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Hype Malaysia
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
From JUST B's Bain To Holland: 5 K-pop Idols Who Identify As Part Of The LGBTQ+ Community
June is recognised as Pride Month — a time when members of the LGBTQ+ community celebrate their identities openly, without shame or fear. It is also a time to educate the wider public about Pride and the values it represents: inclusion, equality, and love. Although South Korea remains a largely conservative society, that hasn't stopped some K-pop idols from coming out. Despite facing criticism and potential backlash, these artists have chosen to live as their authentic selves rather than hide in the shadows. Here are some K-pop idols who proudly wave the rainbow flag in recent years: 1. Bain – JUST B Earlier this year, JUST B member Bain (배인) unexpectedly — and bravely — came out as gay on stage during his group's [JUST ODD] tour in Los Angeles. The K-pop idol received an outpouring of support from fans, fellow group members, and other queer Korean stars, who praised him for his courage to live as his authentic self. He later opened up in an interview about his coming-out journey and how warmly his bandmates accepted him for who he is. 2. Jiae – Former WA$$UP member Back in 2020, former WA$$UP member Jiae (지애) surprised fans by coming out as bisexual. The singer-turned-vlogger took to Instagram to share that she was attracted to both men and women and is in a romantic relationship with a woman. In a later interview, she opened up about the challenges she faced after coming out, including feelings of isolation, even within the LGBTQ+ community. Today, the singer is still together with her girlfriend. 3. Holland No conversation about queer K-pop idols would be complete without mentioning Holland (홀랜드). Go Tae-seob (고태섭), better known by his stage name Holland, made history when he debuted with his openly gay single and music video 'Neverland' in 2019, followed by 'I'm Not Afraid' and 'Nar_C'. Unlike others on this list, Holland never had a formal coming-out moment as he made his debut as K-pop's first openly gay artist. 4. Aquinas Rapper Kang Min Soo (강민수), known by his stage name Aquinas, came out as gay on Instagram in April 2024. The former 'High School Rapper 3 (고등래퍼3)' contestant had previously come out as bisexual in 2021. Following his most recent post, fans, particularly international ones, flooded the comments section with messages of support. Although both coming-out posts have since been deleted, many still remember how his openness offered comfort and inspiration to those struggling with their own identities. 5. Jo Kwon – 2AM Back in 2020, 2AM member Jo Kwon (조권) confirmed in an interview with Newsis that he identifies as genderless or gender non-conforming. 'Being genderless is my weapon. In the past, I was afraid of having a neutral image. If people said I looked like a girl, I would pretend that wasn't true. But now, I'm okay with it. I've come to accept who I am. I have a weapon that will help me keep on going for a long time, ahead of the genderless era,' he said. Honourable Mention MAMAN (Formerly Magoply) While Holland is recognised as the first openly gay K-pop idol to come out before his debut, the first to do so after debuting was soloist MAMAN (마망) back in 2007. Formerly signed to Jerry Entertainment with the stage name Magolpy, she came out as a lesbian during an episode of 'Kim Hong Joong's Music Date'. Her agency initially tried to dismiss the confession as a joke, but she refused to go along with it, leading to her removal from the company. After leaving the agency, she signed with a new label and re-debuted as MAMAN with the single 'Obvious Story' in 2015, accompanied by a music video that portrays a romantic relationship between two women, which ends in heartbreak. These days, she has expressed no desire to return to the spotlight. What's your Reaction? +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0 +1 0
Hype Malaysia
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
JUST B's Bain Opens Up About Coming Out To His Group Mates Before LA Concert
Last week, JUST B (저스트비) member Bain (배인) bravely came out as a gay man on stage during his group's '[JUST ODD]' tour in Los Angeles. The K-pop idol received overwhelming support from fans, his fellow members, and other queer Korean stars who praised him for his courage to live as his authentic self. Since that powerful moment, however, many have been curious about what inspired him to come out. How long have the other JUST B members known, and how did the discussion unfold with his bandmates and company? The singer finally answered those questions in a recent interview. In an interview with DAZED that was published yesterday (Monday, 28th April), Bain opened up about his struggles of hiding his sexuality from everyone and how fears he had about JUST B's career if he were to choose to come out. He came out to his members and company about 2 years ago, with Geonu (건우) being the first member to know his secret. 