Comedienne Margaret Cho has been named Korean of the Year by a leading Korean-American newspaper.

The funnywoman, whose parents were both born in South Korea, insists the accolade is extra special to her - because of the way she was treated when she revealed she was bisexual.

Cho tells uinterview.com, "(It was a) really a wonderful moment for me because I was really an outcast in the Korean community when I first came out.

"The Korean community really doesn't have any representation out there. For the first time, I was going to be their representative. A lot people didn't want me out here because I'm so outspoken. I'm a woman, I'm not thin, I'm not straight. I'm not all these things that Koreans would like to be.

"I was really an outcast, ostracised from the Korean community because of that. They thought I was a problem. Even when my television show (All American Girl) first came out (in 1994) there were people picketing and protesting. This was a different world back then. In 1994, they really didn't have a lot to protest about. I guess Koreans are more worried about (North Korean ruler) Kim Jong-Il now."