K-pop singer Bain of Just B come out as gay during live show
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
- Author, Fan Wang
- Role, BBC News
- Read am in 3 mins
K-pop group Just B member Bain don reveal to im fans say e dey "proud to be part of di LGBT community" - one rare move for industry wey get tight control ova artists behaviour, wia stars typically dey keep details of dia personal lives private, particularly relationships.
Di star wey be 23, now dey among only a small group of K-pop artists wey don come out publicly.
Bain make di announcement in front of im fans while performing solo concert for Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
According to videos wey dey circulate on social media, di crowd loudly cheer am up.
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"To anyone wey dey out dia, wey dey part of di LGBT community, or still dey figure am out - dis na for you guys," Bain, wey e real name na Song Byeong-hee, tok inside one video wey e post for im social media afta di concert.
"We dey see you, you dey loved, and dem born you dis way," e add, bifor e launch into performance of Born This Way by pop icon Lady Gaga, wey e dey refer to as "my queen".
Im bandmates welcome di announcement. Just B member Siwoo tok say im cry wen e dey watch Bain performance. "I know how e dey hard for am, and dat make me want to cry more," e tok, according to Korean media outlet News1.
Di band fans don show dia support as well. "We love you so much and we dey so proud of you for being yourself," one fan comment under im Instagram post.
"You are so loved. We dey so proud to be your fan. Dey proud of who you be," anoda fan write.
Dem form Just B for 2021 wit six-member wey don release five EPs and multiple singles.
Coming out to di public as gay remain rare for South Korea entertainment industry. While homosexuality no dey illegal in di kontri, e remain taboo, and same-sex marriage no dey legally recognised.
One 2022 Human Rights Watch report describe discrimination against LGBT pipo in South Korea as "pervasive".
Bain no be di first K-pop star to come out. Just last month, Lara, one Indian-American member of di girl group Katseye, come out as queer on one K-pop fan community platform. For 2020, Jiae from di now-disbanded girl group Wassup announce on Instagram say she be bisexual.
