Korean boy band member becomes first active K-pop star to come out as gay

A member of the K-pop boy band Just B publicly came out as gay during a concert this week in Los Angeles. It’s a rare move in a high-pressure Korean music industry, in which artists tend to be fiercely guarded about their private lives.

Just B-member Bain, 23, made the announcement while performing a solo at the band’s L.A. show Tuesday, saying “I’m proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community — as a gay person.” Videos shared on social media showed the crowd responding with loud cheers.

“To anyone out there who’s part of the LGBTQ+ community, or still figuring it out — this is for you. You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way,” he added, in a reference to the song by Lady Gaga whom he called “my queen.”

He then launched into a performance of the song while waving a rainbow pride flag.

Publicly identifying as gay is rare among active K-pop stars, whose behavior is tightly controlled by music labels and policed by fans who expect them to have wholesome images. According to the Korean media outlet News1, Bain is the first male K-pop star to come out publicly.

After Tuesday’s performance, Bain’s bandmate Siwoo left a message of support on a fan platform, South Korean media reported.

“I was watching from backstage and I cried too,” he said. “I cried even more because I knew how hard it was for him.”

Fans have also shown their support, with one of the most popular comments on Bain’s Instagram post saying, “I’m so proud of you, kiddo. Always love yourself because WE LOVE YOU!!!!”

Just B, a six-member group, has released five EPs and several singles since debuting in 2021.

Before Bain, Jiae from the now-defunct girl group Wassup said in 2020 that she was bisexual, while Lara, an Indian-American member of the U.S.-based girl group Katseye, came out as queer last month on a fan platform.

Homosexuality is a sensitive subject in socially conservative South Korea, where same-sex marriage is not legally recognized. Discrimination against LGBTQ people “remains pervasive,” Human Rights Watch said in a 2023 report.