations, and what tensions arise from this arrangement. In creating their contracts (physical or implied), couples have to discuss whether or not they will have children, living arrangements, and deception methods. Lesbian women take a gamble when getting married in such a patriarchal society. How will they be treated by the in-laws? How much of their own autonomy must they gave up? Gay men could take financial risks as well. Divorce could lead to a man losing half of his salary. Cho also describes how the line between reality and contract blurs as the relationship progresses.
While contract marriages are controversial within the gay Korean community, they definitely are happening. According to the article there are websites that arrange these marriages. My ex-boyfriend told me he had discussed getting married with one of his bisexual lady friends before she ended up with a boyfriend. For contract marriages in contemporary culture, Two Weddings and a Funeral is a prime example.
The entire article is a great read. It is available on JSTOR if you register for an account. You can have three articles in your now reading list at a time, which may be a new feature? Anyway, read this article if you get the chance.