In a move hailed as brave and groundbreaking, Bain, a member of the K-pop boy group JUST B, publicly announced that he is part of the LGBTQ+ community during the group’s recent concert in Los Angeles. Before performing Lady Gaga’s anthem ‘Born This Way’, a song he has embraced throughout their JUST ODD tour, Bain addressed the cheering crowd with a heartfelt declaration.
“Before I start this next song, I have something I want to share with you guys,” Bain began, before exclaiming, “I’m f***ing proud to be a part of the LGBTQ+!…As a gay person.” The statement was met with thunderous applause and an outpouring of love from JUST B’s fans, known as ONLY B. Bain then dedicated his performance of ‘Born This Way’ to “anyone out there who’s part of the LBGTQ+ or still figuring it out,” adding, “This is for you guys, and also this is for everyone.”
At the concert’s conclusion, Bain again addressed the supportive audience, expressing his gratitude. “Today, it means a lot to me. I’m so happy that I can be myself,” he shared, ending with an empowering message: “Stay bold. Stay fierce. And lastly, always, always be your true selves.”
This open declaration from Bain, whose real name is Song Byeonghee, marks a potentially pivotal moment in the often conservative world of K-pop, where idols rarely come out publicly. While some K-pop artists have shown support for the LGBTQ+ community in more subtle ways, a clear and direct statement like Bain’s is exceptionally uncommon.
"I'm fucking proud to be part of the LGBTQ community" – Bain#Bain #송병희 #배인#JUSTB #저스트비 pic.twitter.com/xREw3jdR5r
— tam ˖⋆˙ is fckin proud of Bain (@eternal_codeb) April 23, 2025
The response from fans on social media has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising his courage and the significance of his action. Hashtags like #WELOVEBAIN, #PROUDOFBAIN, and #BAINTHISWAY quickly trended on X (formerly Twitter), as fans changed their profile pictures and added supportive messages to their display names.
Bain’s fellow JUST B members also showed their solidarity, embracing him on stage after his announcement. Later, members Geonu and Sangwoo expressed their pride during a livestream, with Sangwoo saying, “Yeah, me too! He is really cool” and Geonu adding, “So proud of him, guys.” Another member, Siwoo, wrote on the fan platform Fromm, “Byeonghee was so cool today. Applause for your courage.”
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Bain’s courageous step follows a recent announcement from Lara of the girl group Katseye, who also came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community. Lara’s own experience highlights the significance of such public declarations within the industry, as she stated, “I was really scared [to come out], and now I’m so grateful that people in my life, and you guys, too, have been so supportive, so I feel so proud of it and no shame at all. You gave me so much love and support and it made me feel so confident in who I am.”`
