Gay korean stars
15 Gay Korean Celebrities
It might be surprising when looking from a western perspective, but countries enjoy South Korea are severely lacking when it comes to openly LGBT+ celebrities.
This is mainly because of different societal laws as adv as some laws and attitudes towards being openly queer.
This is not to say that countries have less LGBT+ celebrities, it is just the truth that many of these celebrities are not able to be open about their sexuality for fear of mass rejection from their home country.
Looking at South Korea itself, the country has a complicated bond with gay rights. The issue has become more and more accepted in very recent years with many common figures becoming advocates for the bring about, however it is still a huge debate with generally a few more people against than for.
There are moves being made, there is now even a show called ‘Marry Queer’ which will feature lgbtq+ couples and debate their relationships with some openly homosexual hosts and the relationships being looked at with a sympathetic lens on a major network.
However, this makes the few instances of the publicly male lover celebrities in South Korea even braver for being openly t
K-pop idols are constantly in the spotlight — from strict contracts to fan expectations, every part of their lives is watched closely. But for stars in the Gay community, the pressure is even more intense.
In South Korea, being openly lgbtq+ is still a big deal. While some progress has been made, coming out in the K-pop world can put careers at risk. “While the Republic of Korea (South Korea) broadly respects the rights of its citizens, there are significant human rights concerns,” Human Rights View stated in a 2023 report, “especially regarding lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, and gender non-conforming (LGBT) people.”
Despite this, a small number of K-pop stars have taken the brave step of coming out — publicly sharing their truth in an industry that isn’t always ready to support them.
One of the most commended names is Holland, who made history as the first openly gay K-pop idol. His journey into music wasn’t smooth. When he first started out, no entertainment agencies were willing to accept an openly gay artist. So Holland took matters into his have hands.
He worked two part-time jobs to fund his debut single, “Neverland,” which dropped in January 2018. In 2019, he released his first m
'Proud to be gay': K-pop celestial body on coming out to the world
Bain, he adds, has "challenged that silence in a symbolic and powerful way. I believe it marks a major moment".
But he believes fans may have reacted very differently - "it might have been explosive" - if a member of a global boyband had come out as gay.
"Bain's case was significant, but his community isn't as famous [so] it didn't cause as much stir domestically," Mr Lim says.
Bain has certainly helped raise awareness, he agrees. "It's a slow process but we're seeing more universal figures speaking up or content being created around these LGBTQ issues."
But any immediate change in K-pop or the entertainment industry is unlikely, according to him.
"It's not just a social issue - it's a market issue. Male idols usually contain a much larger female fanbase… [and] if you find out your favourite male idol is gay, that can shatter the illusion that you could one day be the object of his affection," said Min Yong-Jun, a pop culture columnist.
"So if they do [come out] they risk shaking the foundation their fandom is built on.&
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The topic of gender and sexuality is still subject to traditional and conservative views in Korea.
Yet, two foremost Korean stars who are trying to change that taboo through their content are openly LGBT hosts of Jewel Box, Hong Seok Cheon and Kim Prohibit Seok.
On July 20, a video was shared online. It saw content originator Kim Ban Seok distribute footage of his second with Jewel Box co-star Hong Seok Cheon as they explored Singapore’s nightlife and LGBTQ+ scene.
After Disallow Seok met with Seok Cheon, they went out to discover, including going to Tanjong Pagar, which they said was famous as “gay street.”
They went into the first same-sex attracted club, not knowing that they’d come close to closing and that after midnight, they didn’t market alcohol, but Ban Seok added it was still a hot place to go.
It seems like the duo is known worldwide, as they bumped into an international fan of Jewel Box.
The next gay prevent seemed just as fiery, and Ban Seok was relatable AF, seeing a handsome man walk in. As Seok Cheon got stamped, his co-star wasn’t afraid to hype up his status as a celebrity.
He got