The member of the K -Pop Just B Bath group revealed to the fans that he was “proud to be part of the LGBT community” – a rare decision in a known industry for its close control over the behavior of artists, where stars generally keep details on their private personal life, in particular relations.
The 23-year-old star is now only among a handful of K-POP artists who have released publicly.
Bain made this announcement in front of fans while playing a solo during a concert in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening.
The time was welcomed by the acclaim of the crowd, according to videos circulating on social networks.
“To anyone who is part of the LGBT community, or who always understands it – it’s for you guys,” said Bain, whose real name is Song Byeong -Hee, in a video published on his social networks after the concert.
“You are seen, you are loved and you were born in this way,” he added, before embarking on a performance by Born This Way by Pop Icon Gaga, which he called “my queen”.
His group comrades praised the announcement. The B Siwoo member said he cried while looking at bath performance. “I know how difficult it was for him, and it made me want to cry more,” he said, according to Korean media News1.
Group fans have also shown their support. “We love you so much and are so proud of you to be yourself,” reads a high level comment under his Instagram post.
“You are so liked. So proud to be your fan. Be proud of who you are,” wrote another fan.
Trained in 2021, Just B is an act of six members who published five EPs and several singles.
The exit remains extremely rare in the highly pressurized entertainment industry in South Korea. Although homosexuality is not illegal in the country, it remains taboo and homosexual marriage is not legally recognized.
A 2022 Human Rights Watch report described discrimination against LGBT people in South Korea as “omnipresent”.
Bath is not the first K-Pop star to be released. Last month, Lara, an Indian-American member of the Katseye girls group, appeared queer on a community platform for K-Pop fans. In 2020, Jiae of the group of girls now now, Wassup, announced on Instagram that she was bisexual.