'Later, there was a moment when all the members were together talking, and Jimin (임지민) – a friend of mine for 9 years – suddenly asked me, 'Bain, are you gay?' He added that if I were, he hoped I wouldn't feel the need to hide it and could speak freely and comfortably with them,' said the singer. The 23-year-old reportedly had no intention of coming out that day, but his friend's words gave him the encouragement to finally do so. Thankfully, his members responded with calmness and warmth. The now openly gay artist later came out to his CEO, who was also incredibly supportive. As for what led him to finally come out to fans, Bain said that performing Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way', a song very personal to him, throughout the tour inspired him to be his authentic self with the world. '[The 'JUST ODD'] album reflected our honest and bold sides, a message we carried over into the tour. As the tour went on, I received so much love from fans, and that encouragement gave me the strength to share more of my true self,' said the vocalist. Bain also revealed that he had been worried about JUST B suffering backlash if he were to come out. Fortunately, he had discussed his concerns with his fellow members and the company before coming out during the LA concert, and they all supported his decision. He clarified that his coming out was not intended to have an impact on the K-pop industry, which still lacks LGBTQ+ representation. However, he said he would feel fulfilled if his story inspired his peers to be their true selves with fans. We're glad to hear that all worked out in the end, and we're sure fans are looking forward to discovering more of this side of Bain now that he's growing more comfortable living his truth. Source: DAZED
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Hong Suk Chun shows support to K-pop idol Bain after he comes out, saying, "It's a huge step'
Hong Suk Chun , one of the most renowned gay celebrities in South Korea, extended his support to Bain in a recent interview. The TV and broadcast personality publicly extended his support to the idol who recently came out as 'a gay person' during one of his shows with his group. Hong Suk Chan extends support while on interview Recently the famous personality did a telephonic interview with news outlet Xportnews and shared his thoughts on Bain coming out and South Korea's scenario when it comes to the LGBTQIA+ community. He heartily extended his support, saying that 'It's a fresh shock and a welcome update for me. It's been 25 years, and I honestly didn't expect it to take this long.' Citing Bain's courage to do this so publicly, Suk Chan continues and shares, 'This is something that deserves congratulations, especially for him. It's a huge step for male idols to do this," as shared by Allkpop. Suk Chan set a precedent for those that came after him by publicly sharing his sexuality and identity as a gay man with the public in 2000, 25 years ago. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Prince William & Kate Met Princess Diana's Secret Daughter. Plays Star Undo While talking about the community in South Korea and how things have been since he came out, he shared, 'I never imagined it would take this long. I thought there would be more people speaking out, not just within entertainment but also in our society.' Indicating that change has taken a long time, the TV personality continued, saying, 'To have someone speak up like this in the industry today is both a refreshing shock and a heartwarming piece of news for me.' Suk Chan wonders about the struggle Bain had to go through In the same interview, he also shared his thoughts about all that Bain must've gone through. He shared, "I can't imagine how hard it must have been for him to come to this decision. I wonder how much he has had to endure. Though the circumstances may differ from when I made my decision, Bain is still young, and the fact that he made this decision shows that he has strong convictions. He will need to be prepared to face everything that comes with this." He also talked about how there are definitely going to be people who do not accept the idol for his identity, that there will be those who oppose him. He continued and provided some advice to Bain, saying that "It's important for him to stay strong and resilient, to continue pursuing his dreams and not be swayed by those negative voices. The courage to come out is immense, but the courage to stay true to oneself afterwards is even more critical." Bain comes out as gay Bain, a member of the boy group JUST B, recently came out during one of his shows with the group in Los Angeles during their 'JUST ODD' world tour. He happily got on stage and shared that "I am proud to be a member of the LGBTQ community." The idol also took to his personal social media accounts to share the news as well as a clip of the speech that has since gone viral. Stay updated with the latest Best Hindi Movies , Best Tamil Movies , Best Telugu Movies , Best english Movies , Best Malayalam Movies
