'Coming Out' K-pop Idol Says "There Is More to Gain Than to Lose"

JUST B's Bae In Shares His Feelings in BBC Interview
"Hiding My Identity Was Painful... Society Is Changing"

Bae In, a member of the boy group JUST B who publicly came out as a sexual minority, shared the background behind his decision to come out in an interview with the BBC in the United Kingdom.

Yonhap News reported this, citing a BBC broadcast interview released on the 28th (local time).

Bae In, who debuted in 2021 as a member of the six-member boy group JUST B, said that he realized he was gay during his teenage years. However, he revealed that he had to hide his identity for a long time, from his days as an idol trainee through to his activities after debuting.

He went on to say that although he gradually built a fan base and continued his activities, living while hiding his identity was a great source of pain.

Bae In shared his feelings at the time, saying, "I felt like I was hiding too much, and I even thought I might not be able to be an idol at all." He especially reflected, "The act of hiding my identity itself felt overwhelmingly difficult."

Boy group Just B member Bae In
Photo by Bae In Instagram capture

About three years ago, Bae In first came out to his family. Later, with the support of his fellow JUST B members and his agency, he gained the courage to make his identity public. In April, during a world tour performance in Los Angeles, USA, Bae In came out for the first time on stage, saying, "As a gay man, I am proud to be part of the LGBTQ community."

It is extremely rare for a member of a K-pop group to reveal their sexual minority identity, especially given that even dating rumors can shake fandoms and spark controversy.

In fact, Bae In revealed that there were concerns within the industry that coming out would cause him to lose fans. However, he said, "I felt that society was changing, and I thought that maybe I could gain more than I would lose."

He also shared an anecdote that immediately after coming out, some fans confided in him that they, too, were sexual minorities and expressed their gratitude. Bae In added, "At that moment, I felt I should have come out even sooner."

Bae In emphasized, "If my choice can give someone courage, that alone is meaningful." He said, "I lived hiding myself for a very long time, but if my decision to come forward first helped others feel they could safely reveal themselves, that is enough for me."