Bain, a member of South Korean boy band Just B, has become the first active Korean K-pop idol to come out as gay, a landmark move that challenges deep-rooted taboos in the country’s entertainment industry.
And, as he told South China Morning Post’s This Week in Asia in an exclusive interview, a move that came after intense personal struggle.
“I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ community,” the 23-year-old, whose real name is Song Byeong-hee, declared during a packed concert in Los Angeles on April 22, before dedicating a cover of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way to “anyone still figuring it out”.
Waving a rainbow flag as the crowd erupted into cheers, Bain added: “You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way.”
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The moment sent shock waves across the K-pop world, with fans flooding social media platforms with messages of admiration and solidarity.
“Wow! Hats off to Bain. People like him make K-pop even more wonderful. I love you,” wrote one fan on social media.
“I admire your courage. I support you and I hope you shine even brighter!” wrote another.
Members of Bain’s band also showed support. “I want to send my applause to Bain. I was also in tears, watching from backstage,” said Siwoo, Just B’s sub-vocalist.
Bain’s announcement was immediately hailed as historic, but activists stressed that he stood on the shoulders of earlier trailblazers.
Singer and actress Harisu gained fame in the early 2000s as the country’s first openly transgender entertainer. When television personality Hong Seok-cheon came out as gay in 2000, he faced a severe backlash.
Lara Rajagopalan, an Indian-American member of the multinational K-pop girl group Katseye, publicly identified as queer earlier this year, marking another milestone for LGBTQ representation in the industry.
A long-time LGBTQ activist and educator, who wished to be identified only by the pen name Ruin, said it was important to avoid framing Bain’s coming out as unprecedented.
“Treating this as a ‘first’ risks erasing the countless artists – transgender, bisexual, asexual – who have already come out and faced discrimination,” Ruin said. “This creates a narrative where queer presence must always start from zero, when in fact it’s been consistently built through decades of activism and survival.”
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Bain said the experience of coming out on stage – and being met with a roar of support – was deeply personal and affirming.
In his interview with This Week in Asia, he described the moment as “truly special”, recalling how the crowd’s reaction helped quiet the anxieties he had carried in the lead-up to the show.
“The fans’ cheers gave me great reassurance,” he said.
But he stressed that the decision was not easy. In the days leading up to the concert, he wrestled with fear – not only for himself, but for his group and their talent agency.
“I had a dinner conversation with our staff and members the night before the performance. Even in the waiting room, I kept asking for their advice,” he said.
South Korea’s entertainment industry has long espoused conservative values, at least on the surface, but the positive attention paid in recent months to celebrities like transgender television personality Poongja and gay social media influencer Kim Ddol-ddol embracing their identities reveals a shifting landscape.
“Previously, coming out was seen as career suicide for a singer,” music critic and columnist Kim Zak-ka said. “The traditional strategy was based on building an image that was lovable for all. Even being in a [straight] relationship could be met with backlash. But the fan base – and the business model – have evolved.”
Kim said this was partly thanks to the global expansion of K-pop fandoms, many of which have championed minority rights by supporting movements such as Black Lives Matter, opening the door for idols to be more candid about their identities.
“Nowadays, embracing one’s sexuality can even be seen as a way to strengthen the bond between artists and their fans abroad.”
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But, for Bain, the decision was personal, not strategic.
“I believe revealing my true self to fans who genuinely love me is a form of respect,” he said. “I no longer want to live by anyone’s expectations but my own. In my music, my performances and my life, I will show my true self.”
Pastor Lee Dong-hwan, a long-time LGBTQ rights activist, lauded Bain’s decision as “courageous”.
“Other celebrities who came out in the past, like television personality Hong Seok-cheon, suffered a lot of hate and discrimination. That is why Bain’s decision is very courageous,” the pastor said.
It is difficult for public icons like Bain to reveal their sexual identities as the discussion surrounding LGBTQ rights in South Korea focuses strongly on traditional values, tending to either over-sexualise the issue or avoid it altogether, according to Lee.
South Korea remains deeply divided over LGBTQ acceptance. As of 2024, 50 per cent of South Koreans opposed same-sex marriage, according to a Korea Research survey.
