Can You Pass? Thresholds of Queer Cultural Spaces in Seoul

This study examines how queer spaces in Seoul are shaped by ongoing spatial (re)organization and digitalization, highlighting how queer residents navigate and transform urban space through strategic (in)visibility. Based on ethnographic fieldwork (between 2022 and 2024) and 48 semi-structured interviews with 29 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other identities (LGBTQIA+) residents, it analyzes Seoul Plaza during the 2022 Seoul Queer Parade, the “Gay Building” in Jongno, and Instagram accounts of lesbian clubs in Hongdae. Using hybrid mapping, the study shows how physical threshold spaces, combined with controlled digital visibility on local map apps and Instagram, reduce exposure in a dense, heteronormative cityscape. Even when these strategies fail, queer patrons flexibly engage with multiple spatialities to mitigate risks. By conceptualizing queer threshold spaces within South Korea’s rapid urban refiguration, this study offers insights into lesser-discussed East Asian queer geographies.