JUST B’s Bain Becomes First Korean Male Idol to Publicly Come Out, Saying “I’m Proud to Be Part of the LGBT Community”

Bain, the 23-year-old member of JUST B, publicly came out as part of the LGBT community during a performance of their world tour “JUST ODD” at the Vermont Hollywood Hall in Los Angeles, USA, on the 24th. He is the first active member of a Korean male idol group to do so. During his solo set, Bain declared on stage, “I'm f--king proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community—as a gay person.” The audience responded with enthusiastic cheers, and one fan held up a pride flag near the stage. Bain added, “To anyone out there who's part of the LGBTQ+ community, or still figuring it out, this is for you guys. And also, this is for everyone! You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way,” mentioning Lady Gaga as his inspiration. He then performed Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” on stage. Bain’s real name is Song Byeong-hee, and Siwoo, another member of the group, posted on the fan community platform Fromm that he watched from backstage and cried. He wrote, “I was watching from backstage and I cried too. I cried even more because I knew how hard it was for him.” Bain’s fans also expressed their support on social media, with emotional messages such as, “You are an inspiration for so many people, Bain. You are seen and loved beyond words! I'm so proud of you and wish nothing but the best for you. Never stop being you.” Although homosexuality is not a crime in Korean society, social stigma and discrimination still exist. In a 2023 report, the human rights monitoring organization Human Rights Watch described Korea’s LGBT rights situation as a “serious human rights concern.” The K-POP industry is particularly known for its strict image management, creating an environment where idols’ personal lives are tightly controlled. Before Bain, there were very few Korean idols who had disclosed their sexual orientation. Jiae of the girl group WJSN, which disbanded in 2020, came out as bisexual, while Holland, who debuted in 2018, made a bold move with a music video featuring a same-sex kiss scene. Holland said in an interview with British Vogue in 2020, “When I was younger, there wasn't a Korean idol singer who had openly come out or revealed their LGBTQ+ status.” Bain’s coming out suggests that Korea’s entertainment industry is gradually changing. An activist from the Korean LGBTQ+ rights organization Rainbow Action for Opposing Discrimination against Sexual Minorities commented, “In the most recent cases — like Bain's coming-out and Youn Yuh-jung's comments about her son — I've seen mostly welcoming and positive responses. That alone feels like a signal that Korean society is beginning to shift.” Formed in 2021, the six-member group JUST B has released five EPs and several singles to date, and they are currently on a global tour alongside this concert. Bain’s courageous coming out is expected to further advance discussions about diversity and inclusion within Korea’s K-POP industry.