Queer heterotopias in "straight(ish)" spaces: The case of Korean spas

The cultural shift leading to increased tolerance for diverse sexualities over the past few decades has transformed the landscape of traditionally queer spaces. Given the mainstream trend towards homonormativity and respectability politics, this paper examines the consequences of these changes for the articulation of queer intimacy and sexual freedom. Drawing from comments posted to an online public forum, I consider how men engage in the queer occupation of Korean spas by reimagining these businesses as places for queer sex. I position Korean spas as a "queer heterotopia" allowing men space to violate the centering of homonormative subjectivity. While the sexual practices of these men resist queer normativity, they simultaneously mobilize hegemonic racialized discourses, ultimately threatening the queer heterotopic potential of the space. Thus, this work offers instances of both queer promise and failure where normative structures are simultaneously challenged and upheld.