JUST B’s Bain Outcomes as LGBT Member at U.S. Tour Performance

Bain, a member of the K-pop group JUST B, publicly declared his affiliation with the LGBT community during a performance on their tour in Los Angeles, USA. This represents an extremely rare move given the industry’s strict image management practices. On April 22 at the Vermont Hollywood Hall, Bain addressed the audience before starting the next song and stated, “There’s something I want to share with you before we begin this track—I’m proud to be part of the LGBT community.” His real name is Song Byeong-hee. After that, he performed Lady Gaga’s 2011 hit “Born This Way,” receiving enthusiastic cheers and applause from the crowd. He added, “I dedicate this song to everyone who belongs to the LGBT community or is still exploring their identity. You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way.” He also posted the message “You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way” on Instagram. At 23, Bain has become one of the very few idols in the K-pop industry to come out publicly. JUST B is a six-member group that made its debut in 2021 and is currently holding U.S. shows as part of their “Just Odd World Tour,” which began in March. The group members responded positively as well. SIU, one of the members, wrote on the fan communication platform Prom, “Byeong-hee was absolutely amazing. I applaud his courage. I saw it from behind the stage and I cried. It hurt even more because I know how difficult and painful it must have been. I already gave him a tight hug. This is turning into a truly happy tour.” Fans also supported Bain. Comments on Instagram included messages such as “We love you so much and are incredibly proud of you for showing your true self” and “You are deeply loved. We’re proud to be your fans. We hope you feel proud of yourself.” Coming out as LGBT remains extremely rare in Korean society. Although homosexuality is not a criminal offense under the law, it is still stigmatized socially, and same-sex marriage is not legally recognized. In a 2022 report, the international human rights monitoring organization Human Rights Watch described LGBT discrimination in South Korea as “widespread.” Bain is not the first K-pop idol to come out. Last month, Lara, an Indian-American member of the girl group CATSEYE, revealed her queer identity on a K-pop fan community platform. In 2020, Jiae from the disbanded girl group WJSN announced she is bisexual on Instagram.