And it wasn’t the only time.
Koreaboo
2 hours ago
In a new YouTube video, Harisu opened up about one of the most shocking and inappropriate remarks she’s received in her career.
| @risu_ha/Instagram
The Korean star revealed that the comment came from a reporter who attended the press conference where she announced she’d be getting married. Rather than congratulating her on her good news, the reporter chose to ask, “How do you have sex with your husband?”
| 스튜디오 830/YouTube
Harisu broke ground in 2002 as the second person in Korea to legally change their gender. Beginning her transition when she was still in high school, she went on to enjoy a career as a singer, model, actress, and TV personality. Recalling the memory from her marriage announcement, Harisu could not believe the audacity of the reporter.
Harisu in her early career | Donga Ilbo
Isn’t it ridiculous to even bring up something like that? We weren’t even particularly close. It would be a rude question even if we were close, but the reporter suddenly asked me that at a press conference.
— Harisu
She went on to reveal that she stood her ground and gave the reporter “a stern talking-to.”
| 스튜디오 830/YouTube
I wondered what was going on in this person’s head. I thought, ‘What kind of life must someone lead to say such filthy things?’ I remember giving that reporter a stern talking-to and telling them to come to their senses.
— Harisu
Sadly, it wasn’t the only time Harisu received inappropriate questioning and harassment over the course of her career. On Pajama Party last year, she also shared that she was even asked to engage in sexual activity to prove her gender.
I was often asked to have sex so they could ‘check whether I was a woman,’ or told to take off my clothes. Because of that, there were countless times when I gave up roles or couldn’t sign contracts.
— Harisu
Harisu married singer Micky Jung in 2007, and the two divorced by mutual agreement in 2017. When it comes to remarrying, the star says she has no plans right now.