K-Pop Idols Make Wave of Coming Out Streak... Lara, Jiae, and Bain Declare “Sexual Identity Is Not Shameful”

K-pop idols are continuously revealing their sexual minority identities, sparking a new shift within South Korea’s traditionally conservative entertainment industry. Last month, Lara from HYBE’s global girl group KATSEYE announced through the fan community platform Weverse that she is attracted to people of the same gender. Having debuted via the audition program “The Debut: Dream Academy,” Lara confessed, “I was extremely scared and worried whether people would accept me. I feared I might lose all my opportunities.” However, she found strength in her fans’ warm support. Lara said, “Because my fans treated me so kindly, gave me love, and cheered for me, I was able to accept myself more confidently.” She also expressed the additional pressure of being a person of color. Lara stated, “On top of that, I was afraid due to the barrier of being a person of color. (But by coming out) I am proud of myself. My sexual identity is part of who I am, and it is not shameful at all.” Earlier, in 2020, Jiae, who emerged from the show “WASUP,” directly revealed she is bisexual by posting on her personal account, “I love both men and women. Can you understand?” Jiae added, “I’m happy to have a lovely girlfriend,” and later in February, she shared a photo of herself gently touching cheeks and kissing her same-sex partner. Jiae appeared on Channel S’s variety show “The Advancing Sisters” and explained the motivation behind her coming out honestly. She disclosed her internal journey, saying, “Until I was 25, I dated several men, but none of those relationships lasted more than three months. Something felt unfulfilled. I often wondered, ‘Is this really love?’” Then she added, “When I thought, ‘Am I someone who can’t love?’ I decided, ‘Let me meet a woman. I don’t necessarily have to meet a man,’ so I met a woman.” And on the 24th of last month, Bain from JUST B publicly declared her membership in the LGBT community during a world tour performance in Los Angeles, United States. Bain is the first active male idol of Korean nationality in his 23 years to come out publicly. During the performance, she proclaimed, “I'm f--king proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community—as a gay person,” receiving enthusiastic cheers from the audience. Bain encouraged other sexual minorities by saying, “To anyone out there who's part of the LGBTQ+ community, or still figuring it out, this is for you guys. You are seen, you are loved, and you were born this way.” In South Korean society, homosexuality is not a crime legally, but it remains socially taboo. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognized, and a 2022 Human Rights Watch report concluded that discrimination against sexual minorities exists “on a widespread scale.” The K-pop industry is particularly known for its strict image management, creating an environment where idols’ personal lives are tightly controlled. Now, the successive coming outs of Lara, Jiae, and Bain suggest that South Korea’s entertainment industry is gradually changing.