Milestone at PNU: Queer Club “Que Sera” Gains Official Recognition

For the first time in Pusan National University (PNU)’s history, an LGBTQ student club has been officially registered. Observers say the move marks a belated but meaningful step forward in protecting minority rights.

According to a “Channel PNU” report on September 5th, 2025, the 42nd Club Association, “Dongari Village”, officially registered the queer student club “Que Sera” as an academic-ideological central club on July 27th, 2025. The decision was approved at the 7th Club Operating Committee meeting on July 22nd, with five votes in favor, none against, and three abstentions. At PNU, central club registration follows a three-step process of new registration, official recognition, and re-registration. “Que Sera”, which became a semi-official club in July 2024 through new registration, was granted full recognition as an official club after a year of activity.

According to the Club Association, “Que Sera” received favorable evaluations for its active engagement during its semi-official status. The club not only ran a recruitment booth on campus but also organized a GV (Guest Visit) screening of the film “Two Women”, which portrays an immigrant lesbian couple, displayed banners on campus to mark the “International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia”, and took part in the Queer Culture Festival. The Club Association stated that “Que Sera” was granted official recognition for contributing to greater awareness of sexual minorities through such activities and for pursuing the exploration of queer culture in line with the academic-ideological division’s mission.

The official registration of an LGBTQ-related club at PNU marks the first such case since its founding — and remains the only example among non-capital region universities (universities outside the Seoul metropolitan area).  Before “Que Sera”, the queer student group QIP (Queer in PNU) was launched in October 2013 and carried out various activities both on and off campus as reported in an article dated May 12th, 2014 by “Channel PNU”. In 2016, QIP announced via its official social media that it had renamed itself “Queer in Pusan,” shifting from a university club to a broader human rights organization for sexual minorities in Busan.

Formed in 2017, “Que Sera” has continued activities aimed at fostering solidarity among LGBTQ members on campus and advancing their rights. According to the club, its activities were nearly brought to a halt in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing it to the brink of dissolution. Thanks to recovery efforts, however, membership began to grow in the first half of 2024, paving the way for the club to seek official registration as a central club.

“Que Sera” said the registration highlighted both the sustainability of queer student clubs and the challenges of gaining an official foothold on campus. Club President SsamSa (nickname) said, “I was glad about the approval. But it is disheartening that we remain the only officially recognized queer club at a non-capital region university. Many queer student groups are still struggling to obtain formal registration.”

At the same time, the registration is seen as a step forward in changing perceptions of minorities at PNU. Kim In-Sun (Professor, PNU Women’s Studies Center) said, “The official recognition of a queer student club signifies that sexual minorities are now recognized as belonging to the PNU community. It marks both the starting point of social change and a significant advance.” Professor Kim added, “The efforts of “Que Sera” to make their presence known and gain recognition carry great meaning, and I hope this registration will serve as a driving force for broader change.”

Meanwhile, “Que Sera” plans to hold an open recruitment session for central clubs at PNU on September 11th and to take part in the Daegu Queer Parade on September 20th. Club President SsamSa said, “We are also working to secure a club room with the goal of creating an LGBTQ-friendly space. As a central club, we continue to reflect on how best to raise queer voices on campus.”

Reporter Kim Bo-Gyeong

Translated by Seo Young-Chae