A big step has just been taken by JUST B's Bain who has publicly revealed his sexual identity as gay. This momentous event took place on April 22, 2025 during the ' JUST ODD ' world tour concert in Los Angeles, where Bain told his fans, " I am proud to be part of the LGBT community, " before performing Lady Gaga's iconic song, 'Born This Way,' as quoted from Soompi on Thursday April 24, 2025.
The following day, Bain, whose real name is Song Byung Hee, shared his feelings on Instagram. He wrote, " I want to share something real. I am proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community—as a gay person. My queen, Lady Gaga, shows that being different is beautiful. "
In his post, Bain also encouraged anyone who is still searching for their identity. " You are seen, you are loved, and you were born that way, " he wrote, quoting the lyrics of a song he performed the night before. Bain's confession is a historic moment, as he is the first active male idol from South Korea to openly come out as gay.
In the still-conservative K-pop industry, this is a bold and unprecedented move. JUST B itself is a six-member boy group that debuted in June 2021 under the agency BLUEDOT Entertainment. They are known for songs such as 'DAMAGE,' 'TICK TOCK,' and 'RE=LOAD.'
In response to Bain's statement, the agency stated that because this concerns the artist's private life, they cannot provide further comment. Reporting from Pink Villa on the same Thursday, Bain's move adds to the list of Korean artists who are starting to dare to be open about their sexual identity.
Previously, Lara from the girl group KATSEYE under HYBE also admitted to liking women. On the fan community platform Weverse, Lara wrote, " I like girls, " and shared her fear of coming out. However, she felt very loved and accepted by her fans. " My sexual identity is a part of me, and it's nothing to be ashamed of, " he said.
Much earlier, Jiae, a former member of the group Wassup, became one of the first Korean artists to publicly declare herself bisexual. She wrote on her personal account, " I love both men and women. Can you understand that? I'm happy because I have a cute boyfriend."
This confession was followed by a further story on the reality show 'Sisters Attack,' where Jiae shared her experience of recognizing her sexual orientation after feeling incompatible in relationships with men. However, even though more and more people are starting to dare to speak up, Korean society still shows mixed reactions.
Like the experience of senior actor Hong Suk Chun who came out in 2000, which at that time caused a big commotion and rejection from various parties, including his own family. In an interview, Hong revealed that her parents still don't fully understand her, but now support her work.
She even opened a restaurant in Itaewon as a form of struggle and independence after her career was shaken, as reported by Allkpop. In addition, actress Youn Yuh Jung also made a surprising confession in an interview with foreign media.
She stated, " My eldest son is gay ," and added, " He met his partner in New York and they got married ." Now, with the recognition of Bain and a number of other idols, their journey has opened up space for more open discussions about the diversity of sexual identities and orientations in the world of K-Pop and South Korea itself.
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