Bain of JUST B is the first K-POP male idol to come out as LGBTQ, sharing his journey and the reactions he faced.

Bain of JUST B, who was the first K-POP male idol to come out as a member of the LGBTQ community, spoke about his feelings. Recently, a video titled "Coming Out as an Idol?? What?" was released on the YouTube channel "Hong Seok-cheon's Treasure Box." Last year, during JUST B's world tour performance in Los Angeles, Bain revealed, "I am proud to be a member of the LGBTQ community." Bain's coming out was the first case for a male idol in K-POP. In a conversation with Hong Seok-cheon, he talked about the background leading to his coming out. "Actually, I didn't plan it beforehand. I decided on the day of the rehearsal and told the members and the company, 'I want to come out.' They said, 'Go ahead.' For my solo stage prepared after the tour started, I chose Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' to deliver a small sign to the fans," he revealed. He shared about his sexual identity, saying, "Actually, since I started as a trainee, I became aware that 'Oh, I like men.' After realizing that, I felt very anxious, wondering, 'Is it okay for me to continue as a trainee?' I imagined how my identity would affect my future and was scared, thinking, 'Am I hiding something? Am I deceiving the company?'" Amid vague anxiety and fear, Bain considered contacting Hong Seok-cheon. He said, "I thought he was the only senior who could give me advice among those actively working after coming out. At that time, neither my parents nor friends knew, and I was really alone with it. So, I thought about how to contact him, but I was very scared." When he finally met Hong Seok-cheon, Bain said, "It was truly not a lie; I strongly thought, 'I have to live like this, I have to live proudly.' Because I am doing music as an idol, I wanted to be someone who can influence people through music, just like my senior. I really thought I had to live with such a wonderful mindset." After coming out, the reactions to Bain were intense. He said, "I feel like I have gained a new perspective. After coming out, I feel, 'Oh, I can do this and that. I can talk about this and that.' Simply put, before, when writing lyrics, I had to write 'her' or deliberately make the gender ambiguous. But now, I can write lyrics comfortably for my solo songs. This small change has a big meaning for me. I feel like my possibilities have expanded, and I can dream bigger. That is what makes me the happiest." However, he could not avoid negative reactions. He said, "When I checked everything, about 80% were supportive by my standards. However, when I returned to Korea, the reactions felt harsh, with 80% against and 20% supportive. At that moment, I felt a bit scared, thinking, 'Did I make a mistake?' and started to face reality. Of course, it wasn't like, 'You should be punished for coming out.' But still, receiving such harsh words directly from people who don't know me well was a bit scary." Bain expressed his feelings of guilt towards his members. "Actually, if I were alone, I think I wouldn't have regretted coming out. But I belong to a group. I feel sorry that the members, whom I cherish and feel like family, have to feel uncomfortable or misunderstood because of me. The members are not gay, only I am. If someone misunderstands, 'So, is everyone gay?' it would be really problematic. But I don't think it's all my fault. Thinking about that honestly makes me feel down." Finally, he said, "I think many fans were surprised, but there are also those who already knew or had some suspicions. Still, I am truly grateful for everyone who tries to understand and love me as I am."