K-pop Industry Faces Change After Idol Comes Out as Gay

Bain, a singer in the South Korean boy band Just B, made headlines after coming out as gay during a live concert in Los Angeles.

Wearing a fur coat and dark sunglasses, the 24-year-old paused mid-performance and told the crowd:
“I’m [expletive] proud to be part of the LGBTQ community!”

He then launched into Lady Gaga’s pride anthem “Born This Way,” as fans cheered and applauded.

One of the First in K-pop

Bain, whose real name is Song Byeonghee, is now one of the few K-pop idols to come out publicly. In South Korea’s conservative entertainment world, even straight relationships are often kept secret.

“I wasn’t nervous. I just wanted to sound cool,” Bain told the BBC during an interview in Seoul.

Years of Silence

Bain realized he was gay at age 12, but for many years, he kept it to himself.

“I thought I had no choice. I had to pretend,” he said.

Three years ago, he came out to his mother. Her reaction was mixed—she struggled at first but told him she still loved him.

The Moment on Stage

His team and bandmates supported his decision to come out publicly. During the final U.S. stop on Just B’s world tour, he made the announcement.

“Since coming out, I feel stronger and more confident,” Bain shared. “But I also feel strange that my identity is seen as such a big deal.”

A Message of Hope

Bain’s story has brought comfort to many in South Korea’s LGBTQ+ community.

“When someone like an idol comes out, it makes people like me feel less alone,” said a 26-year-old transgender woman in Seoul.

Fans around the world responded with love and admiration.

“I started crying,” said Lia, a lesbian fan from the U.S. “What Bain did was so brave.”

A Long Road Ahead for K-pop

Though attitudes in South Korea are slowly changing, homosexuality remains a sensitive topic.

A 2019 Pew survey showed that 44% of South Koreans supported homosexuality—up from 25% in 2002. But many celebrities still stay silent for fear of backlash.

Experts say that Bain’s coming out is meaningful, but it may not shift the industry overnight.

Changing Lives, One Voice at a Time

Still, Bain believes it was worth it.

“If even one person feels stronger because of me, then I did the right thing,” he said.

After his performance, several fans came up to him to share their own stories.

“They thanked me,” Bain said. “And I thought—I should have done this sooner.”