Queer Korean Activist Heezy Yang's medical bills

South Korean queer artist and activist Heezy Yang, also known as drag queen Hurricane Kimchi has been active in the LGBTQIA+ scene of socially conservative South Korea since the early 2010s, creating artworks to spread LGBTQIA+ awareness, organising community events to fund local queer and trans charities, performing at Pride events, and participating in protests and rallies.

He notably organises Seoul Drag Parade, an international organisation, and the largest drag parade in Asia. He has performed at Seoul, Daegu, Jeju, Incheon, Gyeongnam, Chuncheon prides in Korea, worked with organisations such as LGBTQIA+ Youth Support Centre Ddingdong, Transgender Rights Organisation Jogakbo, and was honoured for Forbes' 30 Under 30 Asia in 2018.

As an independent, full time LGBTQIA+ artist and activist, he has been mostly relying on the income from doing the drag gigs to make a living. While it is not much compared to other people’s average income, he has been able to get by with a modest lifestyle.

At the end of last year, he caught COVID-19 and the flu back to back, and got really sick with extreme respiratory symptoms that lasted for weeks. Even after being bed-ridden for weeks, he did not get better and eventually had to cancel all remaining gigs and plans, including international trips.

Now, he has been left with severe chest pain and breathlessness, a weak body, and a fragile immune system, which has led to a plethora of health problems including bronchitis, laryngitis, stomach pain, indigestion, acid reflux, brain fog, and more. This has also taken a strain on his mental health. He had suffered with chronic depression and anxiety before getting COVID-19 and the flu, but they have now gotten worse than ever and now it's a constant struggle for survival.

Despite severe physical and mental health conditions, he has had to put on a fake smile and keep doing drag shows to pay the bills, and also to support the LGBTQ+ community – especially queer youth and fellow activists. Through the last 5 months of sickness and struggling, he has kept on working hard but has been unable to afford some of the health care services he desperately needed like seeing a pulmonologist at a tertiary referral hospital, receiving thorough respiratory examinations, or basic therapy. All he has been able to afford in the last 5 months has been temporary symptom-relief medications for physical and mental health.

He has said: "All I want and dream about now is to be healthy enough to be on stage, genuinely enjoying and not faking, and go about my day without thinking about how much I wish to take my own life because I feel like joy is completely sucked out of me and I have been an empty shell for the last 5 months. The queer community and the queer friends of mine have been very supportive and kind to me in the last months, so I wish I could provide myself the care I need, eventually get better, thank them and give back to them, and enjoy my life with them again like I once was able to."

For now, medical expenses are as follows:

Hospital visits - 150,000KRW

Pulmonary function test - 15,000KRW

Electrocardiogram - 10,000KRW

Chest CT scan - 150,000KRW

Endoscopy - 600,000KRW

Ultrasound Examinations - 200,000KRW

3 months of therapy - 900,000KRW

Current medication for 3 months - 300,000KRW

This totals at 2,315,000 KRW. (~1,700 USD / 1400 GBP)

My name is Ali, co-founder of Seoul Drag Parade and Heezy's close friend. I will be raising funds on Heezy's behalf and all money will be sent directly to Heezy to cover hospital bills. The requirement for further tests, treatment, and therapy beyond this is likely so any excess funds will go towards paying for this.

If you have any questions or if you want to help share this story, you can contact me through Gofundme. Thank you again for taking the time to read this. It means a lot and we're grateful for any donations or shares.