"This is a delightful contribution to modern Korean history and culture. Zooming in on the intimate lives and precarious political experience of non-heterosexual citizens of post-Korean War, Cold War-era South Korea, it uncovers a whole new terrain of historical research while offering numerous original insights into the country's formative era. The author demonstrates an in-depth knowledge of the existing queer studies literature and nicely places key issues discussed in these studies in critical dialog with those of economic and political history. Particularly notable is the creative use of diverse and often hitherto unknown archival sources. The result is a well-written, gripping account of the modern South Korean state and society in the making seen from the shadows of the state-building process." - Heonik Kwon, Cambridge University"Todd Henry has crafted a highly insightful and well-researched queer history of South Korea from 1950 to 1980. His study is outstanding, offering a meticulous analysis of the infrastructure of homophobia in post-Korean War society while simultaneously highlighting the resilience and defiance of queer communities. By drawing on understudied resources, such as entertainment weeklies, local newspapers, and films, Profits of Queerness illuminates the complex meaning-making process of intersexuality, gender non-conformity, and same-sex sexuality in South Korea. The author’s ability to balance theoretical depth with rich, narrative storytelling enables unprecedented criticism of the 'hetero-authoritarianism' deeply embedded in medical professionalization and police surveillance. Henry convincingly argues that South Korea’s path to modernity has been inextricably intertwined with this 'hetero-authoritarianism.'" - Soyoung Suh, Dartmouth College
