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South China Morning Post
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
What Just B's Bain coming out as gay shows about Korea's progress on LGBTQ
When Bain, the vocalist of K-pop boy band Just B, came out as gay during a concert on April 22, it sparked a discussion in the broader K-pop scene about how such moments – still rare in the industry – may shape its future. Advertisement The singer made the announcement during a stop on the group's 'Just Odd' world tour in Los Angeles, telling the crowd mid-show, 'I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ community.' His words were met with loud cheers and applause as he waved a rainbow flag onstage. Although several K-pop artists have come out as gay in recent years, Bain is the first active member of a Korean boy group to do so publicly. Korea's entertainment industry has long been shaped by a conservative cultural backdrop, whereby open discussions of sexual orientation have remained limited. Queer representation began to surface in the mainstream in 2000 when TV personality Hong Seok-cheon became the first Korean celebrity to come out publicly, in a magazine interview. The announcement sparked intense public debate at the time and led to his temporary removal from major broadcast appearances. Hong Seok-cheon arrives for the opening ceremony of the 28th Busan International Film Festival in Busan, South Korea, on October 4, 2023. Other entertainers who later came out – including Jiae, a former member of the girl group Wassup; Som Hevin, a contestant on the 2017 audition show Idol School; and trot singer Kwon Do-woon – faced similar public scrutiny and career challenges.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Just B's Bain is 1st K-pop idol in a boy group to come out as gay
[Source] Just B member Bain made history this week by becoming the first K-pop idol in a boy group to publicly come out as gay during the group's 'Just Odd' concert in Los Angeles on Tuesday. 'Born this way' Bain, whose real name is Song Byeong-hee, paused mid-show at The Vermont Hollywood to make his announcement. 'I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ community,' he declared to loud cheers from the audience, adding that he identifies as 'a gay person.' He also credited Lady Gaga for showing him that 'being different is beautiful,' leading to a performance of 'Born This Way.' He later took to Instagram to share the news. Fellow Just B member Siwoo shared a supportive message through the fan platform Fromm on Thursday. 'Byunghee (Bain) was amazing. Applause for his courage. I was watching backstage, and I teared up. Knowing how hard and painful this must've been, it hit me even harder,' Siwoo noted. Trending on NextShark: Why this matters Bain's announcement represents a watershed moment in K-pop, an industry known for strict control over artists' personal lives. Just B's label, BLUEDOT Entertainment, issued the following response: 'Since this pertains to Bain's personal life and sexual identity, it is difficult for us to provide a separate statement.' Bain joins a small group of openly LGBTQ+ K-pop idols, including Jiae (formerly of Wassup), who came out as bisexual in 2020, and Lara of Katseye, who came out as a 'fruitcake' last month. These announcements are significant given South Korea's conservative stance on LGBTQ+ issues. While homosexuality is not illegal in the country, it remains largely taboo, with same-sex marriage not legally recognized. Trending on NextShark: Fans have rallied behind Bain using the hashtag #ProudofBain, showing support for his decision that challenges industry norms. 'Song Byeonghee I hope you know just how loved and iconic you are. I am so proud of you and I'm honored to be on this journey with you,' one fan wrote. This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Subscribe here now! Trending on NextShark: Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Korea Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Just B's Bain thanks Hong Seok-cheon for paving way for LGBTQ+ in Korea
Bain, a member of K-pop boy band Just B who came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community last week, has expressed gratitude to Hong Seok-cheon, Korea's first openly-gay celebrity who came out in 2000, for paving the way for the LGBTQ+ community in the Korean entertainment industry. On Sunday, Hong shared a thank-you message he received from Bain on his Instagram account. In the message, Bain expressed his deep appreciation, writing, 'I read about your warm encouragement and advice in a news article and was truly moved.' Bain also acknowledged the profound influence Hong had on him: 'Thanks to you, who chose to walk a lonely and arduous path 25 years ago, I found the courage to follow a similar journey. Although I still carry fears about this path I have chosen, I feel I have the strength to move forward because of how you light up the path like a lighthouse.' Bain further added that he hopes to become someone like Hong, who can empower and influence others. The article Bain referred to was based on a recent interview in which Hong shared his happiness upon hearing about Bain's coming out, describing it as something that should be truly celebrated. Bain publicly came out last Tuesday during Just B's stop in Los Angeles for their "Just Odd" world tour. During the performance, Bain proudly declared that he was a part of the LGBTQ+ community and waved a rainbow flag in celebration.
Malay Mail
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
K-pop breakthrough as Just B's Bain comes out publicly in LA, performs Gaga's ‘Born This Way' in emotional moment (VIDEO)
LOS ANGELES, April 26 – Bain, a member of South Korean boy band Just B, came out as part of the queer community during the group's 'Just Odd' world tour stop in Los Angeles earlier this week. The group's main vocalist made the announcement during Tuesday's performance, becoming the first K-pop boy band member to come out publicly. 'I'm f—ing proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community ... Shout out to my queen Lady Gaga, because she showed that being different is beautiful!' he said, as cited by Seoul-based Korea Herald. The 23-year-old then waved a rainbow flag while performing Lady Gaga's anthem 'Born This Way,' as fans cheered and his fellow members embraced him on stage in a show of support. 'To many of you out there, who are part of LGBTQ+, or still figuring out, this is for you guys,' Bain said in a message directed at fans. Although Just B's agency has yet to release an official statement, fellow member Siwoo expressed his support for Bain through a message posted on the fan communication platform Fromm. 'Byunghee was amazing. Applause for his courage,' he reportedly wrote, using Bain's real name. 'I was watching backstage, and I teared up. Knowing how hard and painful this must've been, it hit me even harder. I already gave him a big hug — it's been such a happy tour.' Just B, a six-member group that debuted in 2021, released their latest EP 'Just Odd' in March before embarking on their ongoing world tour. Bain becomes just the third K-pop idol to come out as LGBTQ+ after former Wassup member Jiae and Katseye's Lara.
Korea Herald
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Just B's Bain first boy band member to come out as LGBTQ+
Bain proudly embraced his identity on stage during the band's LA concert, marking a historic moment in K-pop Bain, a member of boy band Just B, came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community during an overseas performance. He publicly declared his identity Tuesday during Just B's stop in Los Angeles for its "Just Odd" world tour. He is now the third K-pop idol in a group to do so, following Jiae — formerly of Wassup — and Lara from Katseye. Bain is also the first member of a K-pop boy band to come out. During the performance Bain declared that he had something he wanted to share before saying, "I'm f---ing proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community,' adding, 'Shout out to my queen Lady Gaga, because she showed that being different is beautiful!' He then waved a rainbow flag as he performed Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way.' The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, while his fellow members hugged him one by one in a show of strong support. 'To many of you out there, who are part of LGBTQ+, or still figuring out, this is for you guys,' Bain added, speaking directly to fans who may share similar experiences. Though the group's agency has not issued an official statement, fellow member Siwoo shared a heartfelt message of support. On Thursday via the fan communication platform Fromm, Siwoo wrote, 'Byunghee (Bain) was amazing. Applause for his courage. I was watching backstage, and I teared up. Knowing how hard and painful this must've been, it hit me even harder. I already gave him a big hug — it's been such a happy tour.' Just B, a six-member boy band that debuted in 2021, released its EP "Just Odd" in March and is currently on a world tour. Bain, the group's main vocalist, gained attention for his impressive vocals during his appearance on Mnet's competition show "Build Up."
