China bans gay love story for theatres, OKs for DVD

China has banned a hit South Korean film from its theatres because of its homosexual theme, but has permitted the title to be sold on DVD, an entertainment insider said Tuesday.

The film in question is King and the Clown, which tells the story of a tyrannical king who becomes enamoured with a male court clown. Soon, their relationship evokes the jealousy of the performance troupe's chief.

Though there are no explicit love scenes in the film, it does show, for example, the king gazing longingly at the clown at one point. In another scene, the two share a quick on-screen kiss.

"The movie King and the Clown could not pass the deliberation process in China because of the homosexual code and sexually explicit language in the movie," an officialfrom South Korean entertainment company CJ told Reuters.

The official, who asked to remain anonymous, added that Chinese authorities did authorize the company to distribute King and the Clown on DVD, expected to go on sale this week.

Bootleg copies of the film have already been spotted for sale in major Chinese cities.

There was no comment about the situation from China's state-run Administration of Radio, Film and Television, which decides which films will screen in the nation's theatres.

Recently, China praised Taiwanese director Ang Lee for his successful film career. The praise camedespite the fact the nation's film authorities did not select Brokeback Mountain,the gay-themed cowboy love story for which Lee won the best director Oscar, for a theatrical run.

King and the Clown debuted in South Korean theatres in late December. During its blockbuster run, the movie was seen by an estimated 25 per cent of the country's population, including South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun, who praised the film as "full of imagination," according to the Beijing Morning Post.