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
K-pop Star Bain comes out as Gay during World Tour, Sings Gaga's ‘born this way' to celebrate
A moment of celebration occurred for the LGBTQIA+ community in the Korean region as a K-pop idol publicly came out as 'a gay person' on stage during one of his world tour shows in the US. Bain of Just B Comes Out As Gay The idol made an announcement during one of the group's Los Angeles concerts. Part of their world tour 'JUST ODD', the group has been touring the United States, performing their songs at different venues. The idol, during his speech, shared that he had something to tell everyone. He then continued, saying, 'I am proud to be part of the LGBT community.' Videos from the event went viral online, with various fans sharing the post and showing their support. Bain also took to his personal social media handle and shared a video of his speech along with the caption that he is happy to share that he is a gay person and part of the LGBTQIA+ community. The caption also read, 'And my queen Lady Gaga showed me that being different is beautiful. 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.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo The idol sang 'Born This Way'. The idol then took the stage by storm and sang Lady Gaga's famous song 'Born This Way'. The song has unofficially managed to become an anthem for the queer community, making this an emotional and empowering moment. About Just B Just B is a 6-membered K-pop boy group that debuted in 2021, with their first mini album titled 'Just Burn'. The group was formerly known by many other names, such as Fave Boys, Play M Boys & Bluedot Boys. The members of this group were all introduced through survival shows. The group consists of 6 members currently, namely, Geonu, Bain, Lim Jimin, Siwoo, DY, and Sangwoo. Bain joins renowned names like Holland, Aquinas, Jiae, MRSHLL, and Jo Kwon as a publicly out and proud gay Korean celebrity. Best Hindi Movies | Best Tamil Movies | Best Telugu Movies | Best english Movies | Best Malayalam Movies |
Hype Malaysia
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
(Video) JUST B Member Bain Comes Out As Gay During LA Concert; Fans & Members React
Over the years, though not many, a number of Korean celebrities have come out as part of the LGBTQ+ community, sharing their journeys towards understanding their sexual and gender identities. That being said, some have faced significant public backlash after revealing this aspect of their identity. Thankfully, in recent years, these stars have continued to thrive both professionally and personally, with the support of loyal fans. Many now hope the same will hold true for JUST B (저스트비) member Bain (배인), who recently found the courage to come out as queer — and did so in front of a live audience during a concert. Here's what happened: K-pop boy group JUST B are currently on their 2025 world tour, titled '[JUST ODD]', with their most recent show held in Los Angeles. Mid-concert, during his solo stage, Bain paused his performance to share something personal with the crowd. 'Alright, before I start the next song, I want to share something with you guys. I'm fucking proud to be part of the LGBTQ community,' he said, prompting an outpouring of cheers and support from fans in response to his brave declaration. The idol continued: 'As a gay person… shoutout to my queen, Lady Gaga, for showing me that being different is beautiful. To anyone out there who's part of the LGBTQ+ community or is still figuring things out, this is for you. And this is also for everyone.' He then resumed the show with a performance of Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way', where he was also seen waving a Pride flag. The moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans around the world expressing their support for the singer, many sharing how proud they felt. As for the other JUST B members, it's clear they've known for some time. The group were seen hugging Bain as he returned to the stage for the next performance. During a livestream later that evening, Sangwoo and Geonu expressed how proud they were of their bandmate for having the courage to be his true self. 'We're so proud of him, guys. He's so cool,' they told viewers. The group's official Instagram page also reposted the 23-year-old's reel of his on-stage coming out on their Stories, a quiet but meaningful gesture of support. Perhaps Bain's actions will inspire more idols to be open about their sexual and gender identities. Regardless, it's heartening to see that he feels safe enough to share this part of himself with his bandmates and fans. May he and the group continue to thrive in the future. Watch the viral moment below: JUST B members showing support for Bain: Sources: Instagram, Twitter (1)(2)(3)
