In May 2020, an outbreak connected to LGBT-friendly nightclubs in Seoul prompted a backlash and concerns over privacy. The incident was reportedly fueling homophobia in the country and resulted in what was described as "many malicious reports towards gay men." The atmosphere of stigma and taboo around the subject of being LGBT in South Korea caused potentially infected South Koreans to be reluctant to get tested or submit to contact tracing, risking further spread of COVID-19. "Gay club" and "gay coronavirus" were among the most searched terms on South Korean social media following the incident, according to The Washington Post. The outbreak caused anti-gay rhetoric on South Korean social media. Gay men were stalked on dating apps, facing potential exposure. South Korean press have reportedly contributed to the air of stigma, including by publishing personal information about those who were infected. Some gay South Koreans expressed anxiety and even suicidality over the situation, fearing job loss and public outing. Authorities combed through mobile phone data in an attempt to identify people who did not volunteer themselves. South Korean authorities also introduced "anonymous testing", requiring only a phone number to come forward, in order to mend fears of outing.
