Just B Member Bain Becomes First Korean Idol to Publicly Come Out; LGBTQ Music Gains Increasing Acceptance

Bain, a member of Just B (real name Song Byeong-hee), became the first Korean idol to publicly come out, shattering a long-standing taboo in the K-pop industry. At 23, Bain declared on a concert stage in Los Angeles on April 22, “I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ community,” while displaying a rainbow flag. Accolded by enthusiastic cheers from the audience, she performed a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way,” dedicating it to “everyone still figuring it out” and conveying the message, “You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way.” Bain’s declaration sent shockwaves through the K-pop industry. Social media platforms were flooded with supportive messages from fans, including comments like, “Wow! Respect for Bain. People like her make K-pop even better. I love you,” and “Honoring your courage. We support you and hope you shine brighter.” Bain described it as a “not-easy path.” In South Korea, where a survey last year showed 50% of the population opposing same-sex marriage, LGBTQ acceptance remains low. Against this social backdrop, Bain’s decision is all the more significant as it represents the outcome of personal struggle. Meanwhile, globally, LGBTQ music is increasingly being accepted by the public. Wave’s first domestic lesbian romance program, “Your Romance,” became the top program in terms of new paid subscriptions for three consecutive days immediately after its release. The YouTube channel “Hong Seok-cheon’s Treasure Box,” hosted by popular South Korean LGBTQ broadcaster Hong Seok-cheon and LGBTQ YouTuber Kim Ttallttae, has gained massive popularity due to frequent appearances by popular male idols and actors. Abroad, LGBTQ music has firmly established itself as a natural genre. Lil Nas X reached the peak of his career with [MONTERO], which topped the Billboard HOT100 after he came out. girl in red is a prominent bedroom pop artist with 12 million listeners per month, having built a broad audience beyond her identity as an LGBTQ artist. Dance music has always had a close connection to the queer community. Originating from disco in 1970s gay clubs, where marginalized African American gays found liberation through dancing, dance music evolved into house music in the 1980s. House music, which originated in gay clubs, is now popularized by LGBTQ-friendly pop stars like Beyoncé, Troye Sivan, and Ariana Grande. Beyoncé’s [RENAISSANCE] is regarded as an album that expresses respect and support for the queer community through its traditional house beats blended with disco, techno, and hyperpop, along with queer-affirming lyrics and ballroom-style visuals. Hyperpop, stemming from PC Music’s LGBTQ-friendly ethos and a scene featuring many queer artists such as transgender artist SOPHIE, features distorted and exaggerated sounds and voice-modulated vocals that are perceived by LGBTQ individuals as “music that resembles them.” Various other genres such as rock, glam rock, metal, and punk have also long been beloved by the LGBTQ community. David Bowie’s glam rock coming out was the first of its kind among public figures, while Judas Priest’s vocalist Rob Halford positively influenced the shift away from anti-LGBTQ attitudes in the metal scene. Otep Shamaya, the lead singer of the metal band Otep, was nominated for Best Music Artist at the 2010 GLAAD Music Awards alongside Lady Gaga. LGBTQ music reveals identity most intuitively through its lyrics, which often openly express sexuality, confess anxious emotions, or confidently predict a hopeful future. Such music, known as “queer pop,” is appearing more and more naturally in mainstream media.