K-pop Idol Comes Out During Overseas Concert, Sparking Debate

A Korean idol has publicly come out.

It was BAIN, a member of the K-pop boy group JUST B.

On April 22, during JUST B's world tour concert ‘Just Odd’ in Los Angeles, BAIN shared his truth with fans.

"I’m proud to be part of the LGBTQ community," he announced during the show.

The term LGBTQ refers to individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer.

JUST B's agency responded briefly, stating that it considers this a "personal matter."

BAIN, whose real name is Song Byung-hee, is 25 years old and originally from Daejeon. He graduated from Daejeon Gapcheon Middle School and later earned his high school diploma through a qualification exam.

Public coming-outs by Korean celebrities are still rare. The first to do so was actor Hong Seok-cheon in 2000.

Appearing on Channel A’s Close Friend Documentary: A Table for Four, Hong reflected on that time:

"Back then, coming out was truly shocking. I had experienced such intense love in my 20s, but because I hadn’t come out, that relationship ended. That made me ask myself what really mattered. I realized I couldn’t love and be happy if I kept hiding who I was. I had to come out to be honest in any future relationship."

He continued, "Around that time, I was appearing on a variety show. During the shoot, someone casually asked, ‘Do you like men more than women?’ because I had a somewhat feminine image on TV. I thought it was the right moment and answered, ‘Yes, I like men.’"

"The atmosphere turned cold instantly," he recalled. "I told the production team I was emotionally ready, and they could air it. But after their meeting, they decided not to broadcast it. Eventually, I came out in a newspaper interview later that year. I told my mom, ‘There’s going to be an article saying I’m gay,’ but she couldn’t understand. While I was explaining over the phone, my dad rushed up to Seoul. Back then, there was so much stigma, and they tried everything to stop the article."

"Even now, 23 years later, my parents don’t fully understand me," Hong said, "but as my parents, they pray for my success and support the work I do." He added, "When I opened my first business in Itaewon in 2002, it was because nothing was working out even two years after coming out. That’s how my journey in Itaewon began."

Recently, Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung also shared a personal revelation in a foreign interview, saying, “My eldest son is gay” and that he is now married to his partner in New York.

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